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Logging · head to head

Loki vs Splunk Cloud

Loki logo

Loki

Logging

Like Prometheus but for Logs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Splunk Cloud logo

Splunk Cloud

Logging

Cloud-Based Log Management and Analytics

From
$675/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Loki has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Loki the Grafana Cloud free tier caps log ingestion at 50 GB a month with 14 day retention; Splunk Cloud significantly higher pricing than competitors like Datadog and Elastic
  • They diverge on capability: Loki covers Label-based indexing, Splunk Cloud covers Real-time analytics.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Loki and Splunk Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Loki and Splunk Cloud differ
AttributeLokiSplunk Cloud
Starting priceFree$675/year
Pricing modelopen-sourceUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
Founded20142003

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 Loki

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

Only in Splunk Cloud

  • Real-time analytics
  • Machine learning
  • Advanced dashboards
  • Compliance tools
  • Cloud scalability

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.

Loki

  • Aggregating application and infrastructure logs with label based indexingnot Splunk Cloud
  • Querying logs alongside metrics in Grafananot Splunk Cloud

Splunk Cloud

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

Splunk Cloud

  • Significantly higher pricing than competitors like Datadog and Elastic
  • Per-GB ingest costs of $150+/day make budget forecasting difficult
  • Extended retention adds substantial additional costs
  • Enterprise Security add-on costs $25-45/GB/day on top of base pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

Loki

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

Splunk Cloud

$675/year

No published plan breakdown. See the Splunk Cloud review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Loki if

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

Choose Splunk Cloud if

  • You need real-time analytics.
  • You also want machine learning.
Splunk Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Loki or Splunk Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Loki starts at Free and Splunk Cloud at $675/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Loki or Splunk Cloud?
Loki has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Loki and $675/year for Splunk Cloud.
Does Loki or Splunk Cloud run on more platforms?
Loki runs on Web, Api. Splunk Cloud runs on Web.
Can I use Loki for free?
Yes. Loki has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Cloud starts at $675/year.
What is Loki best used for?
Loki is most often used for aggregating application and infrastructure logs with label based indexing, querying logs alongside metrics in grafana. Of those, aggregating application and infrastructure logs with label based indexing and querying logs alongside metrics in grafana are not what Splunk Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Loki do that Splunk Cloud cannot?
Loki covers Label-based indexing, Real-time log streaming, LogQL query language. Splunk Cloud covers Real-time analytics, Machine learning, Advanced dashboards, Compliance tools. Both handle Log aggregation, API, Webhooks, REST.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Splunk Cloud: How is Splunk Cloud priced?

Splunk Cloud uses two pricing models: legacy per-GB ingest at $150+/GB/day or newer workload pricing ranging from $3,000 to $400,000/month depending on pack size. Simpler deployments offer ingest pricing with 5GB/day at $675/year.

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
Splunk Cloud: What is included with Splunk Cloud storage?

Storage is included for a default retention period, typically 90 days for hot/warm data, with extended retention costing extra.

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
Splunk Cloud: Is Splunk Cloud managed or do I need to manage infrastructure?

Splunk Cloud is a fully managed SaaS offering where Cisco (current owner) handles infrastructure, upgrades, and scaling.

Source
Splunk Cloud: What makes Splunk Cloud expensive compared to alternatives?

Splunk remains the highest-priced major log platform, but offers the most powerful query language (SPL) and the deepest enterprise security ecosystem.

Source
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