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Logging · head to head

Logstash vs Rootly

Logstash logo

Logstash

Logging

Data Processing Pipeline for Ingestion

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rootly logo

Rootly

Logging

AI-native incident management with automation, on-call, and root cause analysis

From
$20/user-month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Logstash has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • 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; Rootly pricing higher than some competitors for basic features
  • They diverge on capability: Logstash covers Data ingestion, Rootly covers AI SRE automation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Logstash and Rootly actually diverge.

Attributes where Logstash and Rootly differ
AttributeLogstashRootly
Starting priceFree$20/user-month
Pricing modelopen-sourcesubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, Mobile, Slack, Microsoft Teams
Founded20112020

Identical on both: 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 Logstash

  • Data ingestion
  • Event parsing
  • Data transformation
  • Multiple input sources
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support

Only in Rootly

  • AI SRE automation
  • Alert routing
  • On-call management
  • Incident response
  • Call routing
  • AI meeting bot
  • Status pages

What people use each for

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

Logstash

  • Log monitoringnot Rootly
  • Application performancenot Rootly
  • Security analyticsnot Rootly
  • Troubleshootingnot Rootly

Rootly

  • Automate on-call and incident response workflowsnot Logstash
  • Run root cause analysis with AI assistancenot Logstash
  • Track and improve Mean Time to Mitigation (MTTR)not Logstash
  • Coordinate response across distributed teamsnot Logstash
  • Learn from post-incident retrospectivesnot 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

Rootly

  • Pricing higher than some competitors for basic features
  • AI SRE features require separate contact-sales engagement
  • Learning curve for advanced automation features
  • Per-user pricing increases costs as team grows

Pricing, plan by plan

Logstash

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

Rootly

$20/user-month
  • Incident Response Essentials$20/user-month
    • Response with Slack integration
    • @Rootly AI Chat
    • AI Similar Incidents detection
  • Incident Response Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • All Essentials features
    • Custom forms and incident types
    • Private incidents
  • On-Call Essentials$20/user-month
    • Alert grouping and routing
    • Live call routing (1 phone number)
    • Schedules and escalation policies
  • On-Call Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • All Essentials features
    • 5 phone numbers for call routing
    • Unlimited schedules

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 Rootly if

  • You need ai sre automation.
  • You work on Web, Mobile, Slack, Microsoft Teams.
  • You also want alert routing.
Rootly review

Questions people ask

Is Logstash or Rootly better?
Neither clearly leads. Logstash starts at Free and Rootly at $20/user-month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Logstash or Rootly?
Logstash has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Logstash and $20/user-month for Rootly.
Does Logstash or Rootly run on more platforms?
Logstash runs on Web, Api. Rootly runs on Web, Mobile, Slack, Microsoft Teams.
Can I use Logstash for free?
Yes. Logstash has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rootly starts at $20/user-month.
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 Rootly is typically brought in for.
What can Logstash do that Rootly cannot?
Logstash covers Data ingestion, Event parsing, Data transformation, Multiple input sources. Rootly covers AI SRE automation, Alert routing, On-call management, Incident response.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Logstash: How much does Logstash cost?

Logstash is free and open-source. The data processing pipeline is available to download at no charge and can be deployed without licensing costs or commercial restrictions.

Source
Rootly: How much does Rootly cost?

Rootly charges $20/user/month for both Incident Response and On-Call Essentials plans. Enterprise plans require contacting sales. Startups under 100 employees with less than $50M raised get up to 50% discount.

Source
Rootly: What is Rootly AI SRE?

AI SRE is an advanced feature that provides automated root cause analysis, alert correlation with system changes, impact analysis, and remediation suggestions. Pricing requires contact with sales.

Source
Rootly: Does Rootly integrate with Slack?

Yes, Rootly natively integrates with Slack for incident response workflows, allowing teams to manage incidents directly in Slack.

Source
Rootly: Are there discounts for small companies?

Yes, startups under 100 employees or less than 25 employees can get special pricing up to 50% discount. Contact Rootly sales for details.

Source
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