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Logging · head to head

Sematext vs Traceloop

Sematext logo

Sematext

Logging

Full Stack Observability Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Traceloop logo

Traceloop

Logging

LLM reliability platform with open-source observability and evaluation

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; Traceloop free tier limited to 50k spans per month and 24-hour retention, restricting production use
  • They diverge on capability: Sematext covers Log aggregation, Traceloop covers Open-source SDK (OpenLLMetry).
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sematext and Traceloop actually diverge.

Attributes where Sematext and Traceloop differ
AttributeSematextTraceloop
Pricing modelusage-basedFreemium with pay-as-you-go enterprise option
PlatformsWeb, ApiCloud, On-premises, Air-gapped, Python, TypeScript, Go, Ruby
Founded2007Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support

Only in Traceloop

  • Open-source SDK (OpenLLMetry)
  • Multi-provider support
  • Observability platform integration
  • Framework support
  • Monitoring dashboard
  • Evaluation system
  • Deployment flexibility

What people use each for

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

Sematext

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

Traceloop

  • Monitoring LLM application performance in productionnot Sematext
  • Instrumenting LLM apps with minimal code overheadnot Sematext
  • Continuous evaluation and quality scoring of LLM outputsnot Sematext
  • Debugging LLM application issues with full trace visibilitynot Sematext
  • Integrating observability data into existing monitoring stacksnot 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

Traceloop

  • Free tier limited to 50k spans per month and 24-hour retention, restricting production use
  • Company acquisition by ServiceNow creates uncertainty about future roadmap
  • Requires integration with separate observability platforms for visualization
  • Less feature-rich than dedicated LLM evaluation platforms

Pricing, plan by plan

Sematext

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • APM
    • Metrics monitoring

Traceloop

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50,000 spans per month
    • Up to 5 seats
    • 24-hour data retention
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Unlimited spans per month
    • Unlimited seats
    • Custom data retention

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 Traceloop if

  • You need open-source sdk (openllmetry).
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Cloud, On-premises, Air-gapped, Python, TypeScript, Go, Ruby.
  • You also want multi-provider support.
Traceloop review

Questions people ask

Is Sematext or Traceloop better?
Neither clearly leads. Sematext starts at Free and Traceloop at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sematext or Traceloop?
Sematext starts at Free and Traceloop at Free.
Does Sematext or Traceloop run on more platforms?
Sematext runs on Web, Api. Traceloop runs on Cloud, On-premises, Air-gapped, Python, TypeScript, Go, Ruby.
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 Traceloop is typically brought in for.
What can Sematext do that Traceloop cannot?
Sematext covers Log aggregation, APM, Metrics monitoring, Anomaly detection. Traceloop covers Open-source SDK (OpenLLMetry), Multi-provider support, Observability platform integration, Framework 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
Traceloop: Is OpenLLMetry open-source?

Yes, OpenLLMetry is Traceloop's open-source SDK built on OpenTelemetry standards. It allows teams to instrument LLM applications with just 2 lines of code and send data to 25+ observability platforms.

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
Traceloop: What is the impact of ServiceNow acquisition?

Traceloop is joining ServiceNow, representing a strategic acquisition that will broaden enterprise adoption and integration capabilities. Current operations continue with free and enterprise options available.

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
Traceloop: How many LLM providers and frameworks does Traceloop support?

Traceloop supports 20+ LLM providers including OpenAI and Anthropic, and integrates with frameworks like LangChain and LlamaIndex. It can send data to 25+ observability platforms.

Source
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