Not Just Confluent: Exploring Kafka Providers in 2025
When you think of Apache Kafka, chances are the name “Confluent” immediately pops into your head. That makes sense. Confluent is the company behind Kafka’s original development and it offers the most widely-used Kafka distribution today.
But here’s the thing: Confluent is not the only provider in town.
Whether you’re building a distributed event-driven app or just want to test out a local pipeline, there are several Kafka distributions and Kafka-compatible alternatives worth considering. This post will walk you through them so you can choose the best one for your use case.
1. Confluent Platform (cp-kafka)
Docker image: confluentinc/cp-kafka
Confluent is the go-to choice for many developers and companies. It bundles Kafka with a full suite of tools like Schema Registry, Kafka Connect, ksqlDB, REST Proxy and Control Center. The platform is production-ready and comes with commercial support if needed.
Pros:
- Well-documented and actively maintained
- Supports both legacy (Zookeeper) and modern (KRaft) Kafka modes
- Fully compatible with Spring Boot, Kafka Streams and other tools
Cons:
- Heavyweight for simple use cases
- More complex to configure compared to minimalist distributions
Use this if: You want a complete, enterprise-ready Kafka stack with all the bells and whistles.
2. Bitnami Kafka
Docker image: bitnami/kafka:4.0.0
Bitnami provides a clean, no-frills Kafka setup that is ideal for local development or lightweight deployments. It also supports KRaft mode starting from Kafka 4.0.0.
Pros:
- Lightweight and open-source
- Clear documentation and simple Docker Compose setup
- Great for learning or quick prototypes
Cons:
- No bundled extras like Schema Registry or Kafka UI
- You may need to handle configuration manually
Use this if: You want a lean Kafka setup for local development or testing.
3. Redpanda
Docker image: redpandadata/redpanda
Redpanda is not Kafka under the hood, but it is fully Kafka API-compatible. It is built in C++ and focuses on performance, simplicity and lower resource usage. If you’re looking for something faster than JVM-based Kafka, Redpanda is worth exploring.
Pros:
- Fast and resource-efficient
- No need for Zookeeper or even KRaft
- Works out-of-the-box with Kafka clients
Cons:
- Not technically Apache Kafka, so some edge-case features may differ
- Smaller ecosystem compared to Confluent or Bitnami
Use this if: You need high performance and Kafka API compatibility without the JVM overhead.
4. Managed Kafka Providers (Cloud-based)
Some cloud platforms offer Kafka as a managed service so you don’t have to worry about deployment, upgrades or scaling.
Popular choices include:
- AWS MSK (Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka)
- Aiven for Apache Kafka
- Instaclustr Kafka
- Confluent Cloud
Pros:
- Zero maintenance
- Production-ready with SLAs and support
- Seamless scaling and monitoring
Cons:
- More expensive than self-hosted options
- Not ideal for local development
Use this if: You’re running Kafka in production and want to avoid managing infrastructure.
Summary Table
| Provider | Kafka Compatibility | Lightweight | Zookeeper-Free | Best Use Case |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Confluent | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes (KRaft) | Full enterprise setups |
| Bitnami | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes (KRaft) | Local dev and testing |
| Redpanda | ✅ API-compatible | ✅ Yes | ✅ Yes | Performance-sensitive apps |
| AWS MSK / Aiven | ✅ Yes | ❌ No | ✅ Yes | Managed cloud deployments |
Final Thoughts
Confluent might be the biggest name in the Kafka world, but it’s not your only option. Depending on what you’re building, you might benefit from a lighter image like Bitnami, a high-performance engine like Redpanda or a fully managed cloud service.
Each provider has its strengths and trade-offs. The best choice depends on your goals, your infrastructure and how much control (or simplicity) you need.
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