Apicurio Registry vs AxonOps Schema Registry
Apicurio Registry
apicur.ioAxonOps Schema Registry
github.comSide by side
| Figure | Apicurio Registry | AxonOps Schema Registry |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | — | Free |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | Yes |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Windows | Yes | — |
| macOS | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | Yes |
| Plans published | 0 | 2 |
| Spec score · Schema Registry Software | 8.0 (#11) | 8.6 (#2) |
| Authentication | Documented authentication options include OpenID Connect, HTTP basic, proxy header, and Kubernetes-native authentication; authentication and authorization options are disabled by default. | Built-in authentication methods include Basic, API keys, JWT, LDAP/Active Directory, OIDC, and mutual TLS. |
| Deployment | The getting-started guide runs the server and UI as separate Docker images and also names Podman as a prerequisite option. | The registry is a single statically linked binary of about 50 MB and can run as a Docker container or be built from source. |
| Purpose | Apicurio Registry is a runtime server that stores artifacts and lets users add, update, and remove them through a remote REST API. | AxonOps Schema Registry is an API-compatible replacement for Confluent Schema Registry for managing schemas used with Apache Kafka. |
| Storage | The product page lists Apache Kafka, PostgreSQL, and Microsoft SQL Server as backend storage options. | It can store schemas in PostgreSQL, MySQL, or Cassandra and does not require Kafka as its storage backend. |
| Storage backends | The product page lists Apache Kafka, PostgreSQL, and Microsoft SQL Server as configurable backend storage options. | Schemas can be stored in PostgreSQL, MySQL, Cassandra, or in-memory storage. |
| Support | The documentation directs users to the GitHub projects and issue tracker for help, suggestions, and problem reports. | The project README says commercial support plans are offered by AxonOps; it also welcomes community issues and contributions. |
Plans
In their own words
Apicurio Registry
Apicurio Registry is an open-source runtime server for storing API designs and schemas as artifacts. Users can add, update, and remove artifacts through a remote REST API. For API discovery, teams can register designs such as OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, and GraphQL so consumers can search and browse APIs, see details, and read generated documentation. For messaging and event streaming, it provides a central place to track schemas and manage data-format evolution. Supported artifact types include OpenAPI, AsyncAPI, GraphQL, Apache Avro, Protocol Buffers, JSON Schema, Kafka Connect schema, WSDL, XML Schema, and ODCS v3.1. Configurable rules can check validity, compatibility, and integrity as artifacts change. Listed storage backends include Apache Kafka, PostgreSQL, and Microsoft SQL Server. Management options include a web console, REST API, command line, Maven plug-in, and Java client. Kafka serializers and deserializers can enforce schemas in producer and consumer applications. The documentation covers self-hosted deployment, including Kubernetes. The quick-start in-memory server is non-persistent and is not intended for production.
AxonOps Schema Registry
AxonOps Schema Registry is a free, Apache 2.0-licensed service for managing Apache Kafka schemas as an API-compatible replacement for Confluent Schema Registry. It handles Avro, Protobuf, and JSON Schema, including references and seven compatibility modes. Schemas can be stored in PostgreSQL, MySQL, or Cassandra, without requiring Kafka as the storage backend. The project says existing Confluent serializers and Java, Go, and Python Kafka clients can connect by changing the registry URL. Security options include Basic Auth, API keys, JWT, LDAP/AD, OIDC, mTLS, four RBAC roles, rate limiting, and TLS certificate auto-reload. Audit events can go to stdout, files, syslog, or webhooks. Client-side field encryption supports DEK/KEK registries and HashiCorp Vault or OpenBao Transit. Data contracts add metadata and rules. A beta MCP server supports several AI clients. It runs self-hosted on Linux, as a Docker container, or from source.