--- title: Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Reviews meta_title: 'Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Reviews 2026: Details, Pricing, & Features | G2' meta_description: Filter 24 reviews by the users' company size, role or industry to find out how Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) works for a business like yours. aggregate_rating: rating_value: 4.0 review_count: 24 scale: '5' date_modified: '2026-08-07' parent_category: name: Big Data url: https://www.g2.com/categories/big-data --- # Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Reviews **Vendor:** Amazon Web Services (AWS) **Category:** [Event Stream Processing Software](https://www.g2.com/categories/event-stream-processing) **Average Rating:** 4.0/5.0 **Total Reviews:** 24 ## About Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) is an AWS streaming data service that manages Apache Kafka infrastructure and operations, making it easy for developers and DevOps managers to run Apache Kafka applications and Kafka Connect connectors on AWS, without the need to become experts in operating Apache Kafka. Amazon MSK operates, maintains, and scales Apache Kafka clusters, provides enterprise-grade security features out of the box, and has built-in AWS integrations that accelerate development of streaming data applications. To get started, you can migrate existing Apache Kafka workloads and Kafka Connect connectors into Amazon MSK, or with a few clicks, you can build new ones from scratch. There are no data transfer charges for in-cluster traffic, and no commitments or upfront payments required. You only pay for the resources that you use. ## Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Pros & Cons **What users like:** - Users appreciate the **effortless management** of Kafka with Amazon MSK, enjoying seamless scaling, maintenance, and availability. (1 reviews) - Users value the **maintenance ease** of Amazon MSK, which simplifies Kafka management and integrates well with AWS. (1 reviews) - Users value the **management ease** of Amazon MSK, appreciating its automation of scaling and maintenance tasks. (1 reviews) - Users appreciate the **reliability** of Amazon MSK, which simplifies Kafka management and ensures smooth operations with AWS. (1 reviews) - Users appreciate the **seamless scalability** of Amazon MSK, which simplifies Kafka management and integrates well with AWS. (1 reviews) - Scaling (1 reviews) **What users dislike:** - Users find the service **expensive** , particularly for smaller workloads or early-stage projects, affecting accessibility. (1 reviews) - Users find the **high cost** of Amazon MSK challenging for smaller workloads and early-stage projects. (1 reviews) - Users find **limited control** with Amazon MSK, especially for smaller projects, impacting flexibility compared to self-managed Kafka. (1 reviews) ## Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Reviews ### 1. Takes the Pain Out of Kafka Management with Seamless AWS Integration **Rating:** 4.5/5.0 stars **Reviewed by:** Amaro F. | Senior Product Owner, Small-Business (50 or fewer emp.) **Reviewed Date:** January 26, 2026 **What do you like best about Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK)?** What I like most about Amazon MSK is how it takes the pain out of managing Kafka. It handles scaling, maintenance, and availability for you, and works smoothly with the rest of AWS. **What do you dislike about Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK)?** The main downside is the cost, especially for smaller workloads or early-stage projects. It can also feel less flexible than self-managed Kafka in some scenarios. **What problems is Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) solving and how is that benefiting you?** Amazon MSK solved the problem of reliably processing and streaming large volumes of real-time data without the complexity of managing Kafka infrastructure. For the U2Go app, this means we handled events and integrations at scale with high availability and low latency, while relying on AWS to manage scaling, maintenance, and security. ## Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Discussions - [How does AWS MSK work?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/how-does-aws-msk-work) - [Does AWS MSK support Kafka streams?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/does-aws-msk-support-kafka-streams) - [What is managed streaming for Apache Kafka?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/what-is-managed-streaming-for-apache-kafka) - [What are the broader platform for Apache Kafka?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/35218-what-are-the-broader-platform-for-apache-kafka) - 1 upvote - [What is the best product software you can offer to us or other service to improve our customer service? Is there any additional tips or advice you can offer to us? What are the best system?](https://www.g2.com/discussions/31377-what-is-the-best-product-software-you-can-offer-to-us-or-other-service-to-improve-our-customer-service-is-there-any-additional-tips-or-advice-you-can-offer-to-us-what-are-the-best-system) - 1 upvote - [View Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) pricing details and edition comparison](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-managed-streaming-for-apache-kafka-amazon-msk/reviews?filters%5Bsentiment_snippet%5D=2484287&qs=pros-and-cons§ion=pricing&secure%5Bexpires_at%5D=2026-08-14+16%3A34%3A05+-0500&secure%5Bsession_id%5D=9fec5ba6-3486-45ec-aff7-07a05613905b&secure%5Btoken%5D=22df926fb141fda7b79a3dc64580abb67622652f3c42094c4c9db75ec3873cb7&format=llm_user) ## Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Integrations - [Amazon Elastic Container Service (Amazon ECS)](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-elastic-container-service-amazon-ecs/reviews) - [Amazon Elastic Kubernetes Service (Amazon EKS)](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-elastic-kubernetes-service-amazon-eks/reviews) - [Amazon Redshift](https://www.g2.com/products/amazon-redshift/reviews) - [Apache Kafka](https://www.g2.com/products/apache-kafka/reviews) ## Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Features **Data** - Data Processing - Data Sources - Integration - Real-Time Processing **Analytics** - Reporting & Analytics **Building Reports** - Data Transformation - Data Modeling - WYSIWYG Report Design - Integration APIs - Real-Time Data - Real-Time Data - Third-Party Integrations - Third-Party Integrations **Platform** - Mobile User Support - Customization - User, Role, and Access Management - Internationalization - Sandbox / Test Environments - Performance and Reliability - Breadth of Partner Applications - Mobile Access - Metadata Management ## Top Amazon Managed Streaming for Apache Kafka (Amazon MSK) Alternatives - [Confluent](https://www.g2.com/products/confluent/reviews) - 4.4/5.0 (111 reviews) - [Aiven for Apache Kafka](https://www.g2.com/products/aiven-for-apache-kafka/reviews) - 4.3/5.0 (242 reviews) - [Tealium](https://www.g2.com/products/tealium-2026-08-12/reviews) - 4.3/5.0 (445 reviews)