Apache ActiveMQ VS Apache Kafka
As of 30 October 2026, Apache Kafka is named by 4,727 companies and Apache ActiveMQ by 239; Apache ActiveMQ skews to companies under 200 people (44% vs 46%), Apache Kafka to companies over 1,000 (28% vs 32%).
As of 30 October 2026 · refreshed daily · counts move as websites, DNS and career sites are re-read.
The website-and-DNS footprint is not comparable between a marketing suite and a CRM: Apache ActiveMQ's script and mail records show on hundreds of thousands of small sites, Apache Kafka rarely leaves a trace outside its own apps. Compare on the job-posting numbers; use the footprint for reach.
- Apache ActiveMQ: 2–200 employees
- 44%
- Apache Kafka: 2–200 employees
- 46%
- Apache ActiveMQ: 1,000+ employees
- 32%
- Apache Kafka: 1,000+ employees
- 28%
- Postings per company, 90 days
- 2.5 · 4.3
- Website or DNS footprint
- 0 · 0
Who chooses which
Share of each tool's companies in every segment. "Leans" marks a gap of more than two points.
| Segment | Apache ActiveMQ | share | Apache Kafka | share | Leans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-employed | 1 | 0% | 60 | 1% | even |
| 2-10 employees | 11 | 5% | 335 | 7% | Apache Kafka |
| 11-50 employees | 42 | 18% | 749 | 16% | even |
| 51-200 employees | 53 | 22% | 1,099 | 23% | even |
| 201-500 employees | 36 | 15% | 686 | 15% | even |
| 501-1000 employees | 20 | 8% | 484 | 10% | even |
| 1001-5000 employees | 38 | 16% | 693 | 15% | even |
| 5001-10000 employees | 14 | 6% | 184 | 4% | even |
| 10,001+ employees | 24 | 10% | 437 | 9% | even |
| Segment | Apache ActiveMQ | share | Apache Kafka | share | Leans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology & software | 152 | 64% | 2,667 | 56% | Apache ActiveMQ |
| Business & finance services | 43 | 18% | 990 | 21% | Apache Kafka |
| Manufacturing & industry | 16 | 7% | 301 | 6% | even |
| Utilities & infrastructure | 7 | 3% | 98 | 2% | even |
| Media & content | 6 | 3% | 161 | 3% | even |
| Consumer services & leisure | 5 | 2% | 72 | 2% | even |
| Public, community & associations | 4 | 2% | 68 | 1% | even |
| Commerce & trade | 2 | 1% | 111 | 2% | even |
| Transport, logistics & rental | 2 | 1% | 75 | 2% | even |
| Health care | 1 | 0% | 54 | 1% | even |
| Hospitality & travel | 1 | 0% | 40 | 1% | even |
| Automotive | – | – | 46 | 1% | outside top 12 |
| Segment | Apache ActiveMQ | share | Apache Kafka | share | Leans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 136 | 57% | 2,811 | 59% | Apache Kafka |
| United Kingdom | 19 | 8% | 349 | 7% | even |
| Canada | 10 | 4% | 81 | 2% | Apache ActiveMQ |
| India | 10 | 4% | 159 | 3% | even |
| France | 8 | 3% | 147 | 3% | even |
| Germany | 7 | 3% | 213 | 5% | even |
| Belgium | 5 | 2% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| Romania | 4 | 2% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| Brazil | 3 | 1% | 73 | 2% | even |
| Switzerland | 3 | 1% | 56 | 1% | even |
| Spain | 3 | 1% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| Netherlands | 3 | 1% | 73 | 2% | even |
| Poland | – | – | 64 | 1% | outside top 12 |
| Italy | – | – | 58 | 1% | outside top 12 |
| Australia | – | – | 53 | 1% | outside top 12 |
| Segment | Apache ActiveMQ | share | Apache Kafka | share | Leans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineering | 778 | 80% | 15,638 | 57% | Apache ActiveMQ |
| IT operations & business systems | 51 | 5% | 1,604 | 6% | even |
| Data & AI | 15 | 2% | 6,524 | 24% | Apache Kafka |
| Engineering (non-software) | 13 | 1% | 263 | 1% | even |
| Product, program & project management | 7 | 1% | 316 | 1% | even |
| Customer service & success | 3 | 0% | 69 | 0% | even |
| General management & consulting | 2 | 0% | 31 | 0% | even |
| Marketing & communications | 2 | 0% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| Unclassified | 2 | 0% | 48 | 0% | even |
| Logistics warehouse and transport | 1 | 0% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| Sales | – | – | 162 | 1% | outside top 12 |
| Quality, safety & environment | – | – | 39 | 0% | outside top 12 |
| Construction and civil | – | – | 34 | 0% | outside top 12 |
| Finance & accounting | – | – | 18 | 0% | outside top 12 |
The companies behind each column
Companies using Apache ActiveMQ →
Companies using Apache Kafka →
message brokers streaming ranked →
Quote the sentence with the date and the link. The numbers change daily; the link always shows the current ones.
Apache Kafka is named by 4,727 companies in job postings and Apache ActiveMQ by 239; 244 name both. (Breaknorm, 30 October 2026, https://breaknorm.co/compare/apache-activemq-vs-apache-kafka)
Read from the source, not self-reported
Every number on this page can be traced to a page we crawled or a posting we read. Full methodology →
- Job postingsRead hourly from career sites. A tool counts when the employer's own text names it as the team's system; both tools can count for one company.
- Website and DNSScripts and embeds on the company's pages, plus SPF, DKIM, MX and CNAME records of its domain that point at the vendor.
- SegmentsCountry, size and industry from the company profile built from its website.
- Not a reviewNo ratings, prices or feature claims. For those, read the vendors.
Apache ActiveMQ vs Apache Kafka: questions
Which is more used, Apache ActiveMQ or Apache Kafka?
By companies naming it in their own job postings, Apache Kafka (4,727) over Apache ActiveMQ (239). By website-and-DNS footprint, Apache Kafka (0 vs 0), because its scripts and mail records sit on many small company sites.
Who chooses Apache ActiveMQ?
44% of Apache ActiveMQ companies have 2 to 200 employees, against 46% for Apache Kafka. 32% of Apache ActiveMQ companies have over 1,000 employees, against 28% for Apache Kafka.
Do companies run both?
244 companies name both in their postings, usually Apache ActiveMQ in marketing and Apache Kafka in sales, or during a migration.
Where do these numbers come from?
From the employer's own text in job postings read hourly from career sites, and from scripts found on company websites in our crawl. No vendor data, no surveys.
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