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Grafana Loki vs Graylog Plus

Grafana Loki logo

Grafana Loki

Software

Log Aggregation for Grafana Stack

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Graylog Plus logo

Graylog Plus

Software

Enterprise Log Aggregation and SIEM

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Grafana Loki has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Grafana Loki grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment; Graylog Plus pricing is not published on the product pages
  • They diverge on capability: Grafana Loki covers Label-based indexing, Graylog Plus covers SIEM capabilities.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Grafana Loki and Graylog Plus actually diverge.

Attributes where Grafana Loki and Graylog Plus differ
AttributeGrafana LokiGraylog Plus
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsSelf-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support)Web, Api
Founded20142011

Identical on both: 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 Grafana Loki

  • Label-based indexing
  • LogQL language
  • Cost-effective

Only in Graylog Plus

  • SIEM capabilities
  • Advanced parsing
  • Compliance

Both cover

  • Log aggregation
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Grafana Loki

  • Cost-sensitive organisations deploying Kubernetes and Prometheus ecosystemsnot Graylog Plus
  • Teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environmentsnot Graylog Plus

Graylog Plus

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

Where each one falls short

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

Grafana Loki

  • Grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment
  • Open-source version requires self-hosting all infrastructure including storage and scaling

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

Grafana Loki

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Grafana Loki review.

Graylog Plus

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Grafana Loki if

  • You need label-based indexing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support).
  • You also want logql language.
Grafana Loki review

Choose Graylog Plus if

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

Questions people ask

Is Grafana Loki or Graylog Plus better?
Neither clearly leads. Grafana Loki 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, Grafana Loki or Graylog Plus?
Grafana Loki has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Grafana Loki and On request for Graylog Plus.
Does Grafana Loki or Graylog Plus run on more platforms?
Grafana Loki runs on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support). Graylog Plus runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Grafana Loki for free?
Yes. Grafana Loki has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Graylog Plus starts at On request.
What is Grafana Loki best used for?
Grafana Loki is most often used for cost-sensitive organisations deploying kubernetes and prometheus ecosystems, teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environments. Of those, cost-sensitive organisations deploying kubernetes and prometheus ecosystems and teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environments are not what Graylog Plus is typically brought in for.
What can Grafana Loki do that Graylog Plus cannot?
Grafana Loki covers Label-based indexing, LogQL language, Cost-effective. Graylog Plus covers SIEM capabilities, Advanced parsing, Compliance. Both handle Log aggregation, API, Webhooks, REST.
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