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Log Management · head to head

Azure Monitor vs Graylog

Azure Monitor logo

Azure Monitor

Log Management

Azure's Monitoring and Diagnostics Service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Graylog logo

Graylog

Log Management

Log Aggregation and Analysis Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Graylog graylog Enterprise starts at $15,000 per year and Graylog Security at $18,000 per year, priced by daily volume or annual consumption
  • They diverge on capability: Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Graylog covers Log aggregation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Azure Monitor and Graylog actually diverge.

Attributes where Azure Monitor and Graylog differ
AttributeAzure MonitorGraylog
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
Founded20102011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Log Management).

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 Graylog

  • Log aggregation
  • Full-text search
  • Parsing and extraction
  • Real-time analytics

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 Graylog
  • Alerting on metric thresholds and log queriesnot Graylog
  • Application performance monitoring through Application Insightsnot Graylog
  • Long-term log retention for compliancenot Graylog
  • Querying operational data with KQLnot Graylog

Graylog

  • Centralising and searching application and infrastructure logsnot Azure Monitor
  • Running a SIEM with threat detection and investigation workflowsnot Azure Monitor
  • Self-hosting log management without per-GB SaaS billingnot 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

Graylog

  • Graylog Enterprise starts at $15,000 per year and Graylog Security at $18,000 per year, priced by daily volume or annual consumption
  • Correlation engine, scheduled and custom reports, compliance reports and teams management are Enterprise-only
  • Data tiering across hot, warm and archive storage is an Enterprise feature, not available in Graylog Open
  • Graylog Open carries community support only; professional support requires a paid edition
  • UEBA anomaly detection, Sigma rules, MITRE ATT&CK alignment and SOAR automation are limited to Graylog Security

Pricing, plan by plan

Azure Monitor

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log collection
    • Metrics collection
    • Alerts and notifications

Graylog

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • Full-text search
    • Parsing and extraction

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.
Azure Monitor review

Choose Graylog if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want full-text search.
Graylog review

Questions people ask

Is Azure Monitor or Graylog better?
Neither clearly leads. Azure Monitor starts at Free and Graylog at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Azure Monitor or Graylog?
Azure Monitor starts at Free and Graylog at Free.
Does Azure Monitor or Graylog 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 Graylog is typically brought in for.
What can Azure Monitor do that Graylog cannot?
Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Metrics collection, Alerts and notifications, Custom dashboards. Graylog covers Log aggregation, Full-text search, Parsing and extraction, Real-time analytics. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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