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Cloud · head to head

VictoriaMetrics vs Grafana

VictoriaMetrics logo

VictoriaMetrics

Cloud

Fast, cost-effective time series database for metrics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Grafana logo

Grafana

Networking

Observability and Data Visualization

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: VictoriaMetrics promQL compatibility is very close but not identical, and MetricsQL extensions do not port back; Grafana the free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only
  • They diverge on capability: VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible, Grafana covers Dashboard creation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which VictoriaMetrics and Grafana actually diverge.

Attributes where VictoriaMetrics and Grafana differ
AttributeVictoriaMetricsGrafana
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeusage-based
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedWeb, Api
CategoryCloudNetworking
FoundedUnknown2014

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 VictoriaMetrics

  • PromQL compatible
  • Low resource use
  • Single binary or cluster
  • Remote write target

Only in Grafana

  • Dashboard creation
  • Alerting
  • Data source integration
  • Visualization plugins
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

VictoriaMetrics

  • Keeping months or years of Prometheus metrics without the memory costnot Grafana
  • High-cardinality metrics where Prometheus strugglesnot Grafana
  • Consolidating metrics from many Prometheus instances into one queryable storenot Grafana

Grafana

  • Metrics visualization and monitoringnot VictoriaMetrics
  • Log aggregation and analysisnot VictoriaMetrics
  • Distributed traces managementnot VictoriaMetrics
  • System performance profilingnot VictoriaMetrics

Where each one falls short

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

VictoriaMetrics

  • PromQL compatibility is very close but not identical, and MetricsQL extensions do not port back
  • Smaller community than Prometheus, so fewer guides and third-party integrations
  • The clustered version has meaningfully more moving parts than the single binary suggests
  • Some enterprise features sit outside the open-source offering

Grafana

  • The free tier retains metrics, logs and traces for 14 days only
  • Free is capped at 10,000 active metric series and 50 GB each of logs and traces a month
  • The Pro plan carries a $19 a month platform fee before any usage charges
  • Logs and traces are billed on three separate meters, at $0.050 per GB processed, $0.400 per GB written and $0.100 per GB retained
  • Retaining data is an ongoing charge rather than a one off, so historical data costs every month it exists

Pricing, plan by plan

VictoriaMetrics

Free
  • VictoriaMetricsFree
    • Full functionality
    • No data limits
    • Community support

Grafana

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Limited usage across all services
    • 14-day retention for metrics, logs, traces, profiles
    • Community support only
  • Pro$19/month
    • Pay-as-you-go pricing with volume discounts
    • 13-month retention for metrics
    • 30-day retention for logs/traces/profiles
  • Enterprise$25000/year
    • Custom pricing based on annual volume
    • Premium support included
    • Custom retention options

Which should you pick?

Choose VictoriaMetrics if

  • You need promql compatible.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want low resource use.
VictoriaMetrics review

Choose Grafana if

  • You need dashboard creation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want alerting.
Grafana review

Questions people ask

Is VictoriaMetrics or Grafana better?
Neither clearly leads. VictoriaMetrics starts at Free and Grafana at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, VictoriaMetrics or Grafana?
VictoriaMetrics starts at Free and Grafana at Free.
Does VictoriaMetrics or Grafana run on more platforms?
VictoriaMetrics runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Grafana runs on Web, Api.
Can I use VictoriaMetrics for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is VictoriaMetrics best used for?
VictoriaMetrics is most often used for keeping months or years of prometheus metrics without the memory cost, high-cardinality metrics where prometheus struggles, consolidating metrics from many prometheus instances into one queryable store. Of those, keeping months or years of prometheus metrics without the memory cost and high-cardinality metrics where prometheus struggles are not what Grafana is typically brought in for.
What can VictoriaMetrics do that Grafana cannot?
VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible, Low resource use, Single binary or cluster, Remote write target. Grafana covers Dashboard creation, Alerting, Data source integration, Visualization plugins.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

VictoriaMetrics: Is VictoriaMetrics free?

The open-source version is free with no data limits. An enterprise edition and cloud service are paid.

Grafana: What is Grafana's pricing model?

Grafana offers a freemium model with a free tier, Pro tier starting at 19 USD/month with pay-as-you-go usage charges, and Enterprise plans starting at 25000 USD/year.

Source
VictoriaMetrics: Does it replace Prometheus?

It can, but most teams keep Prometheus for scraping and use VictoriaMetrics as the long-term store behind it.

Grafana: How long is data retention for each plan?

Free tier provides 14-day retention for metrics, logs, traces, and profiles. Pro tier extends this to 13 months for metrics and 30 days for logs/traces/profiles. Enterprise offers custom retention options.

Source
VictoriaMetrics: Is PromQL fully supported?

Very nearly. It implements PromQL and extends it with MetricsQL, though a small number of edge-case behaviours differ.

Grafana: What support is included in each tier?

Free tier includes community support only. Pro tier provides 8 times 5 email support. Enterprise includes premium 24/7 support.

Source
Grafana: Does Grafana offer volume discounts?

Yes, Grafana uses adaptive pricing with automatic volume discounts as usage scales, and provides cost-optimization tools to help eliminate spending on unused data.

Source
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