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Logging · head to head

Elastic Stack vs Logstash

Elastic Stack logo

Elastic Stack

Logging

Search, Observability, and Security Solutions

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Logstash logo

Logstash

Logging

Data Processing Pipeline for Ingestion

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Logstash has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Elastic Stack self-managed deployment requires licensing based on node count and RAM usage; Logstash logstash's source is dual licensed: code outside the x-pack directory is Apache License 2.0, but code inside x-pack (which carries several of Logstash's monitoring and management features) is licensed under the Elastic License, not a fully open source license
  • They diverge on capability: Elastic Stack covers Full-text search, Logstash covers Data ingestion.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Elastic Stack and Logstash actually diverge.

Attributes where Elastic Stack and Logstash differ
AttributeElastic StackLogstash
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud-hosted, Self-managed, Docker, Kubernetes (ECK)Web, Api

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Logging), founded (2011).

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 Elastic Stack

  • Full-text search
  • Log analytics
  • Security monitoring
  • Alerting

Only in Logstash

  • Data ingestion
  • Event parsing
  • Data transformation
  • Multiple input sources

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.

Elastic Stack

  • Distributed search and analytics engine for production-scale workloadsnot Logstash
  • Full-text search and vector search with approximate nearest neighbour supportnot Logstash
  • Security event tracking with field-level and document-level access controlnot Logstash
  • Machine learning capabilities including anomaly detection and forecastingnot Logstash

Logstash

  • Log monitoringnot Elastic Stack
  • Application performancenot Elastic Stack
  • Security analyticsnot Elastic Stack
  • Troubleshootingnot Elastic Stack

Where each one falls short

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

Elastic Stack

  • Self-managed deployment requires licensing based on node count and RAM usage
  • Serverless option has pending features including traffic filtering and bring-your-own-key encryption
  • Hosted deployment requires custom resource configuration for cluster management
  • Pricing models differ significantly across Hosted, Serverless, and Self-managed options

Logstash

  • Logstash's source is dual licensed: code outside the x-pack directory is Apache License 2.0, but code inside x-pack (which carries several of Logstash's monitoring and management features) is licensed under the Elastic License, not a fully open source license

Pricing, plan by plan

Elastic Stack

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Elastic Stack review.

Logstash

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Data ingestion
    • Event parsing
    • Data transformation

Which should you pick?

Choose Elastic Stack if

  • You need full-text search.
  • You work on Cloud-hosted, Self-managed, Docker, Kubernetes (ECK).
  • You also want log analytics.
Elastic Stack review

Choose Logstash if

  • You need data ingestion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want event parsing.
Logstash review

Questions people ask

Is Elastic Stack or Logstash better?
Neither clearly leads. Elastic Stack starts at On request and Logstash at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Elastic Stack or Logstash?
Logstash has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Elastic Stack and Free for Logstash.
Does Elastic Stack or Logstash run on more platforms?
Elastic Stack runs on Cloud-hosted, Self-managed, Docker, Kubernetes (ECK). Logstash runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Logstash for free?
Yes. Logstash has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Elastic Stack starts at On request.
What is Elastic Stack best used for?
Elastic Stack is most often used for distributed search and analytics engine for production-scale workloads, full-text search and vector search with approximate nearest neighbour support, security event tracking with field-level and document-level access control, machine learning capabilities including anomaly detection and forecasting. Of those, distributed search and analytics engine for production-scale workloads and full-text search and vector search with approximate nearest neighbour support are not what Logstash is typically brought in for.
What can Elastic Stack do that Logstash cannot?
Elastic Stack covers Full-text search, Log analytics, Security monitoring, Alerting. Logstash covers Data ingestion, Event parsing, Data transformation, Multiple input sources. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Elastic Stack: How much does Elastic Stack cost?

Elastic does not publish specific pricing on the Elastic Stack product page. Users can start a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, but ongoing subscription pricing requires contacting their sales team.

Source
Logstash: How much does Logstash cost?

Logstash is free and open-source. The data processing pipeline is available to download at no charge and can be deployed without licensing costs or commercial restrictions.

Source
Elastic Stack: What deployment options are available for Elastic Stack?

Users can deploy Elastic Stack on Elastic Cloud (hosted on AWS, Google Cloud, or Azure) or download it for self-managed deployment. Pricing for managed cloud hosting must be obtained by starting a trial or contacting sales.

Source
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