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Logging · head to head

Traceloop vs Grafana Loki

Traceloop logo

Traceloop

Logging

LLM reliability platform with open-source observability and evaluation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Grafana Loki logo

Grafana Loki

Logging

Log Aggregation for Grafana Stack

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Traceloop free tier limited to 50k spans per month and 24-hour retention, restricting production use; Grafana Loki grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment
  • They diverge on capability: Traceloop covers Open-source SDK (OpenLLMetry), Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Traceloop and Grafana Loki actually diverge.

Attributes where Traceloop and Grafana Loki differ
AttributeTraceloopGrafana Loki
Pricing modelFreemium with pay-as-you-go enterprise optionfreemium
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, Air-gapped, Python, TypeScript, Go, RubySelf-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support)
FoundedUnknown2014

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 Grafana Loki

  • Log aggregation
  • Label-based indexing
  • LogQL language
  • Cost-effective
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Traceloop

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

Grafana Loki

  • Cost-sensitive organisations deploying Kubernetes and Prometheus ecosystemsnot Traceloop
  • Teams needing index-free log aggregation for high-volume environmentsnot 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

Grafana Loki

  • Grafana Cloud Logs Pro plan includes only 30-day retention; retention beyond 30 days requires Enterprise plan with minimum $25,000 annual commitment
  • Open-source version requires self-hosting all infrastructure including storage and scaling

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

Grafana Loki

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Grafana Loki review.

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.
Traceloop review

Choose Grafana Loki if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support).
  • You also want label-based indexing.
Grafana Loki review

Questions people ask

Is Traceloop or Grafana Loki better?
Neither clearly leads. Traceloop starts at Free and Grafana Loki at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Traceloop or Grafana Loki?
Traceloop starts at Free and Grafana Loki at Free.
Does Traceloop or Grafana Loki run on more platforms?
Traceloop runs on Cloud, On-premises, Air-gapped, Python, TypeScript, Go, Ruby. Grafana Loki runs on Self-hosted (open source), Managed (Grafana Cloud Logs), Enterprise (self-managed with support).
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 Grafana Loki is typically brought in for.
What can Traceloop do that Grafana Loki cannot?
Traceloop covers Open-source SDK (OpenLLMetry), Multi-provider support, Observability platform integration, Framework support. Grafana Loki covers Log aggregation, Label-based indexing, LogQL language, Cost-effective.

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
Grafana Loki: Is there a free tier for Grafana Cloud?

Yes, Grafana Cloud has a Free Forever plan at no cost with no registration required. The free tier is suitable for personal projects and early-stage startups.

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
Grafana Loki: How long is data retained in Grafana's free plan?

The free tier retains metrics, logs, traces, and profiles for 14 days.

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
Grafana Loki: What is the minimum cost for Grafana Enterprise?

Grafana Enterprise has a minimum annual commitment of 25,000 dollars.

Source
Grafana Loki: Do I need a credit card to use Grafana's free tier?

No, Grafana Cloud's Free Forever plan requires no credit card to get started.

Source
Grafana Loki: How is Grafana Cloud billed?

Grafana Cloud Pro starts at 19 dollars per month with usage-based charges on top. Billing is monthly based on your consumption. Grafana offers automatic volume discounts based on your spending.

Source
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