# Apache Kafka vs Sure

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

| | Apache Kafka | Sure |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 ✓ | 74/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 12 in Message Broker | #4 of 62 in Personal Finance |
| GitHub stars | 34 154 ✓ | 10 712 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +348 | +688 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 15 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | v0.7.5-hotfix.3 · 24 Oct 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Easy ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Java | Ruby |

## Which one should you pick?

Apache Kafka scores 83/100 against 74/100 for Sure, so it is the safer default.

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

If you want the quickest setup, Sure 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)
- [Sure](https://selfhost.directory/project/sure) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/sure.md)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/apache-kafka-vs-sure