Software · head to head
Azure Monitor vs Grafana Loki
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; Grafana Loki grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment
- They diverge on capability: Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Azure Monitor and Grafana Loki actually diverge.
| Attribute | Azure Monitor | Grafana Loki |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | freemium |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support) |
| Founded | 2010 | 2014 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Grafana Loki
- Log aggregation
- Label-based indexing
- LogQL language
- Cost-effective
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 Grafana Loki
- Alerting on metric thresholds and log queriesnot Grafana Loki
- Application performance monitoring through Application Insightsnot Grafana Loki
- Long-term log retention for compliancenot Grafana Loki
- Querying operational data with KQLnot Grafana Loki
Grafana Loki
- Cost-sensitive organisations deploying Kubernetes and Prometheus ecosystemsnot Azure Monitor
- Teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environmentsnot 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
Grafana Loki
- Grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment
- Open-source version requires self-hosting all infrastructure including storage and scaling
Pricing, plan by plan
Azure Monitor
Free- FreeFree
- Log collection
- Metrics collection
- Alerts and notifications
Grafana Loki
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Grafana Loki review.
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 Grafana Loki if
- You need log aggregation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support).
- You also want label-based indexing.
Questions people ask
- Is Azure Monitor or Grafana Loki better?
- Neither clearly leads. Azure Monitor starts at Free and Grafana Loki at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Azure Monitor or Grafana Loki?
- Azure Monitor starts at Free and Grafana Loki at Free.
- Does Azure Monitor or Grafana Loki run on more platforms?
- Azure Monitor runs on Web, Api. Grafana Loki runs on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support).
- 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 Grafana Loki is typically brought in for.
- What can Azure Monitor do that Grafana Loki cannot?
- Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Metrics collection, Alerts and notifications, Custom dashboards. Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation, Label-based indexing, LogQL language, Cost-effective. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.