Logging · head to head
Humio vs Stackdriver
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; Stackdriver stackdriver is now branded Google Cloud Observability and cloud.google.com/stackdriver redirects to the Observability product page
- They diverge on capability: Humio covers Real-time log streaming, Stackdriver covers Log management.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Humio and Stackdriver actually diverge.
| Attribute | Humio | Stackdriver |
|---|---|---|
| Founded | 2015 | 2006 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), 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 Stackdriver
- Log management
- Metrics collection
- Real-time monitoring
- Error reporting
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 Stackdriver
- Security monitoring and threat detectionnot Stackdriver
- Real-time data search and investigationnot Stackdriver
Stackdriver
- Application performance monitoringnot Humio
- Log aggregation and analysisnot Humio
- Cloud infrastructure observabilitynot Humio
- Distributed trace analysisnot 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
Stackdriver
- Stackdriver is now branded Google Cloud Observability and cloud.google.com/stackdriver redirects to the Observability product page
- Cloud Logging charges $0.50 per GiB ingested, with only the first 50 GiB per project per month free
- Logs kept beyond 30 days cost an extra $0.01 per GiB per month on top of the ingestion charge
- Monitoring metric ingestion starts at $0.2580 per MiB, with only the first 150 MiB per billing account free
- Alerting policies are billed at $0.35 per month for each metric reference in the policy
- Uptime checks cost $0.30 per 1,000 executions and synthetic monitors $1.20 per 1,000 executions, with only 100 synthetic executions per billing account free
- Monitoring read API calls cost $0.50 per million time series returned beyond the first million per billing account
- Log volume is measured before indexing on the actual size of log entries, so verbose logging directly drives cost
Pricing, plan by plan
Humio
Free- FreeFree
- Real-time log streaming
- Full-text search
- Behavioral analytics
Stackdriver
Free- FreeFree
- Log management
- Metrics collection
- Real-time monitoring
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.
Choose Stackdriver if
- You need log management.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want metrics collection.
Questions people ask
- Is Humio or Stackdriver better?
- Neither clearly leads. Humio starts at Free and Stackdriver at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Humio or Stackdriver?
- Humio starts at Free and Stackdriver at Free.
- Does Humio or Stackdriver 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 Stackdriver is typically brought in for.
- What can Humio do that Stackdriver cannot?
- Humio covers Real-time log streaming, Full-text search, Behavioral analytics, Threat detection. Stackdriver covers Log management, Metrics collection, Real-time monitoring, Error reporting. 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.
SourceStackdriver: How much does Google Cloud Observability (Stackdriver) cost?
Google Cloud Observability does not publish fixed subscription prices. The service uses a usage-based pricing model where you pay for actual consumption. Specific rates require visiting the individual pricing pages for Cloud Logging, Cloud Monitoring, Cloud Trace, and Cloud Profiler.
SourceHumio: 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.
SourceStackdriver: What is the pricing model for Cloud Logging?
Cloud Logging uses usage-based pricing charged per GB of logs ingested and per GB stored, with monthly free tiers included. Storage charges vary by retention period and location.
SourceHumio: 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.
SourceStackdriver: How is Cloud Monitoring billed?
Cloud Monitoring charges per custom metric time series per month, with a monthly free tier for metrics. Standard monitoring includes basic default metrics at no extra charge.
SourceRelated pages
More on Stackdriver
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