Axual
Utrecht Kafka platform with a governance dashboard, self-service portal and an EU sovereign cloud on Scaleway
Quick Overview
| Company | Axual B.V. |
|---|---|
| Category | Event Streaming Platforms |
| Headquarters | Utrecht, Netherlands |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - Netherlands (EU) |
| Data Location | Axual Cloud on Scaleway (described as an EU sovereign cloud), or self-managed on-premises or in your own cloud |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Yes - on-premises or own cloud, including air-gapped systems |
| Main Features | Governance dashboard, self-service portal, KSML and Flink SQL stream processing, managed cloud, self-managed deployment, Strimzi support |
| Pricing | Quote per deployment based on plan, scale and support level; no public price list |
| Best For | Organisations that need governance and self-service on top of Kafka |
| Replaces | Confluent Platform, Confluent Cloud |
Detailed Review
Axual is a Kafka platform from the Netherlands that adds governance and self-service to Apache Kafka. AXUAL B.V. is located at Jaarbeursplein 22, 3521 AP Utrecht, according to its privacy policy.
Axual says the platform has no proprietary core. Facts on this page were checked on 3 November 2026.
Governance for Event Streaming Platforms
Axual provides a governance dashboard for access, schemas and data flows. Developers manage their own topics and schemas in a self-service portal.
Stream processing in Axual
Axual offers stream processing with low-code KSML or Flink SQL under the same governance.
Hosting and trial
Axual Cloud is described as managed in an EU sovereign cloud and runs on Scaleway. Customers can also self-manage on-premises or in their own cloud.
Developers can run the full platform locally with Docker Compose at no cost. There is no self-service subscription or paid trial.
Limitations to Consider
Axual has no public prices and no self-service subscription, so a production evaluation has to be arranged with the company. Free use is limited to running the platform locally with Docker Compose, not a hosted trial. Teams that want a free hosted Kafka plan can look at Aiven.
Who Should Use Axual
Larger organisations replacing Confluent that value governance, self-service topics and an EU-hosted or air-gapped deployment.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Governance dashboard for access, schemas and data flows
- Self-service portal for developers
- Managed cloud on Scaleway in an EU sovereign cloud
- Self-managed and air-gapped options
- Free local run with Docker Compose
Cons
- No public price list
- No self-service subscription or paid trial
- No free hosted tier
- Quote-based buying slows evaluation
Alternatives to Axual
Other European event streaming platforms worth comparing before you decide:
Aiven
Finland · Managed Apache Kafka in EU regions, with a free plan
Lenses
United Kingdom · Developer workspace and replication layer for Kafka
Ververica
Germany · Apache Flink stream processing from the Munich company
Nussknacker
Poland · Low-code stream processing on Apache Flink, open core
See all European event streaming platforms or compare them directly against Confluent Platform on our alternatives page.
Frequently Asked Questions
Axual describes Axual Cloud as managed in an EU sovereign cloud and it runs on Scaleway.
No. Pricing depends on plan, scale and support level and there is no public price list.
Developers can run the full Axual platform locally with Docker Compose at no cost.