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Logging · head to head

Raygun vs Sematext

Raygun logo

Raygun

Logging

Real User Monitoring and Crash Reporting

From
$40/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sematext logo

Sematext

Logging

Full Stack Observability Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Sematext has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Raygun crash Reporting error data is retained for 180 days and Real User Monitoring sessions for only 60 days; longer retention is Enterprise only; Sematext the $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days
  • They diverge on capability: Raygun covers Crash reporting, Sematext covers Log aggregation.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Raygun and Sematext actually diverge.

Attributes where Raygun and Sematext differ
AttributeRaygunSematext
Starting price$40/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20112007

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), 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 Raygun

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

Only in Sematext

  • Log aggregation
  • APM
  • Metrics monitoring
  • Anomaly detection

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.

Raygun

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

Sematext

  • Centralised log management and search across servicesnot Raygun
  • Infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logsnot Raygun

Where each one falls short

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

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

Sematext

  • The $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days
  • Ingestion and storage are billed on separate meters, at $0.10 per GB received and $0.15 per GB stored
  • Retention is a plan property rather than a setting, so keeping logs longer means moving tier
  • The published pricing page renders Standard and Pro figures from unresolved template placeholders, so only the Basic numbers are actually readable

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Sematext

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • APM
    • Metrics monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose Raygun if

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

Choose Sematext if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want apm.
Sematext review

Questions people ask

Is Raygun or Sematext better?
Neither clearly leads. Raygun starts at $40/month and Sematext at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Raygun or Sematext?
Sematext has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $40/month for Raygun and Free for Sematext.
Does Raygun or Sematext run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Sematext for free?
Yes. Sematext has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Raygun starts at $40/month.
What is Raygun best used for?
Raygun is most often used for crash and error reporting for web, mobile and backend applications, real user monitoring of front end page load and session performance, application performance monitoring with request level traces. Of those, crash and error reporting for web, mobile and backend applications and real user monitoring of front end page load and session performance are not what Sematext is typically brought in for.
What can Raygun do that Sematext cannot?
Raygun covers Crash reporting, Real user monitoring, Performance tracking, Source maps. Sematext covers Log aggregation, APM, Metrics monitoring, Anomaly detection. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Sematext: How much does Sematext cost?

Sematext uses a transparent usage-based pricing model. Customers can set a Max Daily Volume for automatic rejection of excess data to prevent unexpected charges and keep costs predictable. Specific tier pricing is available through their cost calculator tool.

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
Sematext: How does Sematext's pricing compare to competitors?

Sematext is positioned as +3x cheaper than Datadog, with potential annual savings of $800,000 for customers logging more than 200TB/month and a reported 75% decrease in price per GB compared to alternatives.

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
Sematext: Does Sematext offer a free trial?

Yes, Sematext offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required, allowing you to test the platform before committing to a paid plan.

Source
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