Log Management · head to head
Filebeat vs Grafana Loki
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Filebeat filebeat ships only as part of the Elastic Stack and has no standalone commercial license; using it in production requires deploying Elasticsearch and typically Kibana alongside it.; Grafana Loki grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment
- They diverge on capability: Filebeat covers File tailing, Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Filebeat and Grafana Loki actually diverge.
| Attribute | Filebeat | Grafana Loki |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | open-source | freemium |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support) |
| Founded | 2011 | 2014 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Log Management).
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 Filebeat
- File tailing
- Log forwarding
- Event parsing
- Input harvesting
Only in Grafana Loki
- Log aggregation
- Label-based indexing
- LogQL language
- Cost-effective
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.
Filebeat
- Log monitoringnot Grafana Loki
- Application performancenot Grafana Loki
- Security analyticsnot Grafana Loki
- Troubleshootingnot Grafana Loki
Grafana Loki
- Cost-sensitive organisations deploying Kubernetes and Prometheus ecosystemsnot Filebeat
- Teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environmentsnot Filebeat
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Filebeat
- Filebeat ships only as part of the Elastic Stack and has no standalone commercial license; using it in production requires deploying Elasticsearch and typically Kibana alongside it.
Grafana Loki
- Grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment
- Open-source version requires self-hosting all infrastructure including storage and scaling
Pricing, plan by plan
Filebeat
Free- FreeFree
- File tailing
- Log forwarding
- Event parsing
Grafana Loki
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Grafana Loki review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Filebeat if
- You need file tailing.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want log forwarding.
Choose Grafana Loki if
- You need log aggregation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support).
- You also want label-based indexing.
Questions people ask
- Is Filebeat or Grafana Loki better?
- Neither clearly leads. Filebeat starts at Free and Grafana Loki at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Filebeat or Grafana Loki?
- Filebeat starts at Free and Grafana Loki at Free.
- Does Filebeat or Grafana Loki run on more platforms?
- Filebeat runs on Web, Api. Grafana Loki runs on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support).
- Can I use Filebeat for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Filebeat best used for?
- Filebeat is most often used for log monitoring, application performance, security analytics, troubleshooting. Of those, log monitoring and application performance are not what Grafana Loki is typically brought in for.
- What can Filebeat do that Grafana Loki cannot?
- Filebeat covers File tailing, Log forwarding, Event parsing, Input harvesting. Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation, Label-based indexing, LogQL language, Cost-effective. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.