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Logging · head to head

Sematext vs Telegraf

Sematext logo

Sematext

Logging

Full Stack Observability Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Telegraf logo

Telegraf

Logging

The Plugin-Driven Server Agent for Collecting and Reporting Metrics

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; Telegraf telegraf's core is open source and free, and InfluxData names a separate Telegraf Enterprise tier for teams running it at scale with no price published
  • They diverge on capability: Sematext covers Log aggregation, Telegraf covers Metrics collection.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sematext and Telegraf actually diverge.

Attributes where Sematext and Telegraf differ
AttributeSematextTelegraf
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
Founded20072013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Sematext

  • Log aggregation
  • APM
  • Metrics monitoring
  • Anomaly detection

Only in Telegraf

  • Metrics collection
  • System monitoring
  • Application monitoring
  • Plugin architecture

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 Telegraf
  • Infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logsnot Telegraf

Telegraf

  • Log monitoringnot Sematext
  • Application performancenot Sematext
  • Security analyticsnot Sematext
  • Troubleshootingnot 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

Telegraf

  • Telegraf's core is open source and free, and InfluxData names a separate Telegraf Enterprise tier for teams running it at scale with no price published

Pricing, plan by plan

Sematext

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • APM
    • Metrics monitoring

Telegraf

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Metrics collection
    • System monitoring
    • Application monitoring

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 Telegraf if

  • You need metrics collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want system monitoring.
Telegraf review

Questions people ask

Is Sematext or Telegraf better?
Neither clearly leads. Sematext starts at Free and Telegraf at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sematext or Telegraf?
Sematext starts at Free and Telegraf at Free.
Does Sematext or Telegraf 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 Telegraf is typically brought in for.
What can Sematext do that Telegraf cannot?
Sematext covers Log aggregation, APM, Metrics monitoring, Anomaly detection. Telegraf covers Metrics collection, System monitoring, Application monitoring, Plugin architecture. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Telegraf: Is Telegraf free to use?

Yes, Telegraf OSS is free and open source. It can be downloaded and used at no cost for collecting metrics from infrastructure, applications, and devices using over 400 community-tested plugins.

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
Telegraf: What is Telegraf Enterprise and how much does it cost?

Telegraf Enterprise is a commercial offering for managing Telegraf at scale. It is licensed annually with entry-level packages starting at $18,000 per year, and pricing scales based on the total number of Telegraf agents under management.

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
Telegraf: Can I try Telegraf Enterprise before purchasing?

Yes, a free tier of Telegraf Controller is available for evaluation. It allows you to store up to 20 configurations and manage up to 100 reporting agents.

Source
Telegraf: Can Telegraf OSS be used for commercial purposes?

Telegraf OSS is free and available as open source software, suitable for commercial deployments without licensing fees. For large-scale enterprise needs, Telegraf Enterprise is the commercial offering.

Source
Telegraf: How many plugins does Telegraf support?

Telegraf includes over 400 community-tested plugins that can connect to various data sources and destinations including Kubernetes, Docker, AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, Kafka, and many databases.

Source
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