Softwr

Log Management · head to head

Grafana Loki vs PlanetScale

Grafana Loki logo

Grafana Loki

Log Management

Log Aggregation for Grafana Stack

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Database & Data Management

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
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; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Grafana Loki and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where Grafana Loki and PlanetScale differ
AttributeGrafana LokiPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsSelf-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support)Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
CategoryLog ManagementDatabase & Data Management
Founded20142018

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 Grafana Loki

  • Log aggregation
  • Label-based indexing
  • LogQL language
  • Cost-effective
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Api support

Only in PlanetScale

  • Database Branching
  • Non-blocking Schema Changes
  • Insights
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Connection Pooling
  • Query Caching
  • Automatic Backups
  • Global Replication

Both cover

  • Web 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 PlanetScale
  • Teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environmentsnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

  • MySQL database hosting with automatic failover and replicationnot Grafana Loki
  • Vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasetsnot Grafana Loki
  • Cloud provider flexibility across AWS, GCP, Azure with 60+ regionsnot Grafana Loki
  • Cost-effective database clusters using ARM64 architecture optionsnot 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

PlanetScale

  • EBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • EBS Non-HA single-node option lacks redundancy and automatic failover
  • Pricing varies by cloud provider and region, requiring queries for specific rates
  • ARM64 architecture only available on EBS tier, not Metal deployments

Pricing, plan by plan

Grafana Loki

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Grafana Loki review.

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Grafana Loki if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • 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 label-based indexing.
Grafana Loki review

Choose PlanetScale if

  • You need database branching.
  • You work on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want non-blocking schema changes.
PlanetScale review

Questions people ask

Is Grafana Loki or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. Grafana Loki starts at Free and PlanetScale at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Grafana Loki or PlanetScale?
Grafana Loki has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Grafana Loki and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does Grafana Loki or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
Grafana Loki runs on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support). PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use Grafana Loki for free?
Yes. Grafana Loki has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
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 PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can Grafana Loki do that PlanetScale cannot?
Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation, Label-based indexing, LogQL language, Cost-effective. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle Web support.
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