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Splunk Enterprise vs Elasticsearch Service

Splunk Enterprise logo

Splunk Enterprise

Software

Enterprise Search, Monitoring, and Analytics

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Elasticsearch Service logo

Elasticsearch Service

Software

Managed Elasticsearch Cloud Service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Elasticsearch Service 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; Elasticsearch Service the 99.95 percent monthly uptime SLA applies only to the Platinum and Enterprise subscription tiers
  • They diverge on capability: Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation, Elasticsearch Service covers Full-text search.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Splunk Enterprise and Elasticsearch Service actually diverge.

Attributes where Splunk Enterprise and Elasticsearch Service differ
AttributeSplunk EnterpriseElasticsearch Service
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20032011

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Elasticsearch Service

  • Full-text search
  • Scalability
  • High availability
  • Security

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 Elasticsearch Service
  • Security information and event management via Enterprise Securitynot Elasticsearch Service
  • IT service intelligence and infrastructure observabilitynot Elasticsearch Service

Elasticsearch Service

  • Managed Elasticsearch without running the clusternot Splunk Enterprise
  • Log and observability data storage and searchnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Full-text search behind an applicationnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Deployments needing a specific cloud region across AWS, Azure or GCPnot 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

Elasticsearch Service

  • The 99.95 percent monthly uptime SLA applies only to the Platinum and Enterprise subscription tiers
  • Serverless does not yet support traffic filtering, cross-project search or bring-your-own-key encryption
  • Serverless runs on AWS, GCP and Azure only, against 60 regions for the hosted option
  • Per-unit prices are not published; hosted is resource-based and serverless usage-based

Pricing, plan by plan

Splunk Enterprise

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

Elasticsearch Service

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full-text search
    • Scalability
    • High availability

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 Elasticsearch Service if

  • You need full-text search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want scalability.
Elasticsearch Service review

Questions people ask

Is Splunk Enterprise or Elasticsearch Service better?
Neither clearly leads. Splunk Enterprise starts at On request and Elasticsearch Service at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Splunk Enterprise or Elasticsearch Service?
Elasticsearch Service has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Splunk Enterprise and Free for Elasticsearch Service.
Does Splunk Enterprise or Elasticsearch Service run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Elasticsearch Service for free?
Yes. Elasticsearch Service 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 Elasticsearch Service is typically brought in for.
What can Splunk Enterprise do that Elasticsearch Service cannot?
Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation, Real-time monitoring, Advanced analytics, Compliance. Elasticsearch Service covers Full-text search, Scalability, High availability, Security. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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