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Splunk Enterprise vs Fluentd

Splunk Enterprise logo

Splunk Enterprise

Software

Enterprise Search, Monitoring, and Analytics

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fluentd logo

Fluentd

Software

Open Source Data Collector for Unified Logging

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Fluentd 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; Fluentd fluentd needs more than 60 MB of memory at runtime, against roughly 450 KB for Fluent Bit
  • They diverge on capability: Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation, Fluentd covers Log collection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Splunk Enterprise and Fluentd actually diverge.

Attributes where Splunk Enterprise and Fluentd differ
AttributeSplunk EnterpriseFluentd
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedopen-source
Free tierNoYes
Founded20032011

Identical on both: 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 Fluentd

  • Log collection
  • Data parsing
  • Filtering and buffering
  • Event routing

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

Fluentd

  • Unified log collection and routing from many sources to many destinationsnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Parsing and transforming log records before forwardingnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Aggregating logs from containers into Elasticsearch, S3 or a SIEMnot 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

Fluentd

  • Fluentd needs more than 60 MB of memory at runtime, against roughly 450 KB for Fluent Bit
  • Fluentd is built as a Ruby gem and depends on other gems, so a Ruby runtime is required
  • Its capability comes from over 1,000 external plugins rather than built in functionality, so each added input or output is a separate dependency
  • The Fluent Bit documentation states that cloud providers have switched from Fluentd to Fluent Bit for performance and compatibility and calls Fluent Bit the next generation solution

Pricing, plan by plan

Splunk Enterprise

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

Fluentd

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log collection
    • Data parsing
    • Filtering and buffering

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 Fluentd if

  • You need log collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want data parsing.
Fluentd review

Questions people ask

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