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Log Management · head to head

Fluentd vs Graylog Plus

Fluentd logo

Fluentd

Log Management

Open Source Data Collector for Unified Logging

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Graylog Plus logo

Graylog Plus

Log Management

Enterprise Log Aggregation and SIEM

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fluentd has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Fluentd fluentd needs more than 60 MB of memory at runtime, against roughly 450 KB for Fluent Bit; Graylog Plus pricing is not published on the product pages
  • They diverge on capability: Fluentd covers Log collection, Graylog Plus covers Log aggregation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fluentd and Graylog Plus actually diverge.

Attributes where Fluentd and Graylog Plus differ
AttributeFluentdGraylog Plus
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Log Management), 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 Fluentd

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

Only in Graylog Plus

  • Log aggregation
  • SIEM capabilities
  • Advanced parsing
  • 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.

Fluentd

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

Graylog Plus

  • Centralised log collection, search and analysisnot Fluentd
  • SIEM and threat detection through Graylog Securitynot Fluentd
  • Self-hosting log management on your own infrastructurenot Fluentd
  • API security monitoringnot Fluentd
  • Compliance reporting from retained log datanot 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

Graylog Plus

  • Pricing is not published on the product pages
  • Split across several editions, Graylog Open, Enterprise, Security and API Security, so log management and SIEM are separate purchases
  • The open edition is source-available rather than fully open source, and the guided setup, prebuilt content and AI assistance are Enterprise features

Pricing, plan by plan

Fluentd

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

Graylog Plus

On request
  • Starter$undefined/month
    • Log aggregation
    • SIEM capabilities
    • Advanced parsing

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 Graylog Plus if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want siem capabilities.
Graylog Plus review

Questions people ask

Is Fluentd or Graylog Plus better?
Neither clearly leads. Fluentd starts at Free and Graylog Plus at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fluentd or Graylog Plus?
Fluentd has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Fluentd and On request for Graylog Plus.
Does Fluentd or Graylog Plus 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?
Yes. Fluentd has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Graylog Plus starts at On request.
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 Graylog Plus is typically brought in for.
What can Fluentd do that Graylog Plus cannot?
Fluentd covers Log collection, Data parsing, Filtering and buffering, Event routing. Graylog Plus covers Log aggregation, SIEM capabilities, Advanced parsing, Compliance. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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