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Developer Tools · head to head

Keil MDK vs Thanos

Keil MDK logo

Keil MDK

Developer Tools

Microcontroller Development Kit for Arm-based devices

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite
Thanos logo

Thanos

Cloud

Highly available Prometheus with long-term object storage

From
Free
Free plan
Yes
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Keil MDK pricing for Essential and Professional subscriptions not disclosed on primary site; Thanos several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 29 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Keil MDK and Thanos actually diverge.

Attributes where Keil MDK and Thanos differ
AttributeKeil MDKThanos
Pricing modelfreemiumOpen source, no licence fee
PlatformsWebKubernetes, Linux, Docker
CategoryDeveloper ToolsCloud

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Keil MDK

Nothing recorded that Thanos does not also cover.

Only in Thanos

  • Global query
  • Object storage retention
  • Deduplication
  • Downsampling

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Keil MDK

  • Embedded software developmentnot Thanos
  • ARM microcontroller programmingnot Thanos
  • Professional development environmentsnot Thanos

Thanos

  • Querying metrics across many clusters or regions from one placenot Keil MDK
  • Retaining metrics for years without local disk growthnot Keil MDK
  • Removing the gap that appears when a single Prometheus instance restartsnot Keil MDK

Where each one falls short

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

Keil MDK

  • Pricing for Essential and Professional subscriptions not disclosed on primary site
  • Customers must contact Arm Developer Tools store for subscription rates

Thanos

  • Several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes
  • The compactor is a common source of operational trouble and must not run twice against the same bucket
  • Query latency over object storage is meaningfully higher than local Prometheus
  • Object storage costs and API request charges become real at high volume

Pricing, plan by plan

Keil MDK

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Keil MDK review.

Thanos

Free
  • ThanosFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Keil MDK if

  • You want to start without paying.
Keil MDK review

Choose Thanos if

  • You need global query.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker.
  • You also want object storage retention.
Thanos review

Questions people ask

Is Keil MDK or Thanos better?
Neither clearly leads. Keil MDK starts at Free and Thanos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Keil MDK or Thanos?
Keil MDK starts at Free and Thanos at Free.
Does Keil MDK or Thanos run on more platforms?
Keil MDK runs on Web. Thanos runs on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker.
Can I use Keil MDK for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Keil MDK best used for?
Keil MDK is most often used for embedded software development, arm microcontroller programming, professional development environments. Of those, embedded software development and arm microcontroller programming are not what Thanos is typically brought in for.
What can Keil MDK do that Thanos cannot?
Thanos covers Global query, Object storage retention, Deduplication, Downsampling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Keil MDK: Does Keil MDK have a free version?

Yes, Keil MDK Community Edition is free for non-commercial projects. Essential and Professional editions are available as monthly or annual subscriptions.

Source
Thanos: Is Thanos free?

Yes, open source and CNCF-incubating. Costs are the object storage it uses.

Keil MDK: How much do Keil MDK paid editions cost?

Specific pricing for Essential and Professional editions is not published on the main site. Rates are available from the Arm Developer Tools store or by contacting Arm sales.

Source
Thanos: Does Thanos replace Prometheus?

No. It runs alongside existing Prometheus servers, adding global query, deduplication and long-term storage.

Thanos: Thanos or VictoriaMetrics?

Thanos layers onto Prometheus using object storage and is the more established multi-cluster answer. VictoriaMetrics is a separate store aiming at lower resource use and fewer moving parts.

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