Last update: 2025-12-11T11:38:13.000Z
Content:
---
title: "Kafka connector limits and quotas · Tinybird Docs"
theme-color: "#171612"
description: "Learn about Kafka connector limits, how they're applied, and how to request limit increases for your Tinybird workspace."
inkeep:version: "forward"
---




# Kafka connector limits and quotas [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#kafka-connector-limits-and-quotas)

Copy as MD This page describes the limits and quotas that apply to the Kafka connector in Tinybird. For general workspace limits, see [Limits](/docs/forward/pricing/limits).

## How limits are applied [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#how-limits-are-applied)

Kafka connector limits are applied at the **organization level** , meaning all workspaces within your organization share the same limits. This ensures consistent resource allocation across your organization.

## Topic limits [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#topic-limits)

The number of Kafka topics you can connect to depends on your plan:

| Plan | Topic limit | Notes |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Free | 5 topics | Hard limit |
| Developer | 5 topics | Hard limit |
| Enterprise | Unlimited topics | Contact support for high topic counts |

### Requesting a topic limit increase [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#requesting-a-topic-limit-increase)

Enterprise plan users can request an increase to the topic limit by contacting [support@tinybird.co](mailto:support@tinybird.co) . Include the following information in your request:

- Your organization name
- Current number of topics in use
- Expected number of topics needed
- Use case description

## Consumer group limits [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#consumer-group-limits)

There are no hard limits on the number of consumer groups you can use. However, each combination of `KAFKA_TOPIC` and `KAFKA_GROUP_ID` can only be used in one Data Source.

**Best practices:**

- Use unique consumer group IDs for each Data Source
- Use environment-specific group IDs (for example, `prod-group`  , `staging-group`   )
- Document which consumer groups are in use

For managing consumer groups across environments, see the [CI/CD and version control guide](guides/cicd-version-control).

## Connection limits [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#connection-limits)

You can create up to **3 Kafka connections per workspace** . Each connection can be used by multiple Data Sources.

If you need more connections, contact [support@tinybird.co](mailto:support@tinybird.co) to discuss your use case.

## Message size limits [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#message-size-limits)

Tinybird has a default message size limit of **10 MB** per message. Messages exceeding this limit are automatically sent to the Quarantine Data Source.

**Strategies for handling large messages:**

- Use Kafka compression to reduce message size
- Split large messages into smaller chunks
- Store large payloads in object storage (S3, GCS) and reference them in Kafka messages

For detailed guidance, see the [message size handling guide](guides/message-size-handling).

## Throughput limits [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#throughput-limits)

The Kafka connector has the following throughput limits:

- **  Minimum flush time**   : 4 seconds
- **  Throughput (uncompressed)**   : 20 MB/s per connection

If you're regularly hitting these limits, contact [support@tinybird.co](mailto:support@tinybird.co) for support. Enterprise customers may have higher limits based on their infrastructure.

## Deployment failures due to limits [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#deployment-failures-due-to-limits)

If a deployment fails due to limits, you see an error message indicating which limit was exceeded. Common scenarios:

1. **  Topic limit exceeded**   : You've reached the maximum number of topics for your plan
2. **  Connection limit exceeded**   : You've created the maximum number of connections for your workspace
3. **  Message size limit**   : A message exceeds the 10 MB limit (sent to quarantine, not a deployment failure)

**To resolve:**

1. Review your current usage against the limits
2. Remove unused topics or connections if needed
3. Contact support to request limit increases (Enterprise plans)

## Best practices for managing limits [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#best-practices-for-managing-limits)

1. **  Monitor your usage**   : Regularly check how many topics and connections you're using
2. **  Clean up unused resources**   : Remove Data Sources and connections that are no longer needed
3. **  Plan for growth**   : Consider your future needs when designing your Kafka integration
4. **  Use environment-specific configurations**   : Separate development, staging, and production to better manage resources

## Requesting limit increases [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#requesting-limit-increases)

Enterprise plan users can request limit increases by contacting [support@tinybird.co](mailto:support@tinybird.co) . Include:

- Your organization name
- Which limit you need increased (topics, connections, throughput)
- Current usage and expected growth
- Use case description

Free and Developer plan users can upgrade to Enterprise to access higher limits. See [Pricing](/docs/forward/pricing) for plan details.

## Related documentation [¶](https://www.tinybird.co/docs/forward/get-data-in/connectors/kafka/limits#related-documentation)

- [  Kafka connector documentation](index)   - Main connector setup guide
- [  Troubleshooting guide](troubleshooting)   - Resolve common issues
- [  Performance optimization guide](guides/performance-optimization)   - Optimize throughput
- [  General limits documentation](/docs/forward/pricing/limits)   - All workspace limits


