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Logging · head to head

Checkmk vs Sematext

Checkmk logo

Checkmk

Logging

Comprehensive IT monitoring, open and flexible

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit CheckmkFull review
Sematext logo

Sematext

Logging

Full Stack Observability Platform

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit SematextFull review

The short version

  • Sematext 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 Sematext falls short: the $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Checkmk and Sematext actually diverge.

Attributes where Checkmk and Sematext differ
AttributeCheckmkSematext
Pricing modelSubscriptionUsage-based
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 Sematext does not also cover.

Only in Sematext

  • Log aggregation
  • APM
  • Metrics monitoring
  • Anomaly detection
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Checkmk

  • Infrastructure monitoringnot Sematext
  • System observabilitynot Sematext
  • Enterprise compliance monitoringnot Sematext

Sematext

  • Centralised log management and search across servicesnot Checkmk
  • Infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logsnot 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

Sematext

  • The $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days
  • Ingestion and storage are billed on separate meters, at $0.10 per GB received and $0.15 per GB stored
  • Retention is a plan property rather than a setting, so keeping logs longer means moving tier
  • The published pricing page renders Standard and Pro figures from unresolved template placeholders, so only the Basic numbers are actually readable

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

Sematext

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • APM
    • Metrics monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose Checkmk if

  • You want to start without paying.
Checkmk review

Choose Sematext if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, API.
  • You also want apm.
Sematext review

Questions people ask

Is Checkmk or Sematext better?
Neither clearly leads. Checkmk starts at Free and Sematext at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Checkmk or Sematext?
Checkmk starts at Free and Sematext at Free.
Does Checkmk or Sematext run on more platforms?
Checkmk runs on Web. Sematext 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 Sematext is typically brought in for.
What can Checkmk do that Sematext cannot?
Sematext covers Log aggregation, APM, Metrics monitoring, Anomaly detection.

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
Sematext: How much does Sematext cost?

Sematext uses a transparent usage-based pricing model. Customers can set a Max Daily Volume for automatic rejection of excess data to prevent unexpected charges and keep costs predictable. Specific tier pricing is available through their cost calculator tool.

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
Sematext: How does Sematext's pricing compare to competitors?

Sematext is positioned as +3x cheaper than Datadog, with potential annual savings of $800,000 for customers logging more than 200TB/month and a reported 75% decrease in price per GB compared to alternatives.

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
Sematext: Does Sematext offer a free trial?

Yes, Sematext offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, allowing you to test the platform before committing to a paid plan.

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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