# apache-nifi vs Kestra

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

| | apache-nifi | Kestra |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 73/100 | 82/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #1 of 8 in Data Pipeline | #3 of 32 in Workflow Automation |
| GitHub stars | 6 277 | 30 053 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +35 | +1 737 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 3 | 59 ✓ |
| Latest release | rel/nifi-2.12.0 · 13 Sept 2026 | v1.3.45 · 27 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Java | Java |

## Which one should you pick?

Kestra scores 82/100 against 73/100 for apache-nifi, so it is the safer default.

Kestra ships more often: 59 stable releases in the past year, against 3 for apache-nifi.

If you want the quickest setup, Kestra is easier to run; apache-nifi needs more configuration.

Kestra is growing faster right now (+1 737 stars in 30 days).

## Details

- [apache-nifi](https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-nifi) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/apache-nifi.md)
- [Kestra](https://selfhost.directory/project/kestra) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/kestra.md)

## Related comparisons

- [Kestra vs prefect](https://selfhost.directory/compare/kestra-vs-prefect)

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/apache-nifi-vs-kestra