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Networking · head to head

Palo Alto Networks vs Thanos

Palo Alto Networks logo

Palo Alto Networks

Networking

Enterprise cybersecurity platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Thanos logo

Thanos

Cloud

Highly available Prometheus with long-term object storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Thanos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Palo Alto Networks enterprise-focused pricing model; Thanos several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes
  • They diverge on capability: Palo Alto Networks covers Advanced threat prevention, Thanos covers Global query.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Palo Alto Networks and Thanos differ
AttributePalo Alto NetworksThanos
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionOpen source, no licence fee
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, HybridKubernetes, Linux, Docker
CategoryNetworkingCloud
Founded2005Unknown

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

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 Palo Alto Networks

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

Only in Thanos

  • Global query
  • Object storage retention
  • Deduplication
  • Downsampling

What people use each for

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

Palo Alto Networks

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

Thanos

  • Querying metrics across many clusters or regions from one placenot Palo Alto Networks
  • Retaining metrics for years without local disk growthnot Palo Alto Networks
  • Removing the gap that appears when a single Prometheus instance restartsnot Palo Alto Networks

Where each one falls short

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

Palo Alto Networks

  • Enterprise-focused pricing model
  • Complex implementation required

Thanos

  • Several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes
  • The compactor is a common source of operational trouble and must not run twice against the same bucket
  • Query latency over object storage is meaningfully higher than local Prometheus
  • Object storage costs and API request charges become real at high volume

Pricing, plan by plan

Palo Alto Networks

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

Thanos

Free
  • ThanosFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

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

Choose Thanos if

  • You need global query.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker.
  • You also want object storage retention.
Thanos review

Questions people ask

Is Palo Alto Networks or Thanos better?
Neither clearly leads. Palo Alto Networks starts at On request and Thanos at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Palo Alto Networks or Thanos?
Thanos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Palo Alto Networks and Free for Thanos.
Does Palo Alto Networks or Thanos run on more platforms?
Palo Alto Networks runs on Cloud, On-premises, Hybrid. Thanos runs on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker.
Can I use Thanos for free?
Yes. Thanos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Palo Alto Networks starts at On request.
What is Palo Alto Networks best used for?
Palo Alto Networks is most often used for enterprise network security and threat protection, cloud-native application protection, identity and access security, security operations and incident response. Of those, enterprise network security and threat protection and cloud-native application protection are not what Thanos is typically brought in for.
What can Palo Alto Networks do that Thanos cannot?
Palo Alto Networks covers Advanced threat prevention, Threat detection and response, Cloud security, Endpoint protection. Thanos covers Global query, Object storage retention, Deduplication, Downsampling.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Thanos: Is Thanos free?

Yes, open source and CNCF-incubating. Costs are the object storage it uses.

Thanos: Does Thanos replace Prometheus?

No. It runs alongside existing Prometheus servers, adding global query, deduplication and long-term storage.

Thanos: Thanos or VictoriaMetrics?

Thanos layers onto Prometheus using object storage and is the more established multi-cluster answer. VictoriaMetrics is a separate store aiming at lower resource use and fewer moving parts.

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