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Cloud · head to head

Thanos vs Wiz

Thanos logo

Thanos

Cloud

Highly available Prometheus with long-term object storage

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Wiz logo

Wiz

Cloud

Cloud and AI security platform unifying code, cloud, and runtime protection.

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Thanos has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Thanos several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes; Wiz no public pricing; licensing requires a custom quote based on workloads and sensors.
  • They diverge on capability: Thanos covers Global query, Wiz covers Cloud security posture management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Thanos and Wiz actually diverge.

Attributes where Thanos and Wiz differ
AttributeThanosWiz
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feequote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsKubernetes, Linux, Dockerweb, api

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).

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 Thanos

  • Global query
  • Object storage retention
  • Deduplication
  • Downsampling

Only in Wiz

  • Cloud security posture management
  • Code security (Wiz Code)
  • Runtime threat detection (Wiz Defend)
  • AI security agents
  • AI workload protection
  • Attack path analysis

What people use each for

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

Thanos

  • Querying metrics across many clusters or regions from one placenot Wiz
  • Retaining metrics for years without local disk growthnot Wiz
  • Removing the gap that appears when a single Prometheus instance restartsnot Wiz

Wiz

  • Identifying cloud misconfigurations across multi-cloud environmentsnot Thanos
  • Securing code from IDE through CI/CD deploymentnot Thanos
  • Detecting and responding to active threats at runtimenot Thanos
  • Governing AI workloads and models in the cloudnot Thanos
  • Prioritizing risk with cross-environment attack path analysisnot Thanos

Where each one falls short

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

Thanos

  • Several components — sidecar, store, querier, compactor, ruler — each with its own configuration and failure modes
  • The compactor is a common source of operational trouble and must not run twice against the same bucket
  • Query latency over object storage is meaningfully higher than local Prometheus
  • Object storage costs and API request charges become real at high volume

Wiz

  • No public pricing; licensing requires a custom quote based on workloads and sensors.
  • Modular licensing across Cloud, Code, Defend, and Sensor products can complicate cost planning.
  • Full runtime protection value depends on deploying Wiz Sensor agents, adding operational overhead.
  • Primarily aimed at mid-to-large enterprises despite the smaller Wiz Go bundle.

Pricing, plan by plan

Thanos

Free
  • ThanosFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Wiz

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Wiz review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Thanos if

  • You need global query.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker.
  • You also want object storage retention.
Thanos review

Choose Wiz if

  • You need cloud security posture management.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want code security (wiz code).
Wiz review

Questions people ask

Is Thanos or Wiz better?
Neither clearly leads. Thanos starts at Free and Wiz at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Thanos or Wiz?
Thanos has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Thanos and On request for Wiz.
Does Thanos or Wiz run on more platforms?
Thanos runs on Kubernetes, Linux, Docker. Wiz runs on web, api.
Can I use Thanos for free?
Yes. Thanos has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Wiz starts at On request.
What is Thanos best used for?
Thanos is most often used for querying metrics across many clusters or regions from one place, retaining metrics for years without local disk growth, removing the gap that appears when a single prometheus instance restarts. Of those, querying metrics across many clusters or regions from one place and retaining metrics for years without local disk growth are not what Wiz is typically brought in for.
What can Thanos do that Wiz cannot?
Thanos covers Global query, Object storage retention, Deduplication, Downsampling. Wiz covers Cloud security posture management, Code security (Wiz Code), Runtime threat detection (Wiz Defend), AI security agents.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Thanos: Is Thanos free?

Yes, open source and CNCF-incubating. Costs are the object storage it uses.

Wiz: How much does Wiz cost?

Wiz does not publish standard pricing. The platform uses modular licensing based on workloads, active developers, log ingestion, or sensors. All pricing requires requesting a custom quote directly from the company.

Source
Thanos: Does Thanos replace Prometheus?

No. It runs alongside existing Prometheus servers, adding global query, deduplication and long-term storage.

Wiz: Does Wiz offer a free trial?

No free trial information is mentioned on Wiz's pricing page. Pricing is determined by custom quote based on organizational needs.

Source
Thanos: Thanos or VictoriaMetrics?

Thanos layers onto Prometheus using object storage and is the more established multi-cluster answer. VictoriaMetrics is a separate store aiming at lower resource use and fewer moving parts.

Wiz: What products does Wiz offer?

Wiz provides five modular licensing options: Wiz Cloud, Wiz Code, Wiz Defend, Wiz Sensor, and Wiz Go Bundle for SMBs, allowing organizations to scale based on specific security requirements.

Source
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