Log Management · head to head
Graylog Plus vs Fluentd
The short version
- Only Fluentd has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Graylog Plus pricing is not published on the product pages; Fluentd fluentd needs more than 60 MB of memory at runtime, against roughly 450 KB for Fluent Bit
- They diverge on capability: Graylog Plus covers Log aggregation, Fluentd covers Log collection.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Graylog Plus and Fluentd actually diverge.
| Attribute | Graylog Plus | Fluentd |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | On request | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | open-source |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Log Management), founded (2011).
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 Graylog Plus
- Log aggregation
- SIEM capabilities
- Advanced parsing
- Compliance
Only in Fluentd
- Log collection
- Data parsing
- Filtering and buffering
- Event routing
Both cover
- API
- Webhooks
- REST
- Web support
- Api support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Graylog Plus
- Centralised log collection, search and analysisnot Fluentd
- SIEM and threat detection through Graylog Securitynot Fluentd
- Self-hosting log management on your own infrastructurenot Fluentd
- API security monitoringnot Fluentd
- Compliance reporting from retained log datanot Fluentd
Fluentd
- Unified log collection and routing from many sources to many destinationsnot Graylog Plus
- Parsing and transforming log records before forwardingnot Graylog Plus
- Aggregating logs from containers into Elasticsearch, S3 or a SIEMnot Graylog Plus
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Fluentd
- Fluentd needs more than 60 MB of memory at runtime, against roughly 450 KB for Fluent Bit
- Fluentd is built as a Ruby gem and depends on other gems, so a Ruby runtime is required
- Its capability comes from over 1,000 external plugins rather than built in functionality, so each added input or output is a separate dependency
- The Fluent Bit documentation states that cloud providers have switched from Fluentd to Fluent Bit for performance and compatibility and calls Fluent Bit the next generation solution
Pricing, plan by plan
Graylog Plus
On request- Starter$undefined/month
- Log aggregation
- SIEM capabilities
- Advanced parsing
Fluentd
Free- FreeFree
- Log collection
- Data parsing
- Filtering and buffering
Which should you pick?
Choose Graylog Plus if
- You need log aggregation.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want siem capabilities.
Choose Fluentd if
- You need log collection.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want data parsing.
Questions people ask
- Is Graylog Plus or Fluentd better?
- Neither clearly leads. Graylog Plus starts at On request and Fluentd at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Graylog Plus or Fluentd?
- Fluentd has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Graylog Plus and Free for Fluentd.
- Does Graylog Plus or Fluentd run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Fluentd for free?
- Yes. Fluentd has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Graylog Plus starts at On request.
- What is Graylog Plus best used for?
- Graylog Plus is most often used for centralised log collection, search and analysis, siem and threat detection through graylog security, self-hosting log management on your own infrastructure, api security monitoring. Of those, centralised log collection, search and analysis and siem and threat detection through graylog security are not what Fluentd is typically brought in for.
- What can Graylog Plus do that Fluentd cannot?
- Graylog Plus covers Log aggregation, SIEM capabilities, Advanced parsing, Compliance. Fluentd covers Log collection, Data parsing, Filtering and buffering, Event routing. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.