# EMQX vs prefect

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

| | EMQX | prefect |
|---|---|---|
| Score | 78/100 | 80/100 ✓ |
| Rank in category | #1 of 14 in Messaging | #5 of 32 in Workflow Automation |
| GitHub stars | 16 868 | 24 094 ✓ |
| Stars, last 30 days | +114 | +182 ✓ |
| Stable releases, 12 months | 15 | 17 ✓ |
| Latest release | 6.3.2 · 16 Oct 2026 | 2.20.27 · 23 Oct 2026 ✓ |
| Setup | Advanced | Moderate ✓ |
| Official Docker image | Yes | Yes |
| License | Other | Apache-2.0 |
| Main language | Erlang | Python |

## Which one should you pick?

prefect scores 80/100 against 78/100 for EMQX, so it is the safer default.

prefect ships more often: 17 stable releases in the past year, against 15 for EMQX.

If you want the quickest setup, prefect is easier to run; EMQX needs more configuration.

## Details

- [EMQX](https://selfhost.directory/project/emqx) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/emqx.md)
- [prefect](https://selfhost.directory/project/prefect) (markdown: https://selfhost.directory/project/prefect.md)

## Related comparisons

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

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Source: https://selfhost.directory/compare/emqx-vs-prefect