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Traceloop vs VerneMQ

Traceloop logo

Traceloop

Logging

LLM reliability platform with open-source observability and evaluation

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
VerneMQ logo

VerneMQ

Databases

Erlang MQTT broker whose source is Apache 2.0 but whose official binaries need a paid subscription

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; VerneMQ the official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.
  • They diverge on capability: Traceloop covers Open-source SDK (OpenLLMetry), VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Traceloop and VerneMQ actually diverge.

Attributes where Traceloop and VerneMQ differ
AttributeTraceloopVerneMQ
Pricing modelFreemium with pay-as-you-go enterprise optionquote
PlatformsCloud, On-premises, Air-gapped, Python, TypeScript, Go, RubyLinux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes
CategoryLoggingDatabases

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 VerneMQ

  • Erlang/OTP clustering
  • MQTT 5.0 support
  • Plugin system
  • Backpressure handling
  • Bridge support
  • Metrics export
  • MQTT over WebSockets
  • Pluggable auth backends

What people use each for

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

Traceloop

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

VerneMQ

  • An industrial operator that wants an MQTT broker with predictable memory behaviour and no data integration features it will not usenot Traceloop
  • A team building from source to stay strictly under Apache 2.0 terms with no vendor licence entanglementnot Traceloop
  • A deployment needing custom authentication logic implemented as a plugin in Lua or over a webhooknot Traceloop
  • An organisation that wants a broker maintained by a small European company rather than by a vendor that keeps changing licencesnot 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

VerneMQ

  • The official binaries and Docker images are not Apache 2.0 but sit under a EULA requiring a yearly commercial subscription, a distinction easy to miss and awkward to discover during a licence audit.
  • Octavo Labs is a very small company, so support depth, response times and the bus factor on the codebase are materially thinner than at HiveMQ or EMQ.
  • There is no data integration or rule engine layer, so routing messages into a database means writing and operating your own consumer service.
  • Operating an Erlang cluster requires runtime knowledge that most teams do not have and will use for nothing else in their stack.
  • There is no vendor-managed cloud offering, so every deployment is self-operated with the infrastructure and on-call cost that implies.

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

VerneMQ

Free
  • Source buildFree
    • Apache 2.0 licensed source from GitHub
    • Full clustering and plugin capability
    • You compile and package it yourself
  • Binary packages and Docker images$undefined/year
    • Covered by the VerneMQ EULA, not Apache 2.0
    • Yearly usage subscription expected for commercial use
    • Official builds and Docker images
  • Commercial support$undefined/year
    • Evaluation, customisation and operations assistance
    • Custom development
    • Long-term maintenance agreements

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 VerneMQ if

  • You need erlang/otp clustering.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes.
  • You also want mqtt 5.0 support.
VerneMQ review

Questions people ask

Is Traceloop or VerneMQ better?
Neither clearly leads. Traceloop starts at Free and VerneMQ at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Traceloop or VerneMQ?
Traceloop starts at Free and VerneMQ at Free.
Does Traceloop or VerneMQ run on more platforms?
Traceloop runs on Cloud, On-premises, Air-gapped, Python, TypeScript, Go, Ruby. VerneMQ runs on Linux, Docker, macOS, Kubernetes.
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 VerneMQ is typically brought in for.
What can Traceloop do that VerneMQ cannot?
Traceloop covers Open-source SDK (OpenLLMetry), Multi-provider support, Observability platform integration, Framework support. VerneMQ covers Erlang/OTP clustering, MQTT 5.0 support, Plugin system, Backpressure handling.

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
VerneMQ: Is VerneMQ free?

The source is Apache 2.0 and free. The official binary packages and Docker images are covered by a separate EULA that expects a yearly fee for commercial use.

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
VerneMQ: Is the project still maintained?

Yes. Octavo Labs AG in Zurich continues to publish 2.x releases, most recently in 2026.

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
VerneMQ: Does it have a managed cloud?

No. Every deployment is self-hosted, with commercial support available from Octavo Labs.

VerneMQ: How does it compare to EMQX?

Narrower in features and without a rule engine, but with a simpler licence story for source builds after EMQX moved to BSL.

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