Free and open first
Best Stream Analytics Software in 2026
Stream analytics software processes event data as it arrives so you can analyze ongoing activity. This list is for people comparing hosted services and software they can run themselves on a budget.
- 26 apps
- Research read 28 Sept 2026
- How the order is worked out
- 1
Arroyo
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+2Arroyo combines SQL-based streaming, recovery features, and a broad connector list in a self-hostable engine. Plan for a distributed cluster for production use.
- 2
Esper
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+2Choose Esper if you are building Java or .NET software that needs complex event processing with SQL-derived event queries and an embeddable runtime.
- 3
Apache Druid
Free plan APILinuxMac+2Apache Druid is a self-hosted option for real-time analytics across streaming and batch data, with SQL access, a web console, and broad extension support.
- 4
Apache Flink
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hostedApache Flink offers stream and batch processing APIs with operational capabilities for self-hosted deployments.
- 5
Apache Spark
Free plan APILinuxMac+2Apache Spark combines distributed analytics, SQL, machine learning and multiple deployment options in a free engine.
- 6
Apache Storm
Free plan APILinuxMac+3Apache Storm provides a free, open-source approach to multi-stage stream processing with a range of integrations and deployment modes.
- 7
Apache Pinot
by Apache PinotFree plan APISelf-hostedWebApache Pinot combines multiple ingestion paths with SQL access, client libraries, BI connections, and security controls.
- 8
Apache Samza
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hostedChoose Apache Samza if you need a free, self-hosted framework for real-time stream processing with state stores, multiple APIs, and built-in integrations.
- 9
Estuary
Free plan APILinuxMac+3Estuary combines several data integration methods with a large connector catalog and multiple deployment choices. The free tier has clear usage and connector limits, while paid plans start at $100/mo.
- 10
Confluent Cloud
Free plan APILinuxWebConfluent Cloud combines managed Kafka streaming with connectors, stream processing, and governance options.
- 11
Decodable
Free plan APISelf-hostedWebDecodable offers real-time pipeline development with multiple languages, management interfaces, and deployment choices.
- 12
Kafka Streams
Free plan LinuxMacSelf-hosted+1Kafka Streams provides stateful processing tools for applications built around Kafka, with deployment options from one machine to distributed workloads.
- 13
Lenses
Free plan APILinuxMac+3Lenses combines Kafka application operations with SQL data exploration, stream preparation, and deployment.
- 14
Materialize
Free plan APILinuxSelf-hosted+1Materialize combines incremental SQL processing with managed and self-managed deployment options. Review the Community Edition limits and separate Cloud usage charges before choosing a plan.
- 15
RisingWave
Free plan APILinuxMac+2RisingWave combines SQL access with incremental streaming views and an exactly-once processing guarantee.
- 16
Timeplus
Free plan APILinuxMac+3Timeplus brings streaming SQL, historical data processing, integrations, dashboards, and alerts into a platform with several deployment options.
- 17
Pathway Live Data Framework
Free plan APISelf-hostedChoose Pathway if you need Python or SQL pipelines that combine live data processing with analytics or AI tooling.
- 18
Quix Streams
Free plan LinuxSelf-hostedChoose Quix Streams if you are building Kafka-based real-time applications in Python and want stateful processing, windowed aggregations or exactly-once guarantees.
- 19
Ververica Platform
Free plan APISelf-hostedWebChoose Ververica Platform if your enterprise needs stream and batch processing with Flink compatibility and a choice of deployment models.
- 20
Siddhi
Free plan APILinuxMac+2Siddhi provides a broad set of event-processing operations, integrations, and deployment options for self-hosted use.
- 21
Tinybird Cloud
Free plan APIWebChoose Tinybird Cloud if you need managed ClickHouse for real-time analytics or API-served data, and its ingestion and developer tools fit your workflow.
- 22
Amazon Managed Service for Apache Flink
Paid APIWebAmazon Managed Service for Apache Flink combines managed operations with broad language and connector support for streaming workloads.
- 23
Alibaba Cloud Realtime Compute for Apache Flink
Paid WebAlibaba Cloud Realtime Compute for Apache Flink combines a SQL interface with several supported programming languages and stream-processing capabilities.
5.1 Visit site - 24
Azure Stream Analytics
Paid WebAzure Stream Analytics combines streaming, stateful, and SQL processing with event-time windows.
4.6 Visit site - 25
Google Cloud Dataflow
Paid WebGoogle Cloud Dataflow combines cloud deployment with mixed transformations and support for custom transforms, incremental loading, and change data capture.
4.3 Visit site
#1Places #1, #2, #3, #4, #5 on this list can be bought by the makers of the software on it. See the price
Look at available free plans or trials, note any starting paid price, and see if open-source terms allow code inspection or changes. Before deciding, review deployment, platform support, processing approach, connectors, languages, exactly-once behavior, and autoscaling.
Questions
Are free stream analytics tools available?
Yes. Apache Druid, Apache Flink, Apache Samza, Apache Spark, Apache Storm, and Arroyo offer free plans.
Do any tools offer a free trial?
Yes. Confluent Cloud lists a 30-day trial. Check the current terms before signing up.
Which platforms can these tools run on?
The listed platform types are API, self-hosted, web, Linux, macOS, and Windows.
Can I use open-source stream analytics software?
Yes. Open-source choices include Apache Druid, Apache Flink, Apache Samza, Apache Spark, Apache Storm, and Arroyo.
What should I compare besides price?
Review a product's processing model, deployment, source connectors, supported languages, exactly-once processing, autoscaling, and platform support.