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CloudWatch vs Graylog Plus

CloudWatch logo

CloudWatch

Software

AWS Monitoring and Observability

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Graylog Plus logo

Graylog Plus

Software

Enterprise Log Aggregation and SIEM

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only CloudWatch has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Graylog Plus pricing is not published on the product pages
  • They diverge on capability: CloudWatch covers Metrics collection, Graylog Plus covers SIEM capabilities.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CloudWatch and Graylog Plus actually diverge.

Attributes where CloudWatch and Graylog Plus differ
AttributeCloudWatchGraylog Plus
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
Founded20062011

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Graylog Plus

  • SIEM capabilities
  • Advanced parsing
  • Compliance

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 Graylog Plus
  • Alarming on thresholds across AWS servicesnot Graylog Plus
  • Querying logs with Logs Insightsnot Graylog Plus
  • Live tailing logs during an incidentnot Graylog Plus
  • Distributed tracing alongside X-Raynot Graylog Plus

Graylog Plus

  • Centralised log collection, search and analysisnot CloudWatch
  • SIEM and threat detection through Graylog Securitynot CloudWatch
  • Self-hosting log management on your own infrastructurenot CloudWatch
  • API security monitoringnot CloudWatch
  • Compliance reporting from retained log datanot 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

Graylog Plus

  • Pricing is not published on the product pages
  • Split across several editions, Graylog Open, Enterprise, Security and API Security, so log management and SIEM are separate purchases
  • The open edition is source-available rather than fully open source, and the guided setup, prebuilt content and AI assistance are Enterprise features

Pricing, plan by plan

CloudWatch

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Metrics collection
    • Log aggregation
    • Dashboards

Graylog Plus

On request
  • Starter$undefined/month
    • Log aggregation
    • SIEM capabilities
    • Advanced parsing

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 Graylog Plus if

  • You need siem capabilities.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want advanced parsing.
Graylog Plus review

Questions people ask

Is CloudWatch or Graylog Plus better?
Neither clearly leads. CloudWatch starts at Free and Graylog Plus at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CloudWatch or Graylog Plus?
CloudWatch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for CloudWatch and On request for Graylog Plus.
Does CloudWatch or Graylog Plus run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use CloudWatch for free?
Yes. CloudWatch has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Graylog Plus starts at On request.
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 Graylog Plus is typically brought in for.
What can CloudWatch do that Graylog Plus cannot?
CloudWatch covers Metrics collection, Dashboards, Alarms and notifications. Graylog Plus covers SIEM capabilities, Advanced parsing, Compliance. Both handle Log aggregation, API, Webhooks, REST.
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Related pages

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