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Business Intelligence · head to head

Glassbox vs OpenSearch

Glassbox logo

Glassbox

Business Intelligence

Digital experience intelligence

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
OpenSearch logo

OpenSearch

Databases

Open-source search and analytics suite forked from Elasticsearch

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only OpenSearch has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Glassbox no fixed pricing tiers published; custom quotes required based on package, data retention, and session volume; OpenSearch diverged from Elasticsearch since 7.10, so clients, plugins and features no longer map one to one
  • They diverge on capability: Glassbox covers Session Replay, OpenSearch covers Full-text search.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Glassbox and OpenSearch actually diverge.

Attributes where Glassbox and OpenSearch differ
AttributeGlassboxOpenSearch
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee; managed services billed separately
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Mobile, HybridLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted
CategoryBusiness IntelligenceDatabases
Founded2010Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Glassbox

  • Session Replay
  • Struggle Detection
  • Journey Mapping
  • AI Insights
  • Voice of Customer
  • Adobe Analytics
  • Google Analytics
  • Salesforce

Only in OpenSearch

  • Full-text search
  • OpenSearch Dashboards
  • Log analytics
  • Vector search

What people use each for

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

Glassbox

  • User experience analysisnot OpenSearch
  • Bug reproductionnot OpenSearch
  • Conversion optimizationnot OpenSearch
  • Customer journey mappingnot OpenSearch
  • Usability testingnot OpenSearch

OpenSearch

  • Log and observability storage where an Apache-2.0 licence is a requirementnot Glassbox
  • Replacing Elasticsearch after the licence change without changing architecturenot Glassbox
  • Search plus analytics on one cluster rather than two systemsnot Glassbox

Where each one falls short

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

Glassbox

  • No fixed pricing tiers published; custom quotes required based on package, data retention, and session volume

OpenSearch

  • Diverged from Elasticsearch since 7.10, so clients, plugins and features no longer map one to one
  • Operationally heavy in the way Elasticsearch is: cluster sizing, shard strategy and JVM tuning are ongoing work
  • Smaller ecosystem of third-party tooling than Elasticsearch, which most integrations still target first
  • Overkill for plain application search, where a dedicated search engine is far simpler

Pricing, plan by plan

Glassbox

On request
  • CustomFree
    • Full Platform
    • Mobile Analytics
    • Enterprise Support

OpenSearch

Free
  • OpenSearchFree
    • Full functionality
    • Self-hosted
    • No usage limits

Which should you pick?

Choose Glassbox if

  • You need session replay.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Hybrid.
  • You also want struggle detection.
Glassbox review

Choose OpenSearch if

  • You need full-text search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want opensearch dashboards.
OpenSearch review

Questions people ask

Is Glassbox or OpenSearch better?
Neither clearly leads. Glassbox starts at On request and OpenSearch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Glassbox or OpenSearch?
OpenSearch has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Glassbox and Free for OpenSearch.
Does Glassbox or OpenSearch run on more platforms?
Glassbox runs on Web, Mobile, Hybrid. OpenSearch runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
Can I use OpenSearch for free?
Yes. OpenSearch has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Glassbox starts at On request.
What is Glassbox best used for?
Glassbox is most often used for user experience analysis, bug reproduction, conversion optimization, customer journey mapping. Of those, user experience analysis and bug reproduction are not what OpenSearch is typically brought in for.
What can Glassbox do that OpenSearch cannot?
Glassbox covers Session Replay, Struggle Detection, Journey Mapping, AI Insights. OpenSearch covers Full-text search, OpenSearch Dashboards, Log analytics, Vector search.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Glassbox: How much does Glassbox cost?

Glassbox uses custom pricing based on three factors: the selected package (Production Operation, Marketing/Business, or Product), data retention period, and session volume. The vendor encourages contacting sales to build customized packages.

Source
OpenSearch: Is OpenSearch free?

Yes, Apache 2.0 licensed under the Linux Foundation. Amazon OpenSearch Service is a paid managed option.

Glassbox: Does Glassbox offer add-ons for specific industries?

Yes, Glassbox offers specialized add-on solutions including fraud prevention, accessibility features, and call center solutions tailored for financial organizations.

Source
OpenSearch: Why does OpenSearch exist?

Elastic moved Elasticsearch off the Apache 2.0 licence in 2021. AWS forked the last Apache-licensed version, and the project now sits under the Linux Foundation.

OpenSearch: Is OpenSearch compatible with Elasticsearch?

It was at the 7.10 fork point. Both have developed independently since, so compatibility weakens with every release and should be verified for the features you use.

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