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Logz.io vs Sematext

Logz.io logo

Logz.io

Logging

AI-Powered Log Analytics and Monitoring Platform

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sematext logo

Sematext

Logging

Full Stack Observability Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Sematext has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Logz.io saaS-only with no self-hosting option; Sematext the $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days
  • They diverge on capability: Logz.io covers AI-powered insights, Sematext covers APM.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Logz.io and Sematext actually diverge.

Attributes where Logz.io and Sematext differ
AttributeLogz.ioSematext
Starting price$99/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud (SaaS), WebWeb, Api
Founded20142007

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 Logz.io

  • AI-powered insights
  • Elasticsearch integration
  • Alert management
  • Security analytics

Only in Sematext

  • APM
  • Metrics monitoring
  • Anomaly detection

Both cover

  • Log aggregation
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Logz.io

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

Sematext

  • Centralised log management and search across servicesnot Logz.io
  • Infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logsnot Logz.io

Where each one falls short

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

Logz.io

  • SaaS-only with no self-hosting option
  • High pricing for long data retention periods, with steep cost increases for larger data volumes
  • UI can take up to 10 seconds to load
  • Geo-location data is old and inaccurate
  • Expensive for smaller companies with limited log volumes
  • Data retention limitations at 14 days may not meet compliance requirements

Sematext

  • The $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days
  • Ingestion and storage are billed on separate meters, at $0.10 per GB received and $0.15 per GB stored
  • Retention is a plan property rather than a setting, so keeping logs longer means moving tier
  • The published pricing page renders Standard and Pro figures from unresolved template placeholders, so only the Basic numbers are actually readable

Pricing, plan by plan

Logz.io

$99/month
  • Pro$99/month
    • Log management
    • Real-time search
    • Basic alerts
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • All Pro features
    • Advanced security
    • Dedicated support

Sematext

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • APM
    • Metrics monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose Logz.io if

  • You need ai-powered insights.
  • You work on Cloud (SaaS), Web.
  • You also want elasticsearch integration.
Logz.io review

Choose Sematext if

  • You need apm.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want metrics monitoring.
Sematext review

Questions people ask

Is Logz.io or Sematext better?
Neither clearly leads. Logz.io starts at $99/month and Sematext at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Logz.io or Sematext?
Sematext has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Logz.io and Free for Sematext.
Does Logz.io or Sematext run on more platforms?
Logz.io runs on Cloud (SaaS), Web. Sematext runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Sematext for free?
Yes. Sematext has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Logz.io starts at $99/month.
What is Logz.io best used for?
Logz.io is most often used for log monitoring, application performance, security analytics, troubleshooting. Of those, log monitoring and application performance are not what Sematext is typically brought in for.
What can Logz.io do that Sematext cannot?
Logz.io covers AI-powered insights, Elasticsearch integration, Alert management, Security analytics. Sematext covers APM, Metrics monitoring, Anomaly detection. Both handle Log aggregation, API, Webhooks, REST.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Logz.io: Does Logz.io support self-hosting?

No. Logz.io is a fully SaaS platform with no self-hosting option, limiting flexibility for organizations with on-premises requirements or specific data residency needs.

Source
Sematext: How much does Sematext cost?

Sematext uses a transparent usage-based pricing model. Customers can set a Max Daily Volume for automatic rejection of excess data to prevent unexpected charges and keep costs predictable. Specific tier pricing is available through their cost calculator tool.

Source
Logz.io: Is Logz.io based on open-source ELK Stack?

Logz.io is built on the ELK Stack (Elasticsearch, Logstash, Kibana) but uses managed hosting. Note that Elasticsearch and Kibana switched to non-open-source licenses (SSPL) in February 2021, which may have legal implications.

Sematext: How does Sematext's pricing compare to competitors?

Sematext is positioned as +3x cheaper than Datadog, with potential annual savings of $800,000 for customers logging more than 200TB/month and a reported 75% decrease in price per GB compared to alternatives.

Source
Sematext: Does Sematext offer a free trial?

Yes, Sematext offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, allowing you to test the platform before committing to a paid plan.

Source
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