Softwr

Network & Connectivity · head to head

Grafana vs Traefik

Grafana logo

Grafana

Network & Connectivity

Observability and Data Visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Traefik logo

Traefik

Network & Connectivity

Modern cloud-native edge router and API gateway

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; Traefik requires Kubernetes or container knowledge
  • They diverge on capability: Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Traefik covers API Gateway.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Grafana and Traefik actually diverge.

Attributes where Grafana and Traefik differ
AttributeGrafanaTraefik
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
PlatformsWeb, ApiKubernetes, Docker, Cloud
Founded20142015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Network & Connectivity).

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
  • Web support

Only in Traefik

  • API Gateway
  • Load Balancing
  • SSL/TLS Termination
  • Kubernetes
  • Docker
  • Consul
  • etcd
  • Linux 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 Traefik
  • Running observability across infrastructure and applicationsnot Traefik

Traefik

  • API gateway for microservices architecturenot Grafana
  • Kubernetes ingress controllernot Grafana
  • Container and VM traffic routingnot Grafana
  • Cloud-native application managementnot 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

Traefik

  • Requires Kubernetes or container knowledge
  • Complex configuration for advanced features

Pricing, plan by plan

Grafana

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

Traefik

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Traefik review.

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 Traefik if

  • You need api gateway.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud.
  • You also want load balancing.
Traefik review

Questions people ask

Is Grafana or Traefik better?
Neither clearly leads. Grafana starts at Free and Traefik at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Grafana or Traefik?
Grafana starts at Free and Traefik at Free.
Does Grafana or Traefik run on more platforms?
Grafana runs on Web, Api. Traefik runs on Kubernetes, Docker, Cloud.
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 Traefik is typically brought in for.
What can Grafana do that Traefik cannot?
Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Alerting, Data source integration, Visualization plugins. Traefik covers API Gateway, Load Balancing, SSL/TLS Termination, Kubernetes.
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