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Logging · head to head

Filebeat vs StatusCake

Filebeat logo

Filebeat

Logging

Lightweight Shipper for Logs

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit FilebeatFull review
StatusCake logo

StatusCake

Logging

Website monitoring that just works

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Visit StatusCakeFull review

The short version

  • Filebeat is a lightweight log shipper.
  • Filebeat is free; StatusCake starts at $20.41/mo.
  • Where StatusCake falls short: free plan is limited to a 5 minute check interval and only 10 uptime monitors, 1 page speed monitor and 1 SSL monitor.
  • Prices and features on this page were last checked on 13 November 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Filebeat and StatusCake actually diverge.

Attributes where Filebeat and StatusCake differ
AttributeFilebeatStatusCake
Pricing modelOpen-sourceFreemium
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), category (Logging).

Not yet recorded: founded for StatusCake.

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
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support

Only in StatusCake

Nothing recorded that Filebeat does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Filebeat

  • Log monitoringnot StatusCake
  • Application performancenot StatusCake
  • Security analyticsnot StatusCake
  • Troubleshootingnot StatusCake

StatusCake

  • Website uptime monitoring and alert managementnot Filebeat
  • SSL certificate expiration trackingnot Filebeat
  • Domain expiration alerts and monitoringnot Filebeat
  • Page performance analysis and reportingnot Filebeat
  • Server health monitoring and incidentsnot Filebeat
  • Team-based incident response coordinationnot 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

StatusCake

  • Free plan is limited to a 5 minute check interval and only 10 uptime monitors, 1 page speed monitor and 1 SSL monitor
  • Sub-minute checking (30 seconds) requires the Business plan at $66.66/month billed annually, or $79.99/month billed monthly
  • Enterprise, the only tier with unlimited monitors, has no published price and requires a custom quote

Pricing, plan by plan

Filebeat

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

StatusCake

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 10 uptime tests
    • 5 min test intervals
    • 1 page speed test
  • Superior$20.41/mo
    • 100 uptime tests
    • 1 min test intervals
    • 15 page speed tests
  • Business$66.66/mo
    • 300 uptime tests
    • 30 sec test intervals
    • 30 page speed tests
  • EnterpriseOn request

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 StatusCake if

  • You want to start without paying.
StatusCake review

Questions people ask

Is Filebeat or StatusCake better?
Neither clearly leads. Filebeat starts at Free and StatusCake at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Filebeat or StatusCake?
Filebeat starts at Free and StatusCake at Free.
Does Filebeat or StatusCake run on more platforms?
Filebeat runs on Web, API. StatusCake runs on Web.
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 StatusCake is typically brought in for.
What can Filebeat do that StatusCake cannot?
Filebeat covers File tailing, Log forwarding, Event parsing, Input harvesting.

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
StatusCake: How much does StatusCake cost?

StatusCake offers a free plan at $0/month, with paid plans starting at $20.41/month (annual) for the Superior tier, $66.66/month (annual) for Business, and custom pricing for Enterprise.

Source
Filebeat: Is Filebeat free for commercial use?

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

Source
StatusCake: Is there a free version of StatusCake?

Yes, StatusCake offers a free plan with 10 uptime tests, 5 minute test intervals, 1 page speed test, 1 SSL monitor, and 1 domain monitor. A 7-day free trial of all plans is available with no credit card required.

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
StatusCake: What billing and payment options does StatusCake offer?

StatusCake accepts payment via credit card on all tiers and invoices on Business Yearly and higher plans. Multi-year discounts are available: 12.5% for 2-year, 25% for 3-year, and 40% for 5-year commitments. Currencies supported include USD, GBP, EUR, AUD, NZD, SGD, and CAD.

Source
StatusCake: What is the minimum test interval for uptime monitoring?

The Free plan allows 5-minute test intervals minimum. Superior plan allows 1-minute intervals, and Business plan allows 30-second intervals.

Source
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