Logging · head to head
Logz.io vs Stackdriver
The short version
- Only Stackdriver 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; Stackdriver stackdriver is now branded Google Cloud Observability and cloud.google.com/stackdriver redirects to the Observability product page
- They diverge on capability: Logz.io covers Log aggregation, Stackdriver covers Log management.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 2 September 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Logz.io and Stackdriver actually diverge.
| Attribute | Logz.io | Stackdriver |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $99/month | Free |
| Pricing model | Unknown | usage-based |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Cloud (SaaS), Web | Web, Api |
| Founded | 2014 | 2006 |
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
- Log aggregation
- AI-powered insights
- Elasticsearch integration
- Alert management
- Security analytics
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.
Logz.io
- Log monitoringnot Stackdriver
- Application performancenot Stackdriver
- Security analyticsnot Stackdriver
- Troubleshootingnot Stackdriver
Stackdriver
- Application performance monitoringnot Logz.io
- Log aggregation and analysisnot Logz.io
- Cloud infrastructure observabilitynot Logz.io
- Distributed trace analysisnot 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
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
Logz.io
$99/month- Pro$99/month
- Log management
- Real-time search
- Basic alerts
- Enterprise$undefined/mo
- All Pro features
- Advanced security
- Dedicated support
Stackdriver
Free- FreeFree
- Log management
- Metrics collection
- Real-time monitoring
Which should you pick?
Choose Logz.io if
- You need log aggregation.
- You work on Cloud (SaaS), Web.
- You also want ai-powered insights.
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 Logz.io or Stackdriver better?
- Neither clearly leads. Logz.io starts at $99/month and Stackdriver at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Logz.io or Stackdriver?
- Stackdriver has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $99/month for Logz.io and Free for Stackdriver.
- Does Logz.io or Stackdriver run on more platforms?
- Logz.io runs on Cloud (SaaS), Web. Stackdriver runs on Web, Api.
- Can I use Stackdriver for free?
- Yes. Stackdriver 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 Stackdriver is typically brought in for.
- What can Logz.io do that Stackdriver cannot?
- Logz.io covers Log aggregation, AI-powered insights, Elasticsearch integration, Alert management. Stackdriver covers Log management, Metrics collection, Real-time monitoring, Error reporting. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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.
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.
SourceLogz.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.
Stackdriver: 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.
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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