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Log Management · head to head

Logstash vs Azure Monitor

Logstash logo

Logstash

Log Management

Data Processing Pipeline for Ingestion

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Azure Monitor logo

Azure Monitor

Log Management

Azure's Monitoring and Diagnostics Service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Logstash logstash's source is dual licensed: code outside the x-pack directory is Apache License 2.0, but code inside x-pack (which carries several of Logstash's monitoring and management features) is licensed under the Elastic License, not a fully open source license; Azure Monitor billed per GB ingested across three separate log plans, Auxiliary, Basic and Analytics, so the plan chosen changes the rate as much as the volume does
  • They diverge on capability: Logstash covers Data ingestion, Azure Monitor covers Log collection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Logstash and Azure Monitor actually diverge.

Attributes where Logstash and Azure Monitor differ
AttributeLogstashAzure Monitor
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
Founded20112010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Log Management).

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 Logstash

  • Data ingestion
  • Event parsing
  • Data transformation
  • Multiple input sources

Only in Azure Monitor

  • Log collection
  • Metrics collection
  • Alerts and notifications
  • Custom dashboards

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.

Logstash

  • Log monitoringnot Azure Monitor
  • Application performancenot Azure Monitor
  • Security analyticsnot Azure Monitor
  • Troubleshootingnot Azure Monitor

Azure Monitor

  • Collecting logs and metrics from Azure resourcesnot Logstash
  • Alerting on metric thresholds and log queriesnot Logstash
  • Application performance monitoring through Application Insightsnot Logstash
  • Long-term log retention for compliancenot Logstash
  • Querying operational data with KQLnot Logstash

Where each one falls short

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

Logstash

  • Logstash's source is dual licensed: code outside the x-pack directory is Apache License 2.0, but code inside x-pack (which carries several of Logstash's monitoring and management features) is licensed under the Elastic License, not a fully open source license

Azure Monitor

  • Billed per GB ingested across three separate log plans, Auxiliary, Basic and Analytics, so the plan chosen changes the rate as much as the volume does
  • Only the first 5 GB a month of Analytics logs is free per billing account
  • Retention beyond the base period is charged per GB per month, up to 2 years interactive and 12 years long term
  • Log queries and search jobs are billed per GB scanned, so investigating an incident costs money
  • Alert rules are billed per time series for metrics and by execution frequency for logs
  • The pricing page shows placeholders rather than rates until a region and currency are chosen

Pricing, plan by plan

Logstash

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Data ingestion
    • Event parsing
    • Data transformation

Azure Monitor

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log collection
    • Metrics collection
    • Alerts and notifications

Which should you pick?

Choose Logstash if

  • You need data ingestion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want event parsing.
Logstash review

Choose Azure Monitor if

  • You need log collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want metrics collection.
Azure Monitor review

Questions people ask

Is Logstash or Azure Monitor better?
Neither clearly leads. Logstash starts at Free and Azure Monitor at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Logstash or Azure Monitor?
Logstash starts at Free and Azure Monitor at Free.
Does Logstash or Azure Monitor run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Logstash for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Logstash best used for?
Logstash is most often used for log monitoring, application performance, security analytics, troubleshooting. Of those, log monitoring and application performance are not what Azure Monitor is typically brought in for.
What can Logstash do that Azure Monitor cannot?
Logstash covers Data ingestion, Event parsing, Data transformation, Multiple input sources. Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Metrics collection, Alerts and notifications, Custom dashboards. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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