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Logging · head to head

Datadog Logs vs Loki

Datadog Logs logo

Datadog Logs

Logging

Log Management and Analytics

From
$0.1/per GB ingested per month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Loki logo

Loki

Logging

Like Prometheus but for Logs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Loki has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Datadog Logs complex, multi-tiered pricing model based on ingestion, indexing, and storage; can become expensive at scale; Loki the Grafana Cloud free tier caps log ingestion at 50 GB a month with 14 day retention
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Loki covers Log aggregation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datadog Logs and Loki actually diverge.

Attributes where Datadog Logs and Loki differ
AttributeDatadog LogsLoki
Starting price$0.1/per GB ingested per monthFree
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud)Web, Api
Founded20102014

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 Datadog Logs

  • Log ingestion
  • Full-text search
  • Custom dashboards
  • Log-based metrics

Only in Loki

  • Log aggregation
  • Label-based indexing
  • Real-time log streaming
  • LogQL query language

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.

Datadog Logs

  • Centralised log aggregation and analysisnot Loki
  • Multi-source log correlation with metrics and tracesnot Loki
  • Root cause analysis and troubleshootingnot Loki
  • Security monitoring and threat detectionnot Loki

Loki

  • Aggregating application and infrastructure logs with label based indexingnot Datadog Logs
  • Querying logs alongside metrics in Grafananot Datadog Logs

Where each one falls short

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

Datadog Logs

  • Complex, multi-tiered pricing model based on ingestion, indexing, and storage; can become expensive at scale
  • Ingestion pricing of $0.10/GB can accumulate rapidly for high-volume logging environments

Loki

  • The Grafana Cloud free tier caps log ingestion at 50 GB a month with 14 day retention
  • Paid log pricing is split across three separate meters, at $0.050 per GB processed, $0.400 per GB written and $0.100 per GB retained
  • Retaining logs is billed separately from ingesting them, so keeping data costs on an ongoing basis rather than once
  • The Pro plan carries a $19 a month platform fee before any usage charges

Pricing, plan by plan

Datadog Logs

$0.1/per GB ingested per month

No published plan breakdown. See the Datadog Logs review.

Loki

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • Label-based indexing
    • Real-time log streaming

Which should you pick?

Choose Datadog Logs if

  • You need log ingestion.
  • You work on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud).
  • You also want full-text search.
Datadog Logs review

Choose Loki if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want label-based indexing.
Loki review

Questions people ask

Is Datadog Logs or Loki better?
Neither clearly leads. Datadog Logs starts at $0.1/per GB ingested per month and Loki at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datadog Logs or Loki?
Loki has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $0.1/per GB ingested per month for Datadog Logs and Free for Loki.
Does Datadog Logs or Loki run on more platforms?
Datadog Logs runs on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud). Loki runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Loki for free?
Yes. Loki has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Datadog Logs starts at $0.1/per GB ingested per month.
What is Datadog Logs best used for?
Datadog Logs is most often used for centralised log aggregation and analysis, multi-source log correlation with metrics and traces, root cause analysis and troubleshooting, security monitoring and threat detection. Of those, centralised log aggregation and analysis and multi-source log correlation with metrics and traces are not what Loki is typically brought in for.
What can Datadog Logs do that Loki cannot?
Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Full-text search, Custom dashboards, Log-based metrics. Loki covers Log aggregation, Label-based indexing, Real-time log streaming, LogQL query language. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Datadog Logs: What pricing options does Datadog offer for log ingestion and processing?

Log ingestion starts at $0.10/GB (annual billing; $0.10 on-demand). Standard indexing costs $1.70 per million events per month (annual; $2.55 on-demand). Flex Storage costs $0.05/million events stored per month (annual; $0.075 on-demand). Flex Logs Starter costs $0.60/million events stored per month (annual; $0.90 on-demand).

Source
Loki: What does it cost to use Grafana Loki?

Loki is open source and free under the AGPLv3 license for self-hosted deployments. Grafana's managed Cloud Logs service includes a free tier up to 50GB of logs at no cost.

Source
Datadog Logs: What retention options are available and how does it affect pricing?

Standard indexing offers 15-day retention with options for 3 to 30+ days. Flex Storage supports flexible retention up to 15 months. Flex Logs Starter includes bundled compute for retention of 3-15 months.

Source
Loki: Are there paid options for Loki beyond the free tier?

Yes. Grafana Cloud Logs offers paid tiers for teams and enterprises, and Enterprise Logs provides self-managed options with expert support for organizations with data localization or privacy requirements.

Source
Datadog Logs: Is there a cost to forward logs to external systems?

Yes, log forwarding costs $0.25/GB outbound per destination for routing logs to external systems.

Source
Loki: What license does open source Loki use?

Loki is released under the AGPLv3 license, which requires you to share modifications and publish your source code if you deploy modifications publicly.

Source
Datadog Logs: What discounts are available for high-volume customers?

Multi-year and volume discounts are available for customers processing 3B+ events per month.

Source
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