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Software · head to head

Grafana vs Linode

Grafana logo

Grafana

Software

Observability and Data Visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Linode logo

Linode

Software

Affordable cloud hosting and infrastructure

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Grafana the free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only; Linode linode.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to akamai.com/cloud/pricing; the service is now sold as Akamai Cloud
  • They diverge on capability: Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Linode covers Compute instances.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Grafana and Linode actually diverge.

Attributes where Grafana and Linode differ
AttributeGrafanaLinode
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Api, Cli
Founded20142003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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

  • Dashboard creation
  • Alerting
  • Data source integration
  • Visualization plugins
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST

Only in Linode

  • Compute instances
  • Object storage
  • Block storage
  • Kubernetes
  • Managed database
  • Load balancers
  • Firewalls
  • Private networks

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Grafana

  • Dashboards and visualisation over metrics, logs and tracesnot Linode
  • Running observability across infrastructure and applicationsnot Linode

Linode

  • Running Linux virtual machines on hourly billed shared or dedicated CPU plansnot Grafana
  • Managed Kubernetes, block storage and object storage on a single cloud accountnot Grafana
  • Hosting workloads in a specific one of the listed global regionsnot Grafana

Where each one falls short

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

Grafana

  • The free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only
  • Free is capped at 10,000 active metric series and 50 GB each of logs and traces a month
  • The Pro plan carries a $19 a month platform fee before any usage charges
  • Logs and traces are billed on three separate meters, at $0.050 per GB processed, $0.400 per GB written and $0.100 per GB retained
  • Retaining data is an ongoing charge rather than a one off, so historical data costs every month it exists

Linode

  • linode.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to akamai.com/cloud/pricing; the service is now sold as Akamai Cloud
  • Charges accrue for any service on the account even when it is powered off, because RAM and network capacity stay reserved; only deleting the service stops billing
  • Network transfer beyond the monthly allotment is billed from $0.005 per GB and the rate varies by region
  • The Akamai Cloud pricing landing page shows no rates and directs visitors to regional pricing pages or sales

Pricing, plan by plan

Grafana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Dashboard creation
    • Alerting
    • Data source integration

Linode

Free
  • Nanode 1GB$5/month
    • 1GB RAM
    • 1 vCPU
    • 25GB SSD
  • Linode 4GB$20/month
    • 4GB RAM
    • 2 vCPU
    • 80GB SSD

Which should you pick?

Choose Grafana if

  • You need dashboard creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want alerting.
Grafana review

Choose Linode if

  • You need compute instances.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want object storage.
Linode review

Questions people ask

Is Grafana or Linode better?
Neither clearly leads. Grafana starts at Free and Linode at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Grafana or Linode?
Grafana starts at Free and Linode at Free.
Does Grafana or Linode run on more platforms?
Grafana runs on Web, Api. Linode runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Grafana for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Grafana best used for?
Grafana is most often used for dashboards and visualisation over metrics, logs and traces, running observability across infrastructure and applications. Of those, dashboards and visualisation over metrics, logs and traces and running observability across infrastructure and applications are not what Linode is typically brought in for.
What can Grafana do that Linode cannot?
Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Alerting, Data source integration, Visualization plugins. Linode covers Compute instances, Object storage, Block storage, Kubernetes. Both handle Web support, Api support.
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