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Apache Kafka vs Redis comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive Summary

Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

Apache Kafka
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.9
Number of Reviews
87
Ranking in other categories
Streaming Analytics (8th)
Redis
Average Rating
8.8
Reviews Sentiment
8.0
Number of Reviews
22
Ranking in other categories
NoSQL Databases (7th), In-Memory Data Store Services (1st), Vector Databases (4th)
 

Mindshare comparison

Apache Kafka and Redis aren’t in the same category and serve different purposes. Apache Kafka is designed for Streaming Analytics and holds a mindshare of 2.5%, up 2.0% compared to last year.
Redis, on the other hand, focuses on In-Memory Data Store Services, holds 16.0% mindshare, down 17.2% since last year.
Streaming Analytics
In-Memory Data Store Services
 

Featured Reviews

Snehasish Das - PeerSpot reviewer
Data streaming transforms real-time data movement with impressive scalability
I worked with Apache Kafka for customers in the financial industry and OTT platforms. They use Kafka particularly for data streaming. Companies offering movie and entertainment as a service, similar to Netflix, use Kafka Apache Kafka offers unique data streaming. It allows the use of data in…
Yaseer Arafat - PeerSpot reviewer
Unmatched Performance and Scalability for Modern Applications
Redis has room for improvement in a few areas. Enhanced tools for managing and monitoring clusters would be beneficial, as would built-in security mechanisms like advanced encryption and granular access controls. Simplifying setup and configuration could make Redis more accessible to new users. Introducing more enterprise-grade features, such as better multi-tenancy support and improved backup and restore capabilities, would also be advantageous. For the next release, it would be great to see enhanced cluster management tools, native multi-region supports for better data redundancy, integrated analytics for deeper insights, AI and ML integration features, and improved developer experience through enhanced SDKs and tools.

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"Kafka provides us with a way to store the data used for analytics. That's the big selling point. There's very good log management."
"I use it for real-time processing workloads. So, in some instances, it's like IoT data. We need to put it into a data lake."
"As a software developer, I have found Apache Kafka's support to be the most valuable...The solution is easy to integrate with any of our systems."
"Kafka is scalable. It can manage a high volume of data from many sources."
"There are numerous possibilities that can be explored. While it may be challenging to fully comprehend the potential advantages, one key aspect is the ability to establish a proper sequence of events rather than simply dealing with a jumbled group of occurrences. These events possess their own timestamps, even if they were not initially provided with one, and are arranged in a chronological order that allows for a clear understanding of the progression of the events."
"It's an open-source product, which means it doesn't cost us anything to use it."
"One of the most valuable features I have found is Kafka Connect."
"The main advantage is increased reliability, particularly with regard to data and the speed with which messages are published to the other side."
"The in-memory data makes it fast."
"The online interface is very fast and easy to use."
"The performance of Redis is very fast."
"It makes operations more efficient. The information processing is very fast, and very responsive. It's all about the technology."
"Redis provides an easy setup and operation process, allowing users to quickly connect and use it without hassle."
"It is particularly efficient for cloud-based storage and operations."
"Redis is good for distributed caching management."
"I find Redis valuable primarily for its caching capabilities, particularly in handling cache requests effectively. Its simplicity in managing key-value pairs for caching is one of its strengths, making it a preferred choice over more complex databases like MongoDB for specific use cases. However, I haven't explored Redis extensively for managing complex data structures beyond caching, as MongoDB might be more suitable for such scenarios."
 

Cons

"Kafka 2.0 has been released for over a month, and I wanted to try out the new features. However, the configuration is a little bit complicated: Kafka Broker, Kafka Manager, ZooKeeper Servers, etc."
"In the next release, I would like for there to be some authorization and HTL security."
"Apache Kafka could improve data loss and compatibility with Spark."
"The solution should be easier to manage. It needs to improve its visualization feature in the next release."
"We haven't seen a return on investment with Apache Kafka. It's used for a specific use case rather than cost reduction."
"One of the things I am mostly looking for is that once the message is picked up from Kafka, it should not be visible or able to be consumed by other applications, or something along those lines. That feature is not present, but it is not a limitation or anything of the sort; rather, it is a desirable feature. The next release should include a feature that prevents messages from being consumed by other applications once they are picked up by Kafka."
"Too much dependency on the zookeeper and leader selection is still the bottleneck for Kafka implementation."
"The ability to connect the producers and consumers must be improved."
"Redis could be improved by introducing a GUI to display key-value pair database information, as it is currently a CLI tool with no visual representation."
"If we use a lot of data, it will eventually cost us a lot."
"Redis presents a single point of failure and lacks fault tolerance."
"The tool should improve by increasing its size limits and handling dynamic data better. We use the client ID or associate it with a key for static content. The solution will not be easy for a beginner. Unless you understand SQL data, it will be difficult to understand and use Redis. It also needs to be user-friendly."
"Redis could improve its efficiency in handling locally stored data, not just Amazon Cloud or Google Cloud."
"For the PubSub feature, we had to create our own tools to monitor the events."
"There is a lack of documentation on the scalability of the solution."
"There are some features from MongoDB that I would like to see included in Redis to enhance its overall efficiency, such as the ability to perform remote behaviour. MongoDB is more efficient in handling updates than deletions and is quicker in processing updates, but it can be slower regarding deletions. This can sometimes pose a challenge, especially when dealing with large datasets or frequent data manipulations that involve deletions. In such cases, I often rewrite columns or update values instead of directly deleting data, as it can be more efficient."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The cost can vary depending on the provider and the specific flavor or version you use. I'm not very knowledgeable about the pricing details."
"Apache Kafka is free."
"The price of the solution is low."
"Kafka is an open-source solution, so there are no licensing costs."
"We use the free version."
"Apache Kafka has an open-source pricing."
"Apache Kafka is an open-source solution."
"The price of Apache Kafka is good."
"Redis is not an overpriced solution."
"We saw an ROI. It made the processing of our transactions faster."
"Redis is an open-source product."
"Redis is an open-source solution. There are not any hidden fees."
"The tool is open-source. There are no additional costs."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Financial Services Firm
30%
Computer Software Company
12%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Retailer
5%
Financial Services Firm
22%
Computer Software Company
15%
Educational Organization
7%
Manufacturing Company
6%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What are the differences between Apache Kafka and IBM MQ?
Apache Kafka is open source and can be used for free. It has very good log management and has a way to store the data used for analytics. Apache Kafka is very good if you have a high number of user...
What do you like most about Apache Kafka?
Apache Kafka is an open-source solution that can be used for messaging or event processing.
What is your experience regarding pricing and costs for Apache Kafka?
The open-source version of Apache Kafka results in minimal costs, mainly linked to accessing documentation and limited support. Enterprises usually opt for the more cost-effective open-source edition.
What do you like most about Redis?
Redis is better tested and is used by large companies. I haven't found a direct alternative to what Redis offers. Plus, there are a lot of support and learning resources available, which help you u...
What needs improvement with Redis?
Redis could be improved by introducing a GUI to display key-value pair database information, as it is currently a CLI tool with no visual representation. Additionally, better documentation is neede...
What is your primary use case for Redis?
My primary use case for Redis has been leveraging it as a high-performance, in-memory data store to support real-time features in web applications. For instance, I use Redis to manage live chat sys...
 

Comparisons

 

Also Known As

No data available
Redis Enterprise
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Uber, Netflix, Activision, Spotify, Slack, Pinterest
1. Twitter 2. GitHub 3. StackOverflow 4. Pinterest 5. Snapchat 6. Craigslist 7. Digg 8. Weibo 9. Airbnb 10. Uber 11. Slack 12. Trello 13. Shopify 14. Coursera 15. Medium 16. Twitch 17. Foursquare 18. Meetup 19. Kickstarter 20. Docker 21. Heroku 22. Bitbucket 23. Groupon 24. Flipboard 25. SoundCloud 26. BuzzFeed 27. Disqus 28. The New York Times 29. Walmart 30. Nike 31. Sony 32. Philips
Find out what your peers are saying about Apache Kafka vs. Redis and other solutions. Updated: May 2024.
846,617 professionals have used our research since 2012.