Best Open Source Alternatives to Kafka

Compare the best free and open-source alternatives to Kafka — self-hosted and desktop replacements you fully control, ranked by GitHub stars, license and platform support.

Curated by open-source.store · Updated November 2026 · 2 alternatives

Kafka

Proprietary SaaS

Kafka alternatives compared

Open-source alternatives to Kafka, compared by stars, license and platform
Tool		License	Platforms	Self-hosted
Hatchet	8,220	MIT	DockerLinux	Yes	Nov 2026	Visit
Inngest	6,015	—		No	Nov 2026	Visit

Top open-source Kafka alternatives

Hatchet8,220MIT

Hatchet is an open-source background task and workflow engine that replaces cloud queues with durable Postgres-backed execution and full data privacy.

DockerLinux

vs Kafka: a free, open-source option you fully control, licensed MIT.

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