Log Management · head to head
Filebeat vs Splunk Enterprise
Splunk Enterprise
Log Management
Enterprise Search, Monitoring, and Analytics
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
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.; Splunk Enterprise splunk Platform and Enterprise Security offerings carry no published rate and require contacting sales for a quote
- They diverge on capability: Filebeat covers File tailing, Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Filebeat and Splunk Enterprise actually diverge.
| Attribute | Filebeat | Splunk Enterprise |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | open-source | usage-based |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2011 | 2003 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, Api), 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 Splunk Enterprise
- Log aggregation
- Real-time monitoring
- Advanced analytics
- Compliance
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 Splunk Enterprise
- Application performancenot Splunk Enterprise
- Security analyticsnot Splunk Enterprise
- Troubleshootingnot Splunk Enterprise
Splunk Enterprise
- Indexing and searching machine data and logs at enterprise scalenot Filebeat
- Security information and event management via Enterprise Securitynot Filebeat
- IT service intelligence and infrastructure observabilitynot 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.
Splunk Enterprise
- Splunk Platform and Enterprise Security offerings carry no published rate and require contacting sales for a quote
- Four different pricing models are offered (activity, ingest, workload and entity based) and the applicable one depends on the product purchased
- Published Observability Cloud rates start at $15 per host per month and are billed annually rather than monthly
- Volume discounts are not published and require direct consultation with sales
Pricing, plan by plan
Filebeat
Free- FreeFree
- File tailing
- Log forwarding
- Event parsing
Splunk Enterprise
On request- Starter$undefined/month
- Log aggregation
- Real-time monitoring
- Advanced analytics
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 Splunk Enterprise if
- You need log aggregation.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want real-time monitoring.
Questions people ask
- Is Filebeat or Splunk Enterprise better?
- Neither clearly leads. Filebeat starts at Free and Splunk Enterprise at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Filebeat or Splunk Enterprise?
- Filebeat has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Filebeat and On request for Splunk Enterprise.
- Does Filebeat or Splunk Enterprise 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. Splunk Enterprise starts at On request.
- 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 Splunk Enterprise is typically brought in for.
- What can Filebeat do that Splunk Enterprise cannot?
- Filebeat covers File tailing, Log forwarding, Event parsing, Input harvesting. Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation, Real-time monitoring, Advanced analytics, Compliance. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
Related pages
More on Splunk Enterprise
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