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kaf vs AKHQ: catalog facts
kaf	AKHQ
Free Free and open source under the Apache 2.0 licence.	Free Free and open source.
Windows, macOS, Linux, Command line	Web, Self-hosted
Familiar kubectl-style commands Single Go binary	Browse topic data with live tail Consumer group lag monitoring
Command-line only, no graphical interface Requires access to a running Kafka cluster	You have to deploy and run the server yourself Only useful if you operate Kafka
Downloadable app	Self-hosted
Open source	Open source
License: Apache-2.0	License: Apache-2.0
No account needed	Not stated if an account is needed
Not stated if it works offline	Not stated if it works offline
Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026	Official website Full listing and sources Checked October 2, 2026

Catalog facts only. Anything “not stated” is unconfirmed. Check full listings for details.