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Logging · head to head

Grafana Loki vs Raygun

Grafana Loki logo

Grafana Loki

Logging

Log Aggregation for Grafana Stack

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Raygun logo

Raygun

Logging

Real User Monitoring and Crash Reporting

From
$40/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Grafana Loki has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Grafana Loki grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment; Raygun crash Reporting error data is retained for 180 days and Real User Monitoring sessions for only 60 days; longer retention is Enterprise only
  • They diverge on capability: Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation, Raygun covers Crash reporting.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Grafana Loki and Raygun actually diverge.

Attributes where Grafana Loki and Raygun differ
AttributeGrafana LokiRaygun
Starting priceFree$40/month
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsSelf-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support)Web, Api
Founded20142011

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 Grafana Loki

  • Log aggregation
  • Label-based indexing
  • LogQL language
  • Cost-effective

Only in Raygun

  • Crash reporting
  • Real user monitoring
  • Performance tracking
  • Source maps

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.

Grafana Loki

  • Cost-sensitive organisations deploying Kubernetes and Prometheus ecosystemsnot Raygun
  • Teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environmentsnot Raygun

Raygun

  • Crash and error reporting for web, mobile and backend applicationsnot Grafana Loki
  • Real user monitoring of front end page load and session performancenot Grafana Loki
  • Application performance monitoring with request level tracesnot Grafana Loki

Where each one falls short

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

Grafana Loki

  • Grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment
  • Open-source version requires self-hosting all infrastructure including storage and scaling

Raygun

  • Crash Reporting error data is retained for 180 days and Real User Monitoring sessions for only 60 days; longer retention is Enterprise only
  • Crash Reporting, Real User Monitoring and APM are billed as three separate products, each metered on its own unit of errors, sessions or traces
  • A Real User Monitoring session ends after 30 minutes of inactivity, so a single visit spanning breaks is billed as several sessions
  • Usage beyond the plan allowance is billed on demand at $0.001 per error and $0.002 per session or trace
  • Enterprise plan pricing is custom with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Grafana Loki

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Grafana Loki review.

Raygun

$40/month
  • Basic$40/month
    • Core monitoring, unlimited apps and members
    • Basic alerts, deployment tracking
    • Annual billing saves 33%
  • Team$80/month
    • Inbound filters and third-party integrations
    • Unlimited dashboards and user roles
    • Marked as MOST POPULAR plan
  • Business$400/month
    • SAML SSO and dedicated account manager
    • Priority support and quarterly reviews
    • Annual billing saves 33%
  • Enterprise$undefined/mo
    • Custom pricing and compliance requirements
    • Unlimited reports and SLA agreements
    • Private Slack support

Which should you pick?

Choose Grafana Loki if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support).
  • You also want label-based indexing.
Grafana Loki review

Choose Raygun if

  • You need crash reporting.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want real user monitoring.
Raygun review

Questions people ask

Is Grafana Loki or Raygun better?
Neither clearly leads. Grafana Loki starts at Free and Raygun at $40/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Grafana Loki or Raygun?
Grafana Loki has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Grafana Loki and $40/month for Raygun.
Does Grafana Loki or Raygun run on more platforms?
Grafana Loki runs on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support). Raygun runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Grafana Loki for free?
Yes. Grafana Loki has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Raygun starts at $40/month.
What is Grafana Loki best used for?
Grafana Loki is most often used for cost-sensitive organisations deploying kubernetes and prometheus ecosystems, teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environments. Of those, cost-sensitive organisations deploying kubernetes and prometheus ecosystems and teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environments are not what Raygun is typically brought in for.
What can Grafana Loki do that Raygun cannot?
Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation, Label-based indexing, LogQL language, Cost-effective. Raygun covers Crash reporting, Real user monitoring, Performance tracking, Source maps. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Grafana Loki: Is there a free tier for Grafana Cloud?

Yes, Grafana Cloud has a Free Forever plan at no cost with no registration required. The free tier is suitable for personal projects and early-stage startups.

Source
Raygun: Does Raygun offer a free trial?

Yes. Raygun offers a free 14-day trial with no credit card required. The trial includes feature access across all products.

Source
Grafana Loki: How long is data retained in Grafana's free plan?

The free tier retains metrics, logs, traces, and profiles for 14 days.

Source
Raygun: What is Raygun's pricing model?

Raygun uses a usage-based pricing model with tiered plans starting at $40/month for Basic tier, plus per-event charges ($0.001 to $0.002 per event). Annual billing saves 33% compared to monthly rates.

Source
Grafana Loki: What is the minimum cost for Grafana Enterprise?

Grafana Enterprise has a minimum annual commitment of 25,000 dollars.

Source
Raygun: What features are included in the Team plan?

Team plan at $80/month includes inbound filters, third-party integrations, unlimited dashboards, user roles, and is marked as the most popular option. It's positioned between Basic and Business tiers.

Source
Grafana Loki: Do I need a credit card to use Grafana's free tier?

No, Grafana Cloud's Free Forever plan requires no credit card to get started.

Source
Grafana Loki: How is Grafana Cloud billed?

Grafana Cloud Pro starts at 19 dollars per month with usage-based charges on top. Billing is monthly based on your consumption. Grafana offers automatic volume discounts based on your spending.

Source
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