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Logging · head to head

Fluentd vs Loggly

Fluentd logo

Fluentd

Logging

Open Source Data Collector for Unified Logging

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Loggly logo

Loggly

Logging

Cloud-Based Log Management and Analytics

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; Loggly the free Lite plan caps ingest at 200 MB per day with 7 day retention
  • They diverge on capability: Fluentd covers Log collection, Loggly covers Log aggregation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fluentd and Loggly actually diverge.

Attributes where Fluentd and Loggly differ
AttributeFluentdLoggly
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
Founded20112009

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

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 Loggly

  • Log aggregation
  • Real-time search
  • Custom dashboards
  • Alert management

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 Loggly
  • Parsing and transforming log records before forwardingnot Loggly
  • Aggregating logs from containers into Elasticsearch, S3 or a SIEMnot Loggly

Loggly

  • Cloud-hosted log aggregation for small and mid-sized engineering teamsnot Fluentd
  • Alerting on log patterns via email, webhook, PagerDuty or Slacknot Fluentd
  • Log analysis alongside SolarWinds infrastructure and application monitoringnot 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

Loggly

  • The free Lite plan caps ingest at 200 MB per day with 7 day retention
  • API access and archiving to Amazon S3 start on the Pro plan at $159 per month billed annually
  • Federated identity management is an Enterprise feature, starting at $279 per month billed annually
  • The Standard plan at $79 per month is limited to 1 GB per day and 3 source groups
  • Maximum retention is 90 days and only on Enterprise; Standard is fixed at 15 days

Pricing, plan by plan

Fluentd

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

Loggly

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • Real-time search
    • Custom dashboards

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 Loggly if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want real-time search.
Loggly review

Questions people ask

Is Fluentd or Loggly better?
Neither clearly leads. Fluentd starts at Free and Loggly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fluentd or Loggly?
Fluentd starts at Free and Loggly at Free.
Does Fluentd or Loggly 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 Loggly is typically brought in for.
What can Fluentd do that Loggly cannot?
Fluentd covers Log collection, Data parsing, Filtering and buffering, Event routing. Loggly covers Log aggregation, Real-time search, Custom dashboards, Alert management. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fluentd: How much does Fluentd cost?

Fluentd is free and open-source under the Apache 2 License from the Cloud Native Computing Foundation (CNCF). There are no subscription fees, licensing costs, or commercial pricing tiers.

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