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Fluentd vs Bugsnag

Fluentd logo

Fluentd

Software

Open Source Data Collector for Unified Logging

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Bugsnag logo

Bugsnag

Software

Application Stability Monitoring

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fluentd fluentd needs more than 60 MB of memory at runtime, against roughly 450 KB for Fluent Bit; Bugsnag owned by SmartBear rather than being independent
  • They diverge on capability: Fluentd covers Log collection, Bugsnag covers Error tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fluentd and Bugsnag actually diverge.

Attributes where Fluentd and Bugsnag differ
AttributeFluentdBugsnag
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
Founded20112012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Fluentd

  • Log collection
  • Data parsing
  • Filtering and buffering
  • Event routing

Only in Bugsnag

  • Error tracking
  • Crash reporting
  • Release tracking
  • Trend analysis

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.

Fluentd

  • Unified log collection and routing from many sources to many destinationsnot Bugsnag
  • Parsing and transforming log records before forwardingnot Bugsnag
  • Aggregating logs from containers into Elasticsearch, S3 or a SIEMnot Bugsnag

Bugsnag

  • Crash and error reporting for mobile and web applicationsnot Fluentd
  • Stability scores per releasenot Fluentd
  • Grouping errors by root cause across deploysnot Fluentd
  • Alerting when a release regressesnot Fluentd

Where each one falls short

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

Fluentd

  • Fluentd needs more than 60 MB of memory at runtime, against roughly 450 KB for Fluent Bit
  • Fluentd is built as a Ruby gem and depends on other gems, so a Ruby runtime is required
  • Its capability comes from over 1,000 external plugins rather than built in functionality, so each added input or output is a separate dependency
  • The Fluent Bit documentation states that cloud providers have switched from Fluentd to Fluent Bit for performance and compatibility and calls Fluent Bit the next generation solution

Bugsnag

  • Owned by SmartBear rather than being independent
  • The free tier covers 7,500 events a month
  • Paid tiers are usage-priced by event volume rather than by seat, so a noisy release raises the bill
  • Enterprise pricing is quote-only

Pricing, plan by plan

Fluentd

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log collection
    • Data parsing
    • Filtering and buffering

Bugsnag

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Error tracking
    • Crash reporting
    • Release tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose Fluentd if

  • You need log collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want data parsing.
Fluentd review

Choose Bugsnag if

  • You need error tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want crash reporting.
Bugsnag review

Questions people ask

Is Fluentd or Bugsnag better?
Neither clearly leads. Fluentd starts at Free and Bugsnag at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fluentd or Bugsnag?
Fluentd starts at Free and Bugsnag at Free.
Does Fluentd or Bugsnag run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Fluentd for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Fluentd best used for?
Fluentd is most often used for unified log collection and routing from many sources to many destinations, parsing and transforming log records before forwarding, aggregating logs from containers into elasticsearch, s3 or a siem. Of those, unified log collection and routing from many sources to many destinations and parsing and transforming log records before forwarding are not what Bugsnag is typically brought in for.
What can Fluentd do that Bugsnag cannot?
Fluentd covers Log collection, Data parsing, Filtering and buffering, Event routing. Bugsnag covers Error tracking, Crash reporting, Release tracking, Trend analysis. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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