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Networking · head to head

Grafana vs Palo Alto Networks

Grafana logo

Grafana

Networking

Observability and Data Visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Palo Alto Networks logo

Palo Alto Networks

Networking

Enterprise cybersecurity platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Grafana has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Grafana the free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only; Palo Alto Networks enterprise-focused pricing model
  • They diverge on capability: Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Palo Alto Networks covers Advanced threat prevention.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Grafana and Palo Alto Networks actually diverge.

Attributes where Grafana and Palo Alto Networks differ
AttributeGrafanaPalo Alto Networks
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, ApiCloud, On-premises, Hybrid
Founded20142005

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Networking).

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 Grafana

  • Dashboard creation
  • Alerting
  • Data source integration
  • Visualization plugins
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Api support

Only in Palo Alto Networks

  • Advanced threat prevention
  • Threat detection and response
  • Cloud security
  • Endpoint protection
  • Network security
  • API protection
  • Incident response
  • Threat intelligence

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Grafana

  • Metrics visualization and monitoringnot Palo Alto Networks
  • Log aggregation and analysisnot Palo Alto Networks
  • Distributed traces managementnot Palo Alto Networks
  • System performance profilingnot Palo Alto Networks

Palo Alto Networks

  • Enterprise network security and threat protectionnot Grafana
  • Cloud-native application protectionnot Grafana
  • Identity and access securitynot Grafana
  • Security operations and incident responsenot Grafana

Where each one falls short

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

Grafana

  • The free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only
  • Free is capped at 10,000 active metric series and 50 GB each of logs and traces a month
  • The Pro plan carries a $19 a month platform fee before any usage charges
  • Logs and traces are billed on three separate meters, at $0.050 per GB processed, $0.400 per GB written and $0.100 per GB retained
  • Retaining data is an ongoing charge rather than a one off, so historical data costs every month it exists

Palo Alto Networks

  • Enterprise-focused pricing model
  • Complex implementation required

Pricing, plan by plan

Grafana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited usage across all services
    • 14-day retention for metrics, logs, traces, profiles
    • Community support only
  • Pro$19/month
    • Pay-as-you-go pricing with volume discounts
    • 13-month retention for metrics
    • 30-day retention for logs/traces/profiles
  • Enterprise$25000/year
    • Custom pricing based on annual volume
    • Premium support included
    • Custom retention options

Palo Alto Networks

On request
  • Enterprise$undefined/year
    • Threat prevention
    • Detection and response
    • Cloud security

Which should you pick?

Choose Grafana if

  • You need dashboard creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want alerting.
Grafana review

Choose Palo Alto Networks if

  • You need advanced threat prevention.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
  • You also want threat detection and response.
Palo Alto Networks review

Questions people ask

Is Grafana or Palo Alto Networks better?
Neither clearly leads. Grafana starts at Free and Palo Alto Networks at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Grafana or Palo Alto Networks?
Grafana has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Grafana and On request for Palo Alto Networks.
Does Grafana or Palo Alto Networks run on more platforms?
Grafana runs on Web, Api. Palo Alto Networks runs on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid.
Can I use Grafana for free?
Yes. Grafana has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Palo Alto Networks starts at On request.
What is Grafana best used for?
Grafana is most often used for metrics visualization and monitoring, log aggregation and analysis, distributed traces management, system performance profiling. Of those, metrics visualization and monitoring and log aggregation and analysis are not what Palo Alto Networks is typically brought in for.
What can Grafana do that Palo Alto Networks cannot?
Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Alerting, Data source integration, Visualization plugins. Palo Alto Networks covers Advanced threat prevention, Threat detection and response, Cloud security, Endpoint protection. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Grafana: What is Grafana's pricing model?

Grafana offers a freemium model with a free tier, Pro tier starting at 19 USD/month with pay-as-you-go usage charges, and Enterprise plans starting at 25000 USD/year.

Source
Palo Alto Networks: How much do Palo Alto Networks products cost?

Palo Alto Networks does not publish pricing on their main website. Customers must request a demo, trial, or contact their sales team directly to receive custom pricing based on specific security needs and deployment scale.

Source
Grafana: How long is data retention for each plan?

Free tier provides 14-day retention for metrics, logs, traces, and profiles. Pro tier extends this to 13 months for metrics and 30 days for logs/traces/profiles. Enterprise offers custom retention options.

Source
Grafana: What support is included in each tier?

Free tier includes community support only. Pro tier provides 8 times 5 email support. Enterprise includes premium 24/7 support.

Source
Grafana: Does Grafana offer volume discounts?

Yes, Grafana uses adaptive pricing with automatic volume discounts as usage scales, and provides cost-optimization tools to help eliminate spending on unused data.

Source
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