Softwr

Logging · head to head

Loki vs Timber

Loki logo

Loki

Logging

Like Prometheus but for Logs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Timber logo

Timber

Logging

Structured Logging as a Service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Loki the Grafana Cloud free tier caps log ingestion at 50 GB a month with 14 day retention; Timber vector requires manual deployment and configuration for production use
  • They diverge on capability: Loki covers Log aggregation, Timber covers Structured logging.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Loki and Timber actually diverge.

Attributes where Loki and Timber differ
AttributeLokiTimber
Pricing modelopen-sourceusage-based
Founded20142016

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), 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

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

Only in Timber

  • Structured logging
  • Context integration
  • Real-time tail
  • Archive storage

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.

Loki

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

Timber

  • Building observability pipelines for log aggregationnot Loki
  • Real-time data processing and transformationnot Loki
  • Integrating multiple data sources into centralized systemsnot 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

Timber

  • Vector requires manual deployment and configuration for production use
  • No hosted SaaS version available
  • Limited GUI tools for pipeline management

Pricing, plan by plan

Loki

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

Timber

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Structured logging
    • Context integration
    • Real-time tail

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Timber if

  • You need structured logging.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want context integration.
Timber review

Questions people ask

Is Loki or Timber better?
Neither clearly leads. Loki starts at Free and Timber at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Loki or Timber?
Loki starts at Free and Timber at Free.
Does Loki or Timber run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Loki for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Timber is typically brought in for.
What can Loki do that Timber cannot?
Loki covers Log aggregation, Label-based indexing, Real-time log streaming, LogQL query language. Timber covers Structured logging, Context integration, Real-time tail, Archive storage. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

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
Timber: Is Timber/Vector free to use?

Yes, Vector is open-source software with no licensing costs. You deploy it yourself with no dependencies or runtime fees, though infrastructure hosting costs apply depending on your deployment.

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
Timber: Does Vector offer enterprise support?

The website focuses on self-hosted deployment without mentioning commercial support tiers, suggesting enterprise support may require community resources or custom arrangements.

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
Share

Related pages

More on Loki

More on Timber

Keep looking

Other head to heads