Log Management · head to head
Bugsnag vs CloudWatch
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Bugsnag owned by SmartBear rather than being independent; CloudWatch the free tier covers 5 GB of log ingestion and 10 custom metrics a month, after which log ingestion is $0.50 per GB from 5 to 30 GB
- They diverge on capability: Bugsnag covers Error tracking, CloudWatch covers Metrics collection.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Bugsnag and CloudWatch actually diverge.
| Attribute | Bugsnag | CloudWatch |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2012 | 2006 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), 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 Bugsnag
- Error tracking
- Crash reporting
- Release tracking
- Trend analysis
Only in CloudWatch
- Metrics collection
- Log aggregation
- Dashboards
- Alarms and notifications
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.
Bugsnag
- Crash and error reporting for mobile and web applicationsnot CloudWatch
- Stability scores per releasenot CloudWatch
- Grouping errors by root cause across deploysnot CloudWatch
- Alerting when a release regressesnot CloudWatch
CloudWatch
- Metrics and log collection for AWS workloadsnot Bugsnag
- Alarming on thresholds across AWS servicesnot Bugsnag
- Querying logs with Logs Insightsnot Bugsnag
- Live tailing logs during an incidentnot Bugsnag
- Distributed tracing alongside X-Raynot Bugsnag
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
CloudWatch
- The free tier covers 5 GB of log ingestion and 10 custom metrics a month, after which log ingestion is $0.50 per GB from 5 to 30 GB
- Custom metrics are $0.30 each for the first 10,000, so instrumenting broadly gets expensive before volume discounts apply
- Each custom dashboard beyond the free three is $3 a month
- Alarms are billed at $0.10 per alarm metric a month, with high-resolution alarms costing more
- Log storage beyond the free 5 GB is $0.03 per GB per month on top of the ingestion charge
Pricing, plan by plan
Bugsnag
Free- FreeFree
- Error tracking
- Crash reporting
- Release tracking
CloudWatch
Free- FreeFree
- Metrics collection
- Log aggregation
- Dashboards
Which should you pick?
Choose Bugsnag if
- You need error tracking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want crash reporting.
Choose CloudWatch if
- You need metrics collection.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want log aggregation.
Questions people ask
- Is Bugsnag or CloudWatch better?
- Neither clearly leads. Bugsnag starts at Free and CloudWatch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Bugsnag or CloudWatch?
- Bugsnag starts at Free and CloudWatch at Free.
- Does Bugsnag or CloudWatch run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Bugsnag for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Bugsnag best used for?
- Bugsnag is most often used for crash and error reporting for mobile and web applications, stability scores per release, grouping errors by root cause across deploys, alerting when a release regresses. Of those, crash and error reporting for mobile and web applications and stability scores per release are not what CloudWatch is typically brought in for.
- What can Bugsnag do that CloudWatch cannot?
- Bugsnag covers Error tracking, Crash reporting, Release tracking, Trend analysis. CloudWatch covers Metrics collection, Log aggregation, Dashboards, Alarms and notifications. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.