compare
Apache Pulsar vs Redpanda
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | Apache Pulsar | Redpanda |
|---|---|---|
| Language | Java | C++ |
| Licence | Apache-2.0 | None detected |
| Stars | 15k | 13k |
| Latest | v5.0.0 | v26.2.2 |
| Last push | 2026-10-05 | 2026-08-22 |
| Release cadence | about 1 day between releases | about 1 day between releases |
| Active contributors | 47 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 30+ commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days |
| Flags | none | No licence detected |
How they relate
Both replace Apache Kafka. Alternatives to Apache Kafka →
Full replacementApache PulsarStreaming and pub/sub with storage separated from the brokers, multi-tenant.
Drop-inRedpandaKafka API compatible, without ZooKeeper or a JVM.
Apache Pulsar
- v4.0.142026-10-05[improve][broker][branch-4.2] Upgrade bookkeeper to 4.17.4 (#26219)
- v4.2.52026-10-05[improve][broker][branch-4.2] Upgrade bookkeeper to 4.17.4 (#26219)
- v5.0.02026-10-05The 5.0.0 release also includes the changes from these milestone releases:
- v5.0.0-M22026-09-16[improve][pip] PIP-445: Add Builder Methods to Create Message-based TableView (#24842)pre-release
- v4.2.42026-08-03[fix][ci] Upgrade sandboxed-trivy-action to approved sha (#26169)
Redpanda
- v26.2.22026-08-22rpk sql debug bundle collects a diagnostic bundle from an Oxla (SQL) cluster. by @Bixkog in #31078 by @tyson-redpanda i…
- v25.3.172026-08-20adds the cloud_storage_prefetch_segments_max cluster config which can be used to enable small segment prefetching in cl…
- v26.1.172026-08-20Fixed an issue where audit-log initialization unconditionally sent a CreateTopics request to the controller leader, cau…
- v26.1.162026-08-13IMPORTANT: Do not install the 26.1.16 release. A critical bug was identified that has broad implications that can creat…
- v25.3.162026-08-13IMPORTANT: Do not install the 25.13.16 release. A critical bug was identified that has broad implications that can crea…
Apache Pulsar
✓ signed The latest release, v5.0.0, carries a signature GitHub verified.
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Redpanda
✓ signed The latest release, v26.2.2, carries a signature GitHub verified.
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