Software · head to head
CloudWatch vs Kibana
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; Kibana requires Elasticsearch; it is a front end for data held there rather than a standalone analytics tool
- They diverge on capability: CloudWatch covers Metrics collection, Kibana covers Data visualization.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which CloudWatch and Kibana actually diverge.
| Attribute | CloudWatch | Kibana |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | usage-based | open-source |
| Founded | 2006 | 2011 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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
- Log aggregation
- Dashboards
- Alarms and notifications
Only in Kibana
- Data visualization
- Dashboard creation
- Log discovery
- Alerting
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.
CloudWatch
- Metrics and log collection for AWS workloadsnot Kibana
- Alarming on thresholds across AWS servicesnot Kibana
- Querying logs with Logs Insightsnot Kibana
- Live tailing logs during an incidentnot Kibana
- Distributed tracing alongside X-Raynot Kibana
Kibana
- Querying and visualising data held in Elasticsearchnot CloudWatch
- Dashboards over log and metric datanot CloudWatch
- Anomaly detection with machine learning jobsnot CloudWatch
- Geospatial analysis on indexed location datanot CloudWatch
- Alerting on query thresholdsnot 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
Kibana
- Requires Elasticsearch; it is a front end for data held there rather than a standalone analytics tool
- Self-managed means running and scaling the Elastic stack yourself
- Cost is not Kibana's own; it follows whichever Elastic deployment sits underneath
Pricing, plan by plan
CloudWatch
Free- FreeFree
- Metrics collection
- Log aggregation
- Dashboards
Kibana
Free- FreeFree
- Data visualization
- Dashboard creation
- Log discovery
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 log aggregation.
Choose Kibana if
- You need data visualization.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want dashboard creation.
Questions people ask
- Is CloudWatch or Kibana better?
- Neither clearly leads. CloudWatch starts at Free and Kibana at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, CloudWatch or Kibana?
- CloudWatch starts at Free and Kibana at Free.
- Does CloudWatch or Kibana 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?
- 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 Kibana is typically brought in for.
- What can CloudWatch do that Kibana cannot?
- CloudWatch covers Metrics collection, Log aggregation, Dashboards, Alarms and notifications. Kibana covers Data visualization, Dashboard creation, Log discovery, Alerting. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.