Software · head to head
Azure Monitor vs Bugsnag
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Azure Monitor billed per GB ingested across three separate log plans, Auxiliary, Basic and Analytics, so the plan chosen changes the rate as much as the volume does; Bugsnag owned by SmartBear rather than being independent
- They diverge on capability: Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Bugsnag covers Error tracking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Azure Monitor and Bugsnag actually diverge.
| Attribute | Azure Monitor | Bugsnag |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2010 | 2012 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Azure Monitor
- Log collection
- Metrics collection
- Alerts and notifications
- Custom dashboards
Only in Bugsnag
- Error tracking
- Crash reporting
- Release tracking
- Trend analysis
Both cover
- API
- Webhooks
- REST
- Web support
- Api support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Azure Monitor
- Collecting logs and metrics from Azure resourcesnot Bugsnag
- Alerting on metric thresholds and log queriesnot Bugsnag
- Application performance monitoring through Application Insightsnot Bugsnag
- Long-term log retention for compliancenot Bugsnag
- Querying operational data with KQLnot Bugsnag
Bugsnag
- Crash and error reporting for mobile and web applicationsnot Azure Monitor
- Stability scores per releasenot Azure Monitor
- Grouping errors by root cause across deploysnot Azure Monitor
- Alerting when a release regressesnot Azure Monitor
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Azure Monitor
- Billed per GB ingested across three separate log plans, Auxiliary, Basic and Analytics, so the plan chosen changes the rate as much as the volume does
- Only the first 5 GB a month of Analytics logs is free per billing account
- Retention beyond the base period is charged per GB per month, up to 2 years interactive and 12 years long term
- Log queries and search jobs are billed per GB scanned, so investigating an incident costs money
- Alert rules are billed per time series for metrics and by execution frequency for logs
- The pricing page shows placeholders rather than rates until a region and currency are chosen
Bugsnag
- Owned by SmartBear rather than being independent
- The free tier covers 7,500 events a month
- Paid tiers are usage-priced by event volume rather than by seat, so a noisy release raises the bill
- Enterprise pricing is quote-only
Pricing, plan by plan
Azure Monitor
Free- FreeFree
- Log collection
- Metrics collection
- Alerts and notifications
Bugsnag
Free- FreeFree
- Error tracking
- Crash reporting
- Release tracking
Which should you pick?
Choose Azure Monitor if
- You need log collection.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want metrics collection.
Choose Bugsnag if
- You need error tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want crash reporting.
Questions people ask
- Is Azure Monitor or Bugsnag better?
- Neither clearly leads. Azure Monitor starts at Free and Bugsnag at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Azure Monitor or Bugsnag?
- Azure Monitor starts at Free and Bugsnag at Free.
- Does Azure Monitor or Bugsnag run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Azure Monitor for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Azure Monitor best used for?
- Azure Monitor is most often used for collecting logs and metrics from azure resources, alerting on metric thresholds and log queries, application performance monitoring through application insights, long-term log retention for compliance. Of those, collecting logs and metrics from azure resources and alerting on metric thresholds and log queries are not what Bugsnag is typically brought in for.
- What can Azure Monitor do that Bugsnag cannot?
- Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Metrics collection, Alerts and notifications, Custom dashboards. Bugsnag covers Error tracking, Crash reporting, Release tracking, Trend analysis. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.