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Logging · head to head

CloudWatch vs Coralogix

CloudWatch logo

CloudWatch

Logging

AWS Monitoring and Observability

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Coralogix logo

Coralogix

Logging

Continuous Log Insights and Visibility

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; Coralogix no self-hosted option; cloud-only SaaS requiring use of customer's AWS, Azure, or GCP infrastructure
  • They diverge on capability: CloudWatch covers Metrics collection, Coralogix covers Machine learning analytics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CloudWatch and Coralogix actually diverge.

Attributes where CloudWatch and Coralogix differ
AttributeCloudWatchCoralogix
PlatformsWeb, ApiCloud-hosted (AWS, Azure, GCP)
Founded20062015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Logging).

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 CloudWatch

  • Metrics collection
  • Dashboards
  • Alarms and notifications

Only in Coralogix

  • Machine learning analytics
  • Alerts
  • Distributed tracing

Both cover

  • Log aggregation
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

CloudWatch

  • Metrics and log collection for AWS workloadsnot Coralogix
  • Alarming on thresholds across AWS servicesnot Coralogix
  • Querying logs with Logs Insightsnot Coralogix
  • Live tailing logs during an incidentnot Coralogix
  • Distributed tracing alongside X-Raynot Coralogix

Coralogix

  • Enterprises requiring infinite log retention across logs, metrics, and tracesnot CloudWatch
  • Organizations with cross-signal correlation needs (logs, metrics, traces unified)not CloudWatch

Where each one falls short

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

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

Coralogix

  • No self-hosted option; cloud-only SaaS requiring use of customer's AWS, Azure, or GCP infrastructure
  • Pricing is purely usage-based per GB with no flat-rate subscription option; suitable for unpredictable workloads but no cost ceiling

Pricing, plan by plan

CloudWatch

Free
  • Pay-as-you-goFree
    • Logs ingestion: $0.50/GB (first 5GB free), down to $0.05/GB at scale
    • Logs storage: $0.03/GB/month
    • Live Tail: $0.01/minute after 1,800 free minutes
  • Free tierFree
    • 5GB logs ingestion per month
    • 10 custom metrics
    • 3 custom dashboards

Coralogix

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Coralogix review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CloudWatch if

  • You need metrics collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want dashboards.
CloudWatch review

Choose Coralogix if

  • You need machine learning analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud-hosted (AWS, Azure, GCP).
  • You also want alerts.
Coralogix review

Questions people ask

Is CloudWatch or Coralogix better?
Neither clearly leads. CloudWatch starts at Free and Coralogix at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CloudWatch or Coralogix?
CloudWatch starts at Free and Coralogix at Free.
Does CloudWatch or Coralogix run on more platforms?
CloudWatch runs on Web, Api. Coralogix runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, Azure, GCP).
Can I use CloudWatch for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CloudWatch best used for?
CloudWatch is most often used for metrics and log collection for aws workloads, alarming on thresholds across aws services, querying logs with logs insights, live tailing logs during an incident. Of those, metrics and log collection for aws workloads and alarming on thresholds across aws services are not what Coralogix is typically brought in for.
What can CloudWatch do that Coralogix cannot?
CloudWatch covers Metrics collection, Dashboards, Alarms and notifications. Coralogix covers Machine learning analytics, Alerts, Distributed tracing. Both handle Log aggregation, API, Webhooks, REST.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CloudWatch: How much does Amazon CloudWatch cost?

CloudWatch uses pay-as-you-go pricing with no upfront commitment. Logs ingestion costs $0.50/GB (first 5GB free), logs storage is $0.03/GB/month, custom metrics cost $0.30/metric/month (first 10,000), custom dashboards are $3/month, and standard alarms are $0.10/metric/month.

Source
Coralogix: How is Coralogix pricing structured and what are the per-unit costs?

Coralogix uses usage-based pricing with no tiered plans. All customers get identical feature access. Logs cost $0.42/GB, Traces cost $0.16/GB, Metrics cost $0.06/GB (1GB = 750 active time series), and AI costs $1.50 per 1M tokens.

Source
CloudWatch: Does CloudWatch offer a free tier?

Yes, CloudWatch free tier includes 5GB logs ingestion, 10 custom metrics, 3 custom dashboards, and 10 alarm metrics per month at no charge. Usage beyond these limits incurs pay-as-you-go fees.

Source
Coralogix: Is a free trial available and what does it include?

Yes, you can sign up for a free 14-day trial with no credit card required. The trial includes full feature access with a quota of 8 units.

Source
CloudWatch: What are CloudWatch's pricing tiers for high-volume usage?

CloudWatch offers tiered pricing with volume discounts: logs ingestion starts at $0.50/GB and decreases to $0.05/GB at higher volumes; custom metrics start at $0.30/metric/month and decline to $0.05 at higher volumes; Application Signals cost $1.50 per million traces initially, declining to $0.30.

Source
Coralogix: What features are included at all pricing levels and what happens if I exceed my quota?

All accounts include 24/7 real human support, unlimited data sources, unlimited users and hosts, unlimited team members, and enterprise features like RBAC, SSO, audit trails, and compliance controls. You can pay as-you-go to exceed your daily quota up to 2X.

Source
Coralogix: Do unused units roll over to the next billing period?

No, unused units or tokens expire at subscription term end with no rollover, refund, or credit options.

Source
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