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Log Management · head to head

Splunk Enterprise vs Azure Monitor

Splunk Enterprise logo

Splunk Enterprise

Log Management

Enterprise Search, Monitoring, and Analytics

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Azure Monitor logo

Azure Monitor

Log Management

Azure's Monitoring and Diagnostics Service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Azure Monitor has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Splunk Enterprise splunk Platform and Enterprise Security offerings carry no published rate and require contacting sales for a quote; Azure Monitor billed per GB ingested across three separate log plans, Auxiliary, Basic and Analytics, so the plan chosen changes the rate as much as the volume does
  • They diverge on capability: Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation, Azure Monitor covers Log collection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Splunk Enterprise and Azure Monitor actually diverge.

Attributes where Splunk Enterprise and Azure Monitor differ
AttributeSplunk EnterpriseAzure Monitor
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20032010

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

  • Log aggregation
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Advanced analytics
  • Compliance

Only in Azure Monitor

  • Log collection
  • Metrics collection
  • Alerts and notifications
  • Custom dashboards

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.

Splunk Enterprise

  • Indexing and searching machine data and logs at enterprise scalenot Azure Monitor
  • Security information and event management via Enterprise Securitynot Azure Monitor
  • IT service intelligence and infrastructure observabilitynot Azure Monitor

Azure Monitor

  • Collecting logs and metrics from Azure resourcesnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Alerting on metric thresholds and log queriesnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Application performance monitoring through Application Insightsnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Long-term log retention for compliancenot Splunk Enterprise
  • Querying operational data with KQLnot Splunk Enterprise

Where each one falls short

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

Splunk Enterprise

  • Splunk Platform and Enterprise Security offerings carry no published rate and require contacting sales for a quote
  • Four different pricing models are offered (activity, ingest, workload and entity based) and the applicable one depends on the product purchased
  • Published Observability Cloud rates start at $15 per host per month and are billed annually rather than monthly
  • Volume discounts are not published and require direct consultation with sales

Azure Monitor

  • Billed per GB ingested across three separate log plans, Auxiliary, Basic and Analytics, so the plan chosen changes the rate as much as the volume does
  • Only the first 5 GB a month of Analytics logs is free per billing account
  • Retention beyond the base period is charged per GB per month, up to 2 years interactive and 12 years long term
  • Log queries and search jobs are billed per GB scanned, so investigating an incident costs money
  • Alert rules are billed per time series for metrics and by execution frequency for logs
  • The pricing page shows placeholders rather than rates until a region and currency are chosen

Pricing, plan by plan

Splunk Enterprise

On request
  • Starter$undefined/month
    • Log aggregation
    • Real-time monitoring
    • Advanced analytics

Azure Monitor

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log collection
    • Metrics collection
    • Alerts and notifications

Which should you pick?

Choose Splunk Enterprise if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want real-time monitoring.
Splunk Enterprise review

Choose Azure Monitor if

  • You need log collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want metrics collection.
Azure Monitor review

Questions people ask

Is Splunk Enterprise or Azure Monitor better?
Neither clearly leads. Splunk Enterprise starts at On request and Azure Monitor at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Splunk Enterprise or Azure Monitor?
Azure Monitor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Splunk Enterprise and Free for Azure Monitor.
Does Splunk Enterprise or Azure Monitor run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Azure Monitor for free?
Yes. Azure Monitor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Enterprise starts at On request.
What is Splunk Enterprise best used for?
Splunk Enterprise is most often used for indexing and searching machine data and logs at enterprise scale, security information and event management via enterprise security, it service intelligence and infrastructure observability. Of those, indexing and searching machine data and logs at enterprise scale and security information and event management via enterprise security are not what Azure Monitor is typically brought in for.
What can Splunk Enterprise do that Azure Monitor cannot?
Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation, Real-time monitoring, Advanced analytics, Compliance. Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Metrics collection, Alerts and notifications, Custom dashboards. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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