# Apache Kafka vs Navidrome Music Server

> Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.

| | Apache Kafka | Navidrome Music Server |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 ✓ | 80/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 12 in Message Broker | #2 of 54 in Media Streaming |
| GitHub stars | 34 152 ✓ | 24 413 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +346 | +655 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 15 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | v0.64.2 · 23 Sept 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Java | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

Apache Kafka scores 83/100 against 80/100 for Navidrome Music Server, so it is the safer default.

Navidrome Music Server ships more often: 15 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Apache Kafka.

If you want the quickest setup, Navidrome Music Server is easier to run; Apache Kafka needs more configuration.

## Details

- [Apache Kafka](https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-kafka) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-kafka.md)
- [Navidrome Music Server](https://selfhost.directory/project/navidrome-music-server) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/navidrome-music-server.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/apache-kafka-vs-navidrome-music-server