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Logging · head to head

Humio vs Kibana

Humio logo

Humio

Logging

Real-Time Log Analytics and Search

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Kibana logo

Kibana

Logging

Visualize Your Elasticsearch Data

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Humio humio redirects to CrowdStrike Falcon LogScale product page, indicating product acquisition and rebranding without standalone pricing; Kibana requires Elasticsearch; it is a front end for data held there rather than a standalone analytics tool
  • They diverge on capability: Humio covers Real-time log streaming, Kibana covers Data visualization.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Humio and Kibana actually diverge.

Attributes where Humio and Kibana differ
AttributeHumioKibana
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
Founded20152011

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Humio

  • Real-time log streaming
  • Full-text search
  • Behavioral analytics
  • Threat detection

Only in Kibana

  • Data visualization
  • Dashboard creation
  • Log discovery
  • Alerting

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.

Humio

  • Log aggregation and analysis for IT operationsnot Kibana
  • Security monitoring and threat detectionnot Kibana
  • Real-time data search and investigationnot Kibana

Kibana

  • Querying and visualising data held in Elasticsearchnot Humio
  • Dashboards over log and metric datanot Humio
  • Anomaly detection with machine learning jobsnot Humio
  • Geospatial analysis on indexed location datanot Humio
  • Alerting on query thresholdsnot Humio

Where each one falls short

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

Humio

  • Humio redirects to CrowdStrike Falcon LogScale product page, indicating product acquisition and rebranding without standalone pricing
  • No specific pricing amounts disclosed on CrowdStrike LogScale page; only billing model options mentioned without dollar figures
  • Flexible retention policies from 30 to 365+ days are available, requiring contact with sales for actual costs tied to retention selections

Kibana

  • Requires Elasticsearch; it is a front end for data held there rather than a standalone analytics tool
  • Self-managed means running and scaling the Elastic stack yourself
  • Cost is not Kibana's own; it follows whichever Elastic deployment sits underneath

Pricing, plan by plan

Humio

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Real-time log streaming
    • Full-text search
    • Behavioral analytics

Kibana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Data visualization
    • Dashboard creation
    • Log discovery

Which should you pick?

Choose Humio if

  • You need real-time log streaming.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want full-text search.
Humio review

Choose Kibana if

  • You need data visualization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want dashboard creation.
Kibana review

Questions people ask

Is Humio or Kibana better?
Neither clearly leads. Humio starts at Free and Kibana at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Humio or Kibana?
Humio starts at Free and Kibana at Free.
Does Humio or Kibana run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Humio for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Humio best used for?
Humio is most often used for log aggregation and analysis for it operations, security monitoring and threat detection, real-time data search and investigation. Of those, log aggregation and analysis for it operations and security monitoring and threat detection are not what Kibana is typically brought in for.
What can Humio do that Kibana cannot?
Humio covers Real-time log streaming, Full-text search, Behavioral analytics, Threat detection. Kibana covers Data visualization, Dashboard creation, Log discovery, Alerting. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Humio: What is Humio's pricing model?

Humio is now CrowdStrike Falcon LogScale with per endpoint per month or per endpoint per year billing options available, but specific pricing amounts are not published and require contact with sales.

Source
Kibana: Is Kibana available for free?

Kibana is offered with a free trial across all deployment models (Elastic Cloud Serverless, Hosted, and self-managed). Kibana is a component of the Elastic product suite and is not priced separately.

Source
Humio: Does CrowdStrike Falcon LogScale (formerly Humio) offer a free trial?

A 15-day free trial is offered for CrowdStrike Falcon LogScale at https://www.crowdstrike.com/en-us/products/trials/try-falcon-next-gen-siem/, but specific trial terms require review.

Source
Kibana: How is Kibana priced?

Kibana pricing is bundled with Elasticsearch or other Elastic products. Pricing varies by deployment model: Elastic Cloud Serverless uses usage-based pricing, Hosted uses resource-based pricing, and self-managed is free to download.

Source
Humio: What data retention license options are available for CrowdStrike Falcon LogScale?

Flexible retention policies include licenses for 30, 60, 90, 180, and 365 days of retention, with additional retention options available upon request.

Source
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