Softwr

Logging · head to head

Graylog vs Loki

Graylog logo

Graylog

Logging

Log Aggregation and Analysis Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Loki logo

Loki

Logging

Like Prometheus but for Logs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Graylog graylog Enterprise starts at $15,000 per year and Graylog Security at $18,000 per year, priced by daily volume or annual consumption; Loki the Grafana Cloud free tier caps log ingestion at 50 GB a month with 14 day retention
  • They diverge on capability: Graylog covers Full-text search, Loki covers Label-based indexing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Graylog and Loki actually diverge.

Attributes where Graylog and Loki differ
AttributeGraylogLoki
Founded20112014

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (open-source), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), 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 Graylog

  • Full-text search
  • Parsing and extraction
  • Real-time analytics

Only in Loki

  • Label-based indexing
  • Real-time log streaming
  • LogQL query language

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.

Graylog

  • Log aggregation and analysis for SecOps teamsnot Loki
  • IT and DevOps monitoring and troubleshootingnot Loki
  • Enterprise security event monitoringnot Loki

Loki

  • Aggregating application and infrastructure logs with label based indexingnot Graylog
  • Querying logs alongside metrics in Grafananot Graylog

Where each one falls short

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

Graylog

  • Graylog Enterprise starts at $15,000 per year and Graylog Security at $18,000 per year, priced by daily volume or annual consumption
  • Correlation engine, scheduled and custom reports, compliance reports and teams management are Enterprise-only
  • Data tiering across hot, warm and archive storage is an Enterprise feature, not available in Graylog Open
  • Graylog Open carries community support only; professional support requires a paid edition
  • UEBA anomaly detection, Sigma rules, MITRE ATT&CK alignment and SOAR automation are limited to Graylog Security

Loki

  • The Grafana Cloud free tier caps log ingestion at 50 GB a month with 14 day retention
  • Paid log pricing is split across three separate meters, at $0.050 per GB processed, $0.400 per GB written and $0.100 per GB retained
  • Retaining logs is billed separately from ingesting them, so keeping data costs on an ongoing basis rather than once
  • The Pro plan carries a $19 a month platform fee before any usage charges

Pricing, plan by plan

Graylog

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • Full-text search
    • Parsing and extraction

Loki

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • Label-based indexing
    • Real-time log streaming

Which should you pick?

Choose Graylog if

  • You need full-text search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want parsing and extraction.
Graylog review

Choose Loki if

  • You need label-based indexing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want real-time log streaming.
Loki review

Questions people ask

Is Graylog or Loki better?
Neither clearly leads. Graylog starts at Free and Loki at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Graylog or Loki?
Graylog starts at Free and Loki at Free.
Does Graylog or Loki run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Graylog for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Graylog best used for?
Graylog is most often used for log aggregation and analysis for secops teams, it and devops monitoring and troubleshooting, enterprise security event monitoring. Of those, log aggregation and analysis for secops teams and it and devops monitoring and troubleshooting are not what Loki is typically brought in for.
What can Graylog do that Loki cannot?
Graylog covers Full-text search, Parsing and extraction, Real-time analytics. Loki covers Label-based indexing, Real-time log streaming, LogQL query language. Both handle Log aggregation, API, Webhooks, REST.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Graylog: Does Graylog have a free version?

Yes. Graylog Open is a free, open-source option for collecting, storing, searching, and analyzing log data. However, it includes only community support.

Source
Loki: What does it cost to use Grafana Loki?

Loki is open source and free under the AGPLv3 license for self-hosted deployments. Grafana's managed Cloud Logs service includes a free tier up to 50GB of logs at no cost.

Source
Graylog: How much does Graylog Enterprise cost?

Graylog Enterprise pricing starts at $15,000/year based on daily log volume or annual data consumption. Exact pricing requires contacting sales.

Source
Loki: Are there paid options for Loki beyond the free tier?

Yes. Grafana Cloud Logs offers paid tiers for teams and enterprises, and Enterprise Logs provides self-managed options with expert support for organizations with data localization or privacy requirements.

Source
Graylog: What is the difference between Graylog Enterprise and Security editions?

Graylog Security starts at $18,000/year and includes advanced threat detection capabilities beyond the Enterprise edition. Both include technical support.

Source
Loki: What license does open source Loki use?

Loki is released under the AGPLv3 license, which requires you to share modifications and publish your source code if you deploy modifications publicly.

Source
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