Kafka vs Pub/Sub:Which is more popular by branded search?
In August 2026, Pub/Sub had more branded searches than Kafka among streaming data platforms worldwide. Pub/Sub was estimated to have 33.1K branded searches compared to Kafka’s 5.4K, and held a 35.6% Share of Search versus Kafka’s 5.8%. These are worldwide searches for English-language branded terms.
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Which is more popular in search, Kafka or Pub/Sub?
Compare the platforms used to stream event data. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.
Share of Search by month for Pub/Sub, Kafka. The figures are in the table below the chart.
View monthly share of search table
| Month | Confluent | Pub/Sub | Kafka | Kinesis | Redpanda |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2025 | 59.4% | 26.6% | 7.9% | 5.3% | 0.8% |
| Nov 2025 | 56% | 30.6% | 7.5% | 5% | 0.93% |
| Dec 2025 | 81.2% | 13.4% | 3.3% | 1.8% | 0.36% |
| Jan 2026 | 60.9% | 27.2% | 6.7% | 4.4% | 0.82% |
| Feb 2026 | 61.4% | 27.4% | 6.7% | 3.6% | 0.83% |
| Mar 2026 | 62.1% | 27.8% | 5.6% | 3.7% | 0.89% |
| Apr 2026 | 58.5% | 32% | 5.2% | 3.5% | 0.79% |
| May 2026 | 58.9% | 32.2% | 5.3% | 2.9% | 0.8% |
| Jun 2026 | 53.9% | 36.1% | 5.9% | 3.2% | 0.89% |
| Jul 2026 | 48.6% | 39.8% | 5.3% | 5.3% | 0.98% |
| Aug 2026 | 53.3% | 35.6% | 5.8% | 3.9% | 1.4% |
| Sep 2026 | — | — | — | — | — |
How has the Kafka and Pub/Sub comparison changed over the last 12 months?
3 findings
- Pub/Sub was ahead of Kafka in every measured month of the 11 months ending August 2026.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Kafka’s estimated Share of Search among streaming data platforms worldwide moved from 7.9% to 5.8%, and its estimated monthly branded searches moved from 9.9K to 5.4K.
- Across the 11 months ending August 2026, Pub/Sub’s estimated Share of Search among streaming data platforms worldwide moved from 26.6% to 35.6%, and its estimated monthly branded searches held steady at 33.1K.
How did search popularity change for streaming data platforms worldwide in August 2026?
2 changes
In August 2026, Kafka gained estimated Share of Search among streaming data platforms worldwide, from 5.3% to 5.8%.
In August 2026, Pub/Sub lost estimated Share of Search among streaming data platforms worldwide, from 39.8% to 35.6%.
How each brand is measured
Brandwave collects information about searches that people make online using Kafka’s and Pub/Sub’s names. When viewed over time, estimated search volumes for these branded terms can be used to understand whether interest in the brands is growing, holding steady, or fading.
Put your own brand in this comparison
Brandwave tracks your branded demand next to the rival you actually watch, with your campaigns, spend and outcomes on the same timeline.