Softwr

Logging · head to head

Grafana Loki vs Splunk Cloud

Grafana Loki logo

Grafana Loki

Logging

Log Aggregation for Grafana Stack

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Splunk Cloud logo

Splunk Cloud

Logging

Cloud-Based Log Management and Analytics

From
$675/year
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; Splunk Cloud significantly higher pricing than competitors like Datadog and Elastic
  • They diverge on capability: Grafana Loki covers Label-based indexing, Splunk Cloud covers Real-time analytics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Grafana Loki and Splunk Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Grafana Loki and Splunk Cloud differ
AttributeGrafana LokiSplunk Cloud
Starting priceFree$675/year
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsSelf-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support)Web
Founded20142003

Identical on both: 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 Grafana Loki

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

Only in Splunk Cloud

  • Real-time analytics
  • Machine learning
  • Advanced dashboards
  • Compliance tools
  • Cloud scalability

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 Splunk Cloud
  • Teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environmentsnot Splunk Cloud

Splunk Cloud

  • Log monitoringnot Grafana Loki
  • Application performancenot Grafana Loki
  • Security analyticsnot Grafana Loki
  • Troubleshootingnot 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

Splunk Cloud

  • Significantly higher pricing than competitors like Datadog and Elastic
  • Per-GB ingest costs of $150+/day make budget forecasting difficult
  • Extended retention adds substantial additional costs
  • Enterprise Security add-on costs $25-45/GB/day on top of base pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Grafana Loki

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Grafana Loki review.

Splunk Cloud

$675/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Splunk Cloud review.

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 Splunk Cloud if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You also want machine learning.
Splunk Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Grafana Loki or Splunk Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Grafana Loki starts at Free and Splunk Cloud at $675/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Grafana Loki or Splunk Cloud?
Grafana Loki has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Grafana Loki and $675/year for Splunk Cloud.
Does Grafana Loki or Splunk Cloud run on more platforms?
Grafana Loki runs on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support). Splunk Cloud runs on Web.
Can I use Grafana Loki for free?
Yes. Grafana Loki has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Cloud starts at $675/year.
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 Splunk Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Grafana Loki do that Splunk Cloud cannot?
Grafana Loki covers Label-based indexing, LogQL language, Cost-effective. Splunk Cloud covers Real-time analytics, Machine learning, Advanced dashboards, Compliance tools. Both handle Log aggregation, API, Webhooks, REST.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Grafana Loki: Is there a free tier for Grafana Cloud?

Yes, Grafana Cloud has a Free Forever plan at no cost with no registration required. The free tier is suitable for personal projects and early-stage startups.

Source
Splunk Cloud: How is Splunk Cloud priced?

Splunk Cloud uses two pricing models: legacy per-GB ingest at $150+/GB/day or newer workload pricing ranging from $3,000 to $400,000/month depending on pack size. Simpler deployments offer ingest pricing with 5GB/day at $675/year.

Source
Grafana Loki: How long is data retained in Grafana's free plan?

The free tier retains metrics, logs, traces, and profiles for 14 days.

Source
Splunk Cloud: What is included with Splunk Cloud storage?

Storage is included for a default retention period, typically 90 days for hot/warm data, with extended retention costing extra.

Source
Grafana Loki: What is the minimum cost for Grafana Enterprise?

Grafana Enterprise has a minimum annual commitment of 25,000 dollars.

Source
Splunk Cloud: Is Splunk Cloud managed or do I need to manage infrastructure?

Splunk Cloud is a fully managed SaaS offering where Cisco (current owner) handles infrastructure, upgrades, and scaling.

Source
Grafana Loki: Do I need a credit card to use Grafana's free tier?

No, Grafana Cloud's Free Forever plan requires no credit card to get started.

Source
Splunk Cloud: What makes Splunk Cloud expensive compared to alternatives?

Splunk remains the highest-priced major log platform, but offers the most powerful query language (SPL) and the deepest enterprise security ecosystem.

Source
Grafana Loki: How is Grafana Cloud billed?

Grafana Cloud Pro starts at 19 dollars per month with usage-based charges on top. Billing is monthly based on your consumption. Grafana offers automatic volume discounts based on your spending.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Grafana Loki

More on Splunk Cloud

Keep looking

Other head to heads