Softwr

Logging · head to head

Graylog vs Splunk Enterprise

Graylog logo

Graylog

Logging

Log Aggregation and Analysis Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Splunk Enterprise logo

Splunk Enterprise

Logging

Enterprise Search, Monitoring, and Analytics

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Graylog has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Splunk Enterprise splunk Platform and Enterprise Security offerings carry no published rate and require contacting sales for a quote
  • They diverge on capability: Graylog covers Full-text search, Splunk Enterprise covers Real-time monitoring.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Graylog and Splunk Enterprise actually diverge.

Attributes where Graylog and Splunk Enterprise differ
AttributeGraylogSplunk Enterprise
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
Free tierYesNo
Founded20112003

Identical on both: 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 Splunk Enterprise

  • Real-time monitoring
  • Advanced analytics
  • Compliance

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 Splunk Enterprise
  • IT and DevOps monitoring and troubleshootingnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Enterprise security event monitoringnot Splunk Enterprise

Splunk Enterprise

  • Indexing and searching machine data and logs at enterprise scalenot Graylog
  • Security information and event management via Enterprise Securitynot Graylog
  • IT service intelligence and infrastructure observabilitynot 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

Splunk Enterprise

  • Splunk Platform and Enterprise Security offerings carry no published rate and require contacting sales for a quote
  • Four different pricing models are offered (activity, ingest, workload and entity based) and the applicable one depends on the product purchased
  • Published Observability Cloud rates start at $15 per host per month and are billed annually rather than monthly
  • Volume discounts are not published and require direct consultation with sales

Pricing, plan by plan

Graylog

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

Splunk Enterprise

On request
  • Starter$undefined/month
    • Log aggregation
    • Real-time monitoring
    • Advanced analytics

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 Splunk Enterprise if

  • You need real-time monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want advanced analytics.
Splunk Enterprise review

Questions people ask

Is Graylog or Splunk Enterprise better?
Neither clearly leads. Graylog starts at Free and Splunk Enterprise at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Graylog or Splunk Enterprise?
Graylog has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Graylog and On request for Splunk Enterprise.
Does Graylog or Splunk Enterprise 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?
Yes. Graylog has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Enterprise starts at On request.
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 Splunk Enterprise is typically brought in for.
What can Graylog do that Splunk Enterprise cannot?
Graylog covers Full-text search, Parsing and extraction, Real-time analytics. Splunk Enterprise covers Real-time monitoring, Advanced analytics, Compliance. 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
Splunk Enterprise: How much does Splunk Enterprise cost?

Splunk Enterprise pricing is not published online. Customers can try it free for 60 days without a credit card, but to obtain pricing for ongoing use, they must contact Splunk sales directly.

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
Splunk Enterprise: Does Splunk Enterprise offer a free trial?

Yes, Splunk Enterprise offers a 60-day free trial that does not require a credit card to begin.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Graylog

More on Splunk Enterprise

Keep looking

Other head to heads