Apache KafkavsSpacetimeDB
Two self-hosted projects, compared on the numbers selfhost.directory tracks live: score, popularity, release cadence and setup effort.
| Apache Kafka | SpacetimeDB | |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 | 75/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 12 in Message Broker | #7 of 38 in Databases |
| GitHub stars | 34 154 | 25 407 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +329 | +85 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 7 |
| Latest release | — | v2.13.0 · 19 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Other |
| Main language | Java | Rust |
Which one should you pick?
Apache Kafka scores 83/100 against 75/100 for SpacetimeDB, so it is the safer default.
SpacetimeDB ships more often: 7 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Apache Kafka.
If you want the quickest setup, SpacetimeDB is easier to run; Apache Kafka needs more configuration.
Apache Kafka is growing faster right now (+329 stars in 30 days).
Apache Kafka details →SpacetimeDB details →