Apache Kafka VS IBM MQ
As of 30 October 2026, IBM MQ is named by 471 companies and Apache Kafka by 4,727; Apache Kafka skews to companies under 200 people (46% vs 32%), IBM MQ to companies over 1,000 (45% vs 28%).
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 Kafka's script and mail records show on hundreds of thousands of small sites, IBM MQ rarely leaves a trace outside its own apps. Compare on the job-posting numbers; use the footprint for reach.
- Apache Kafka: 2–200 employees
- 46%
- IBM MQ: 2–200 employees
- 32%
- Apache Kafka: 1,000+ employees
- 28%
- IBM MQ: 1,000+ employees
- 45%
- Postings per company, 90 days
- 4.3 · 4.5
- 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 Kafka | share | IBM MQ | share | Leans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Self-employed | 60 | 1% | 6 | 1% | even |
| 2-10 employees | 335 | 7% | 21 | 4% | Apache Kafka |
| 11-50 employees | 749 | 16% | 51 | 11% | Apache Kafka |
| 51-200 employees | 1,099 | 23% | 79 | 17% | Apache Kafka |
| 201-500 employees | 686 | 15% | 64 | 14% | even |
| 501-1000 employees | 484 | 10% | 38 | 8% | Apache Kafka |
| 1001-5000 employees | 693 | 15% | 88 | 19% | IBM MQ |
| 5001-10000 employees | 184 | 4% | 32 | 7% | IBM MQ |
| 10,001+ employees | 437 | 9% | 92 | 20% | IBM MQ |
| Segment | Apache Kafka | share | IBM MQ | share | Leans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Technology & software | 2,667 | 56% | 234 | 50% | Apache Kafka |
| Business & finance services | 990 | 21% | 163 | 35% | IBM MQ |
| Manufacturing & industry | 301 | 6% | 18 | 4% | Apache Kafka |
| Media & content | 161 | 3% | 9 | 2% | even |
| Commerce & trade | 111 | 2% | 9 | 2% | even |
| Utilities & infrastructure | 98 | 2% | 5 | 1% | even |
| Transport, logistics & rental | 75 | 2% | 8 | 2% | even |
| Consumer services & leisure | 72 | 2% | 8 | 2% | even |
| Public, community & associations | 68 | 1% | 4 | 1% | even |
| Health care | 54 | 1% | 5 | 1% | even |
| Automotive | 46 | 1% | 5 | 1% | even |
| Hospitality & travel | 40 | 1% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| Property & construction | – | – | 2 | 0% | outside top 12 |
| Segment | Apache Kafka | share | IBM MQ | share | Leans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | 2,811 | 59% | 271 | 58% | even |
| United Kingdom | 349 | 7% | 33 | 7% | even |
| Germany | 213 | 5% | 19 | 4% | even |
| India | 159 | 3% | 10 | 2% | even |
| France | 147 | 3% | 21 | 4% | even |
| Canada | 81 | 2% | 14 | 3% | even |
| Brazil | 73 | 2% | 6 | 1% | even |
| Netherlands | 73 | 2% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| Poland | 64 | 1% | 8 | 2% | even |
| Italy | 58 | 1% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| Switzerland | 56 | 1% | 7 | 1% | even |
| Australia | 53 | 1% | 11 | 2% | even |
| Singapore | – | – | 14 | 3% | outside top 12 |
| Spain | – | – | 6 | 1% | outside top 12 |
| Segment | Apache Kafka | share | IBM MQ | share | Leans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Software engineering | 15,638 | 57% | 2,020 | 59% | even |
| Data & AI | 6,524 | 24% | 64 | 2% | Apache Kafka |
| IT operations & business systems | 1,604 | 6% | 567 | 16% | IBM MQ |
| Product, program & project management | 316 | 1% | 59 | 2% | even |
| Engineering (non-software) | 263 | 1% | 41 | 1% | even |
| Sales | 162 | 1% | 10 | 0% | even |
| Customer service & success | 69 | 0% | 11 | 0% | even |
| Unclassified | 48 | 0% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| Quality, safety & environment | 39 | 0% | 7 | 0% | even |
| Construction and civil | 34 | 0% | – | – | outside top 12 |
| General management & consulting | 31 | 0% | 9 | 0% | even |
| Finance & accounting | 18 | 0% | 7 | 0% | even |
| Administration & office | – | – | 5 | 0% | outside top 12 |
| Design & UX | – | – | 4 | 0% | outside top 12 |
The companies behind each column
Companies using Apache Kafka →
Companies using IBM MQ →
message brokers streaming ranked →
Quote the sentence with the date and the link. The numbers change daily; the link always shows the current ones.
IBM MQ is named by 471 companies in job postings and Apache Kafka by 4,727; 436 name both. (Breaknorm, 30 October 2026, https://breaknorm.co/compare/apache-kafka-vs-ibm-mq)
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 Kafka vs IBM MQ: questions
Which is more used, Apache Kafka or IBM MQ?
By companies naming it in their own job postings, Apache Kafka (4,727) over IBM MQ (471). By website-and-DNS footprint, IBM MQ (0 vs 0), because its scripts and mail records sit on many small company sites.
Who chooses Apache Kafka?
46% of Apache Kafka companies have 2 to 200 employees, against 32% for IBM MQ. 28% of Apache Kafka companies have over 1,000 employees, against 45% for IBM MQ.
Do companies run both?
436 companies name both in their postings, usually Apache Kafka in marketing and IBM MQ 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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