Softwr

Log Management · head to head

Sematext vs Airbrake

Sematext logo

Sematext

Log Management

Full Stack Observability Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Airbrake logo

Airbrake

Log Management

Error Tracking and Performance Monitoring

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Sematext the $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days; Airbrake data retention is 30 days on every plan, including the $799 a month Business tier
  • They diverge on capability: Sematext covers Log aggregation, Airbrake covers Error tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sematext and Airbrake actually diverge.

Attributes where Sematext and Airbrake differ
AttributeSematextAirbrake
Founded20072008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Log Management).

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 Sematext

  • Log aggregation
  • APM
  • Metrics monitoring
  • Anomaly detection

Only in Airbrake

  • Error tracking
  • Performance monitoring
  • Deploy tracking
  • Custom notifications

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.

Sematext

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

Airbrake

  • Error and exception monitoring for web applicationsnot Sematext
  • Performance monitoring alongside error trackingnot Sematext
  • Alerting a team when a deploy introduces a spike in errorsnot Sematext
  • Tracking errors across multiple projects in one accountnot Sematext

Where each one falls short

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

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

Airbrake

  • Data retention is 30 days on every plan, including the $799 a month Business tier
  • The entry plan at $19 a month covers 25,000 errors and 7,500 events
  • Errors beyond the plan quota are billed on demand
  • Audit logs and spike forgiveness require the Pro tier
  • The lowest tier is limited to 1 user and 1 team

Pricing, plan by plan

Sematext

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • APM
    • Metrics monitoring

Airbrake

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Error tracking
    • Performance monitoring
    • Deploy tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose Sematext if

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

Choose Airbrake if

  • You need error tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want performance monitoring.
Airbrake review

Questions people ask

Is Sematext or Airbrake better?
Neither clearly leads. Sematext starts at Free and Airbrake at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sematext or Airbrake?
Sematext starts at Free and Airbrake at Free.
Does Sematext or Airbrake 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?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Sematext best used for?
Sematext is most often used for centralised log management and search across services, infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logs. Of those, centralised log management and search across services and infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logs are not what Airbrake is typically brought in for.
What can Sematext do that Airbrake cannot?
Sematext covers Log aggregation, APM, Metrics monitoring, Anomaly detection. Airbrake covers Error tracking, Performance monitoring, Deploy tracking, Custom notifications. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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