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Traceloop vs Checkly

Traceloop logo

Traceloop

Logging

LLM reliability platform with open-source observability and evaluation

From
Free
Rated
-
Checkly logo

Checkly

Logging

Active reliability platform combining uptime monitoring, API testing, and incident response

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Traceloop free tier limited to 50k spans per month and 24-hour retention, restricting production use; Checkly free tier has limited check allocations per month
  • They diverge on capability: Traceloop covers Open-source SDK (OpenLLMetry), Checkly covers Uptime monitoring.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Traceloop and Checkly actually diverge.

Attributes where Traceloop and Checkly differ
AttributeTraceloopCheckly
Pricing modelFreemium with pay-as-you-go enterprise optionsubscription
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, Air-gapped, Python, TypeScript, Go, RubyWeb, CLI, API

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 Traceloop

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

Only in Checkly

  • Uptime monitoring
  • Synthetic browser testing
  • API monitoring
  • Heartbeat monitoring
  • Monitoring-as-Code
  • Status pages
  • Root cause analysis
  • Global locations

What people use each for

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

Traceloop

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

Checkly

  • Monitor API endpoints with custom assertionsnot Traceloop
  • Test user journeys with browser automationnot Traceloop
  • Detect performance degradation across regionsnot Traceloop
  • Verify DNS and TCP connectivitynot Traceloop
  • Ensure cron jobs and background tasks completenot Traceloop

Where each one falls short

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

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

Checkly

  • Free tier has limited check allocations per month
  • Overage charges can add up with high-volume workloads
  • Status pages require separate paid tier
  • Root cause analysis is separate billing component

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Checkly

Free
  • HobbyFree
    • 10 uptime monitors
    • 1,000 browser checks monthly
    • 10,000 API checks monthly
  • Team$64/month
    • 75 uptime monitors
    • 12,000 browser checks monthly
    • 100,000 API checks monthly
  • Enterprise$undefined/custom
    • Custom monitor quantities
    • All 22 global locations
    • 1-second check frequency

Which should you pick?

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.

Choose Checkly if

  • You need uptime monitoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, CLI, API.
  • You also want synthetic browser testing.

Questions people ask

Is Traceloop or Checkly better?
Neither clearly leads. Traceloop starts at Free and Checkly at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Traceloop or Checkly?
Traceloop starts at Free and Checkly at Free.
Does Traceloop or Checkly run on more platforms?
Traceloop runs on Cloud, On-premises, Air-gapped, Python, TypeScript, Go, Ruby. Checkly runs on Web, CLI, API.
Can I use Traceloop for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Traceloop best used for?
Traceloop is most often used for monitoring llm application performance in production, instrumenting llm apps with minimal code overhead, continuous evaluation and quality scoring of llm outputs, debugging llm application issues with full trace visibility. Of those, monitoring llm application performance in production and instrumenting llm apps with minimal code overhead are not what Checkly is typically brought in for.
What can Traceloop do that Checkly cannot?
Traceloop covers Open-source SDK (OpenLLMetry), Multi-provider support, Observability platform integration, Framework support. Checkly covers Uptime monitoring, Synthetic browser testing, API monitoring, Heartbeat monitoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
Checkly: What is included in the free Checkly plan?

The free Hobby plan includes 10 uptime monitors, 1,000 monthly browser checks, 10,000 monthly API checks, 6 monitoring locations, and 2-minute minimum check frequency with email, Slack, and webhook alerts.

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
Checkly: Can I write monitoring checks in my preferred language?

Yes, Checkly uses TypeScript/JavaScript for monitoring-as-code, integrated with Playwright for browser testing and supporting REST API testing.

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
Checkly: How much does status page add to my bill?

Status pages cost between $0-$30/month depending on your plan tier, billed separately from core monitoring.

Source
Checkly: What is the minimum check frequency?

The Hobby and Starter plans support 2-minute and 1-minute minimums respectively. The Team plan supports 30-second intervals, while Enterprise offers 1-second minimum frequency.

Source
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