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Logging · head to head

Checkmk vs Graylog

Checkmk logo

Checkmk

Logging

Comprehensive IT monitoring, open and flexible

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit CheckmkFull review
Graylog logo

Graylog

Logging

Log Aggregation and Analysis Platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit GraylogFull review

The short version

  • Graylog is a open-source log aggregation and analysis platform.
  • Graylog is free; Checkmk starts at €190/mo.
  • Where Checkmk falls short: pricing calculated by service count, not hosts (approximately 30 services per host on average).
  • Where Graylog falls short: Graylog Enterprise starts at $15,000 per year and Graylog Security at $18,000 per year, priced by daily volume or annual consumption.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Checkmk and Graylog actually diverge.

Attributes where Checkmk and Graylog differ
AttributeCheckmkGraylog
Pricing modelSubscriptionOpen-source
PlatformsWebWeb, API

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), category (Logging).

Not yet recorded: founded for Checkmk.

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 Checkmk

Nothing recorded that Graylog does not also cover.

Only in Graylog

  • Log aggregation
  • Full-text search
  • Parsing and extraction
  • Real-time analytics
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Checkmk

  • Infrastructure monitoringnot Graylog
  • System observabilitynot Graylog
  • Enterprise compliance monitoringnot Graylog

Graylog

  • Log aggregation and analysis for SecOps teamsnot Checkmk
  • IT and DevOps monitoring and troubleshootingnot Checkmk
  • Enterprise security event monitoringnot Checkmk

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Checkmk

  • Pricing calculated by service count, not hosts (approximately 30 services per host on average)
  • Professional support limited to 8-10 hours per week on base plans
  • Synthetic monitoring is separate add-on with per-test pricing

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

Checkmk

Free
  • Community (Self-Hosted)Free
    • No cost, forever
    • Up to ~100 hosts
    • Basic infrastructure monitoring
  • Pro (Self-Hosted)€190/mo
    • Advanced analytics
    • Reporting
    • Distributed monitoring
  • Ultimate (Self-Hosted)€275/mo
    • Full-stack observability
    • Advanced security compliance
    • 10 hours x 5 days professional support (upgradable to 24/7)
  • CloudAI (SaaS)€240/mo
    • Fully managed cloud hosting
    • 99.5% uptime SLA
    • Supports up to 50000 services

Graylog

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Checkmk if

  • You want to start without paying.
Checkmk 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 Checkmk or Graylog better?
Neither clearly leads. Checkmk 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, Checkmk or Graylog?
Checkmk starts at Free and Graylog at Free.
Does Checkmk or Graylog run on more platforms?
Checkmk runs on Web. Graylog runs on Web, API.
Can I use Checkmk for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Checkmk best used for?
Checkmk is most often used for infrastructure monitoring, system observability, enterprise compliance monitoring. Of those, infrastructure monitoring and system observability are not what Graylog is typically brought in for.
What can Checkmk do that Graylog cannot?
Graylog covers Log aggregation, Full-text search, Parsing and extraction, Real-time analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Checkmk: Is there a free version of Checkmk?

Yes, Checkmk Community edition is free forever and supports up to approximately 100 hosts for basic infrastructure monitoring with no cost.

Source
Graylog: Does Graylog have a free version?

Yes. Graylog Open is a free, open-source option for collecting, storing, searching, and analyzing log data. However, it includes only community support.

Source
Checkmk: How does Checkmk calculate pricing by host count?

Checkmk uses service-based pricing where each monitored aspect (file system, hardware sensor, switch port, metric) counts as one service. On average, there are approximately 30 services per host.

Source
Graylog: How much does Graylog Enterprise cost?

Graylog Enterprise pricing starts at $15,000/year based on daily log volume or annual data consumption. Exact pricing requires contacting sales.

Source
Checkmk: What is the difference between Checkmk Pro and Ultimate tiers?

Pro tier at 190 EUR/month includes advanced analytics and 8x5 support, while Ultimate at 275 EUR/month adds full-stack observability, advanced compliance features, and upgradable 24/7 support.

Source
Graylog: What is the difference between Graylog Enterprise and Security editions?

Graylog Security starts at $18,000/year and includes advanced threat detection capabilities beyond the Enterprise edition. Both include technical support.

Source
Checkmk: Does Checkmk offer a managed SaaS option?

Yes, Checkmk CloudAI is a fully managed SaaS tier at 240 EUR/month with 99.5% uptime SLA and support for up to 50000 services.

Source
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