Amazon Kinesis Reviews

Name: Amazon Kinesis
Brand: Amazon Web Services (AWS)
Rating: 4.0 (29 reviews)

4.0 out of 5

29 reviews
90% willing to recommend

What is Amazon Kinesis?

Amazon Kinesis makes it easy to collect, process, and analyze real-time, streaming data so you can get timely insights and react quickly to new information. Amazon Kinesis offers key capabilities to cost-effectively process streaming data at any scale, along with the flexibility to choose the tools that best suit the requirements of your application. With Amazon Kinesis, you can ingest real-time data such as video, audio, application logs, website clickstreams, and IoT telemetry data for machine learning, analytics, and other applications. Amazon Kinesis enables you to process and analyze data as it arrives and respond instantly instead of having to wait until all your data is collected before the processing can begin.

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Amazon Kinesis is the #2 ranked solution in Streaming Analytics tools. PeerSpot users give Amazon Kinesis an average rating of 8.0 out of 10. Amazon Kinesis is most commonly compared to Databricks: Amazon Kinesis vs Databricks. Amazon Kinesis is popular among the large enterprise segment, accounting for 62% of users researching this solution on PeerSpot. The top industry researching this solution are professionals from a computer software company, accounting for 18% of all views.

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Featured Amazon Kinesis reviews

Rajni Kumar Jha

Senior Software Engineer at JPMorgan Chase & Co.

It is not compulsory to use Amazon Kinesis. If you don't want to use the data streaming, you can use just the Kinesis data firehose. Using the Kinesis data firehose is compulsory because we can't store all chats and recordings in Amazon S3 without it. When a call comes in the Amazon Kinesis instance, it will go to Data Streams if we use it. Otherwise, it will go to the Kinesis data firehose, where we need to define the S3 bucket path, and it will go to Amazon S3. So, without the Kinesis data firehose, we can't store all the chats and recordings in Amazon S3. Using Amazon Kinesis totally depends upon the user's requirements. If you want to use live streaming for the data lake or data analyst team, you need to use Amazon Kinesis. If you don't want to use it, you can directly use the Kinesis data firehose, which will be stored in Amazon S3. Overall, I rate the solution an eight out of ten.

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Sushil Pandey

Data Engineer at Tiger Analytics

There is no problem with the tool's stability. I think with the tool, you cannot send or store more than one MB of data in one go. You have to split the two MB of data that you want to store. You have to split it into two messages, and then you can store it. Later on, on the consumer side, you have to deal with it and see how you can merge the data. For most of the devices, the data which we get is not more than one MB. In some use cases, we find the need to do something from our end.

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Prabin Silwal

Senior Engineering Consultant at ASSURANCE IQ, INC.

I am not exactly sure about where improvements are needed in the tool. When I was working on the tool, it was very scalable, and the only thing we needed in our company was temporary streaming stuff that could work well. We didn't want to set up our own Kafka, other queues, or processing systems. As it is a cloud tool, it is easy for us to use the tool, and it satisfies all our requirements. Maybe for the other cases, if we need, then it may need some improvements. The tool satisfies our particular needs. Currently, the pipeline setup is very simple. For our particular use cases, it is because we just want to get the data and send it to the different data lakes or some logging system. Previously, we also used Amazon Kinesis to log those to Splunk, and later on, we removed Splunk and transferred that to Datadog. For our use cases, I don't want any new features in the tool. Amazon Kinesis' use case is for collecting, processing, and analyzing. If anything can be added to the tool, then I feel one should be able to use the same kind of tool so that everything is there in the product, like an alert system, and so that one can analyze, make a query, and do sourcing from the solution itself rather than using other logging and monitoring systems. The tool should focus on having an alert system rather than having to use a third-party solution. We can just get the data over Amazon Kinesis, and we can directly use all the benefits of current analytical tools, like in the areas involving BI, Looker, and Tableau. One would not need to buy the aforementioned tools, and we can just get started with Amazon Kinesis.

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Amazon Kinesis mindshare

As of October 2025, the mindshare of Amazon Kinesis in the Streaming Analytics category stands at 6.7%, down from 10.5% compared to the previous year, according to calculations based on PeerSpot user engagement data.

Streaming Analytics Market Share Distribution
Product	Market Share (%)
Amazon Kinesis	6.7%
Apache Flink	14.8%
Databricks	12.5%
Other	66.0%

Streaming Analytics

PeerResearch reports based on Amazon Kinesis reviews

Type	Title	Date
Category	Streaming Analytics	Oct 13, 2025	Download
Product	Reviews, tips, and advice from real users	Oct 13, 2025	Download
Comparison	Amazon Kinesis vs Databricks	Oct 13, 2025	Download
Comparison	Amazon Kinesis vs Confluent	Oct 13, 2025	Download
Comparison	Amazon Kinesis vs Azure Stream Analytics	Oct 13, 2025	Download

Title	Rating	Mindshare	Recommending
Databricks	4.1	12.5%	96%	91 interviews Add to research
Confluent	4.1	8.5%	95%	25 interviews Add to research

Valuable Features

Amazon Kinesis offers features like seamless AWS integration, real-time data streaming, and scalability. Users highlight simplicity and efficiency for managing data infrastructure. The asynchronous client and Lambda integration enable efficient data processing and storage. Auto-scaling and high throughput support real-time analytics, while the replay feature ensures data integrity. With its user-friendly interface, it's suitable for small businesses and large enterprises alike. Flexible configurations make it adaptable for various use cases.

"The integration between Amazon Kinesis and Lambda helps us significantly."
"Amazon Kinesis is easy to get started with, provides good documentation, and has a multilang daemon interface that makes it programming-language agnostic."
"The Kinesis VideoStream and DataStream are the most important features."

Room for Improvement

Several areas require improvement for Amazon Kinesis. A simplified sharding process and higher default limits would enhance scalability. The client library and aggregator face limitations, and linking one Stream to one Lambda proves restrictive. Documentation on optimal sharding lacks clarity. Enhancing compatibility with SQL tools and extending data retention beyond seven days would benefit users. Users find it costly for extensive data volumes, suggesting better pricing, more auto-scaling features, and reduced latency, especially for video streaming.

"We are contemplating moving away from Amazon Kinesis primarily because of the cost."
"Amazon Kinesis could improve its pricing to be more competitive, especially for large volumes."
"There could be valid data in Kinesis that is not being processed, which affects stability. Although it rarely happens, this issue has been observed in many deployments, making it not completely stable."

ROI

Utilizing Amazon Kinesis resulted in substantial savings, with reduced costs for data ingestion and processing efficiency. Customers observed significant cost reductions, reporting savings of tens of thousands annually. It facilitated seamless data integration with other databases like Snowflake and enhanced data analytics. Amazon Kinesis enabled the creation of an improved architecture and implementation of essential alarms. The integration with AWS services simplified security and monitoring, while eliminating the need for additional charges when using Lambda for less frequent tasks improved cost management.

Pricing

Amazon Kinesis is generally viewed as moderately priced, with costs largely depending on usage and data volume. Users find the pricing structure fair compared to alternatives like Google Cloud and Azure, though some note Kinesis Analytics can be costlier. Monthly expenses can be manageable, typically under $1,000, but scaling and high data volumes may increase costs. While some users find value in managed solutions over self-hosted options like Kafka, others perceive Kinesis as expensive in certain regions.

"I think for us, with Amazon Kinesis, if we have to set up our own Kafka or cluster, it will be very time-consuming. If one considers the aforementioned aspect, Amazon Kinesis is a cheap tool."
"I rate the product price a five on a scale of one to ten, where one is cheap, and ten is expensive."
"Amazon Kinesis is an expensive solution."

Popular Use Cases

Amazon Kinesis is leveraged for real-time data streaming, processing, and storage. It handles security analytics, captures sales data, and manages IoT streams. Organizations use Kinesis for data ingestion and pipeline, enabling quick insights and responses. It supports various architectures connecting data from multiple sources into analytics platforms like S3 and Snowflake. High-volume environments appreciate its resilience and replay features, ensuring reliable performance for applications in fields like eCommerce, gaming, and media streaming.

Service and Support

Amazon Kinesis customer service receives mixed feedback. Many mention quick responses, especially for throttling increases and simple queries. Some describe support as excellent, offering valuable guidance during implementation, while others note limitations and slow responses. Experience varies based on AWS relationship, with some finding support lacking and needing improvement, especially for more complex technical issues. Feedback generally highlights promptness in addressing straightforward concerns but suggests potential enhancements for more comprehensive technical assistance.

Deployment

Amazon Kinesis's initial setup is frequently described as straightforward and easy to configure. Users highlight its managed nature and simplicity compared to alternatives like Kafka. Deployment often takes a short time, with some configurations possible within minutes. Users appreciate the intuitive interface and helpful documentation. Most agree the setup requires basic technical knowledge, and while initial deployment is quick, complete production environments may require more detailed effort and planning.

Scalability

Amazon Kinesis exhibits strong scalability, efficiently handling large data volumes and scaling automatically. It supports extensive usage with many accounts, adapting to various organizational needs. Sharding allows flexible data flow management, while the ability to scale up and down easily is highlighted. For smaller organizations, it manages data effectively, but very high-volume needs might require alternatives like Apache Kafka. Auto-scaling features are appreciated, although expenses and documentation comprehension can impose limitations. Lawsuits from users differ, affecting ratings.

Stability

Many users find Amazon Kinesis stable, with reports of 99% uptime and reliability. Despite occasional minor issues such as AWS overload or data delays due to limited capacity, users still rate its stability high, often 9 or 10 out of 10. The system's fault-tolerance and ability to handle stream reprocessing are praised. However, some note potential stability concerns with larger data volumes or configurations. Overall, users express satisfaction with stability.

These insights are based on the in-depth reviews provided by peers to help you make a better buying decision.

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Review data by company size

By reviewers
Company Size	Count
Small Business	8
Midsize Enterprise	9
Large Enterprise	9

By reviewers

By visitors reading reviews
Company Size	Count
Small Business	112
Midsize Enterprise	68
Large Enterprise	291

By visitors reading reviews

Top industries

By visitors reading reviews

Computer Software Company

18%

Financial Services Firm

16%

Manufacturing Company

10%

Comms Service Provider

Educational Organization

Media Company

University

Real Estate/Law Firm

Hospitality Company

Retailer

Performing Arts

Insurance Company

Healthcare Company

Government

Consumer Goods Company

Transportation Company

Recreational Facilities/Services Company

Construction Company

Non Profit

Legal Firm

Energy/Utilities Company

Marketing Services Firm

Sports Company

Recruiting/Hr Firm

Renewables & Environment Company

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Learn more about Amazon Kinesis

Amazon Kinesis was previously known as Amazon AWS Kinesis, AWS Kinesis, Kinesis.

Amazon Kinesis customers

Zillow, Netflix, Sonos

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Amazon Kinesis Reviews Summary
Author info	Rating	Review Summary
AWS Cloud Architect at a healthcare company with 10,001+ employees	3.5	I am using Amazon Kinesis for real-time streaming, drawn to its easy setup, comprehensive documentation, and seamless AWS integration. Its competitive pricing and KCL library documentation need improvement. We considered Kafka but preferred Kinesis for its ease and AWS compatibility.
Director of Software Development at a tech vendor with 10,001+ employees	4.5	We've used Amazon Kinesis for reliable stream processing of on-premise security events, leveraging real-time analytics and smooth AWS integration, but are considering alternatives due to high costs despite its excellent stability, scalability, and Lambda integration.
Senior Software Engineer at JPMorgan Chase & Co.	4.0	We use Amazon Kinesis for media and live-streaming data, valuing its real-time data streaming capabilities for call monitoring and transcripts. However, the two-minute time delay in live streaming could be improved. Our deployment is on AWS.
Data Engineer at Tiger Analytics	4.5	I use Amazon Kinesis Data Streams in my company similarly to Kafka topics. It's a managed service that handles automatic scaling, though it has hard limits leading to throughput errors. We consolidated multiple jobs into one to address this issue.
Senior Engineering Consultant at ASSURANCE IQ, INC.	4.5	In our project, we utilize Amazon Kinesis for logging and temporary buffering, finding its scalability and ease of use valuable. It replaced direct API calls to data warehouses and seamlessly integrates with other analytical tools without needing additional features.
Director AWS at NeuraFlash India Pvt Ltd	4.0	We use Amazon Kinesis with Amazon Connect for voice and screen recording, valuing its VideoStream and DataStream features for real-time streaming. The product meets our needs effectively, requiring no improvements, and serves primarily developers and architects.
Solutions Architect & PMO at AS TV Play Baltics/TV3 Group	4.0	Our company uses Amazon Kinesis to integrate data into our data lake as part of our processing workflow. While it serves its primary purpose well, integrating AI for data processing would be beneficial. However, adding too many features may affect its efficacy.
Senior Director of Product Management at Sprinklr	4.0	I use Amazon Kinesis for data streaming, mainly to integrate with Redshift and Amazon Connect configurations. It's easy to configure and test but needs improvement in reducing delays, especially with Kinesis Video Streams, for seamless third-party integration.

Amazon Kinesis Reviews

What is Amazon Kinesis?

Featured Amazon Kinesis reviews

Amazon Kinesis mindshare

PeerResearch reports based on Amazon Kinesis reviews

Valuable Features

Room for Improvement

ROI

Pricing

Popular Use Cases

Service and Support

Deployment

Scalability

Stability

Review data by company size

Top industries

Compare Amazon Kinesis with alternative products

Learn more about Amazon Kinesis

Amazon Kinesis customers

Related questions

Product Categories

Popular Comparisons