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Logging · head to head

Filebeat vs Raygun

Filebeat logo

Filebeat

Logging

Lightweight Shipper for Logs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Raygun logo

Raygun

Logging

Real User Monitoring and Crash Reporting

From
$40/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Filebeat has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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.; Raygun crash Reporting error data is retained for 180 days and Real User Monitoring sessions for only 60 days; longer retention is Enterprise only
  • They diverge on capability: Filebeat covers File tailing, Raygun covers Crash reporting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Filebeat and Raygun actually diverge.

Attributes where Filebeat and Raygun differ
AttributeFilebeatRaygun
Starting priceFree$40/month
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Api), 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 Filebeat

  • File tailing
  • Log forwarding
  • Event parsing
  • Input harvesting

Only in Raygun

  • Crash reporting
  • Real user monitoring
  • Performance tracking
  • Source maps

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 Raygun
  • Application performancenot Raygun
  • Security analyticsnot Raygun
  • Troubleshootingnot Raygun

Raygun

  • Crash and error reporting for web, mobile and backend applicationsnot Filebeat
  • Real user monitoring of front end page load and session performancenot Filebeat
  • Application performance monitoring with request level tracesnot 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.

Raygun

  • Crash Reporting error data is retained for 180 days and Real User Monitoring sessions for only 60 days; longer retention is Enterprise only
  • Crash Reporting, Real User Monitoring and APM are billed as three separate products, each metered on its own unit of errors, sessions or traces
  • A Real User Monitoring session ends after 30 minutes of inactivity, so a single visit spanning breaks is billed as several sessions
  • Usage beyond the plan allowance is billed on demand at $0.001 per error and $0.002 per session or trace
  • Enterprise plan pricing is custom with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Filebeat

Free
  • FreeFree
    • File tailing
    • Log forwarding
    • Event parsing

Raygun

$40/month
  • Basic$40/month
    • Core monitoring, unlimited apps and members
    • Basic alerts, deployment tracking
    • Annual billing saves 33%
  • Team$80/month
    • Inbound filters and third-party integrations
    • Unlimited dashboards and user roles
    • Marked as MOST POPULAR plan
  • Business$400/month
    • SAML SSO and dedicated account manager
    • Priority support and quarterly reviews
    • Annual billing saves 33%
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom pricing and compliance requirements
    • Unlimited reports and SLA agreements
    • Private Slack support

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.
Filebeat review

Choose Raygun if

  • You need crash reporting.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want real user monitoring.
Raygun review

Questions people ask

Is Filebeat or Raygun better?
Neither clearly leads. Filebeat starts at Free and Raygun at $40/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Filebeat or Raygun?
Filebeat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Filebeat and $40/month for Raygun.
Does Filebeat or Raygun run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Filebeat for free?
Yes. Filebeat has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Raygun starts at $40/month.
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 Raygun is typically brought in for.
What can Filebeat do that Raygun cannot?
Filebeat covers File tailing, Log forwarding, Event parsing, Input harvesting. Raygun covers Crash reporting, Real user monitoring, Performance tracking, Source maps. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Filebeat: What does Filebeat cost?

Filebeat is free and open source. There are no licensing fees for the software itself.

Source
Raygun: Does Raygun offer a free trial?

Yes. Raygun offers a free 14-day trial with no credit card required. The trial includes feature access across all products.

Source
Filebeat: Is Filebeat free for commercial use?

Yes. Filebeat is open and free to use for any purpose, including commercial applications.

Source
Raygun: What is Raygun's pricing model?

Raygun uses a usage-based pricing model with tiered plans starting at $40/month for Basic tier, plus per-event charges ($0.001 to $0.002 per event). Annual billing saves 33% compared to monthly rates.

Source
Filebeat: Do I need to pay for Elastic Cloud to use Filebeat?

No. Filebeat works independently without any Elastic Cloud subscription, though Elastic Cloud is offered as an optional paid deployment option.

Source
Raygun: What features are included in the Team plan?

Team plan at $80/month includes inbound filters, third-party integrations, unlimited dashboards, user roles, and is marked as the most popular option. It's positioned between Basic and Business tiers.

Source
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