# Apache Kafka vs Teleport

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

| | Apache Kafka | Teleport |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 83/100 ✓ | 76/100 |
| Rank in category | #1 of 12 in Message Broker | #4 of 40 in Authentication |
| GitHub stars | 34 152 ✓ | 21 043 |
| Stars, last 30 days | +327 ✓ | +105 |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 0 | 6 ✓ |
| Latest release | — | v18.10.0 · 8 Jul 2026 |
| Setup | Advanced | Advanced |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Main language | Java | Go |

## Which one should you pick?

Apache Kafka scores 83/100 against 76/100 for Teleport, so it is the safer default.

Teleport ships more often: 6 stable releases in the past year, against 0 for Apache Kafka.

Apache Kafka is growing faster right now (+327 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [Apache Kafka](https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-kafka) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-kafka.md)
- [Teleport](https://selfhost.directory/project/teleport) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/teleport.md)

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