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Confluent

Confluent sells Confluent Cloud as usage-based billing on eCKUs or CKUs, data transfer and storage, and Confluent Platform as subscriptions counted per Node, with Apache Kafka under Apache 2.0, some components under the source-available Confluent Community License and commercial features unlocked by an enterprise licence key.

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Overview articleConfluent licensingConfluent sells Confluent Cloud as usage-based billing on eCKUs or CKUs, data transfer and storage, and Confluent Platform as subscriptions counted per Node, with Apache Kafka under Apache 2.0, some components under the source-available Confluent Community License and commercial features unlocked by an enterprise licence key.Cited · Edited 2026-10-07 · 15 references

Guides

Confluent Cloud licensingCited · Edited 2026-10-07Confluent Platform subscription licensingCited · Edited 2026-10-07Confluent Community License and open-source componentsCited · Edited 2026-10-07

Licensing Data

From the Confluent catalog: how usage is counted, the rules that apply, the programs licences are bought through and the SKUs. Backed by 65 verbatim excerpts from 26 Confluent documents.

Products

All 19 Products

Message Queue (MQ) Software 16

Confluent Cloud, Confluent Cloud (cloud marketplace listings), Confluent Cloud Basic cluster, Confluent Cloud Dedicated cluster, Confluent Cloud Enterprise cluster, Confluent Cloud for Apache Flink, Confluent Cloud Freight cluster, Confluent Cloud ksqlDB, and 8 more

Data Integration Tools 3

Confluent Cloud custom connectors, Confluent Cloud fully managed connectors, Confluent Platform commercial connectors

Product History

All acquisitions
  1. IBM acquired ConfluentAnnounced 2025-12-08 · Closed 2026-03-17 · USD 31 per share in cash, an enterprise value of approximately USD 11 billion (as announced)

    IBM acquired Confluent, Inc., the data streaming company built on Apache Kafka, announcing the agreement on 2025-12-08 and completing it on 2026-03-17.

    Legacy productBecame
    Confluent Cloud and Confluent PlatformKept Confluent (an IBM company) · Sold under Confluent agreements; IBM announced day-one integrations with watsonx.data, IBM MQ, IBM webMethods Hybrid Integration and IBM Z
    Licensing impact
    • IBM announced a definitive agreement to acquire all issued and outstanding common shares of Confluent for USD 31 per share, an enterprise value of USD 11 billion.[1]
    • IBM completed the acquisition on 2026-03-17 and announced day-one integrations of Confluent with IBM watsonx.data, IBM MQ, IBM webMethods Hybrid Integration and IBM Z.[2]
    • On 2026-10-07 Confluent's contracts page still listed the Confluent Cloud Services Agreement and Confluent Platform Agreement, which name Confluent, Inc. as the contracting party.[3]
    Sources and full product history
  2. Confluent acquired WarpStreamAnnounced 2024-09-09 · Closed 2024-09-09

    Confluent acquired WarpStream, an Apache Kafka-compatible data streaming platform with a Bring Your Own Cloud (BYOC) architecture, as a third deployment option beside Confluent Cloud and Confluent Platform.

    Legacy productBecame
    WarpStreamKept WarpStream · Offered by Confluent as its BYOC option
    Licensing impact
    • Confluent positioned WarpStream BYOC as a third offering between fully managed Confluent Cloud and self-managed Confluent Platform, run in the customer's own cloud under shared responsibility.[1]
    • Confluent said WarpStream would continue under its product umbrella and that processing and governance features would be added over time.[1]
    Sources and full product history
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