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Cloud · head to head

VictoriaMetrics vs Prometheus

VictoriaMetrics logo

VictoriaMetrics

Cloud

Fast, cost-effective time series database for metrics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Prometheus logo

Prometheus

Networking

Open source monitoring and alerting toolkit for cloud native environments

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; Prometheus not suitable for per-request billing as collected data lacks 100% accuracy
  • They diverge on capability: VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible, Prometheus covers Multi-dimensional Data Model.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which VictoriaMetrics and Prometheus actually diverge.

Attributes where VictoriaMetrics and Prometheus differ
AttributeVictoriaMetricsPrometheus
Pricing modelOpen source, no licence feeopen-source
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedLinux, macOS, Windows
CategoryCloudNetworking
FoundedUnknown2015

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 Prometheus

  • Multi-dimensional Data Model
  • PromQL Query Language
  • Pull-based Collection
  • Service Discovery
  • Alerting Rules
  • Federation
  • Local Storage
  • Grafana

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 Prometheus
  • High-cardinality metrics where Prometheus strugglesnot Prometheus
  • Consolidating metrics from many Prometheus instances into one queryable storenot Prometheus

Prometheus

  • Monitoring and alerting systemnot VictoriaMetrics
  • Time-series databasenot VictoriaMetrics
  • Infrastructure metrics collectionnot 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

Prometheus

  • Not suitable for per-request billing as collected data lacks 100% accuracy
  • Hard limit on scrape body size; large responses cause scrape failure
  • Per-scrape sample limit enforced; exceeding limit marks targets as failed
  • Not designed for long-term durable storage; optimised for metrics collection

Pricing, plan by plan

VictoriaMetrics

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

Prometheus

Free
  • Prometheus (Open Source)Free
    • 100% open source
    • Community-driven project
    • Apache 2 License

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 Prometheus if

  • You need multi-dimensional data model.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want promql query language.
Prometheus review

Questions people ask

Is VictoriaMetrics or Prometheus better?
Neither clearly leads. VictoriaMetrics starts at Free and Prometheus at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, VictoriaMetrics or Prometheus?
VictoriaMetrics starts at Free and Prometheus at Free.
Does VictoriaMetrics or Prometheus run on more platforms?
VictoriaMetrics runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Prometheus runs on Linux, macOS, Windows.
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 Prometheus is typically brought in for.
What can VictoriaMetrics do that Prometheus cannot?
VictoriaMetrics covers PromQL compatible, Low resource use, Single binary or cluster, Remote write target. Prometheus covers Multi-dimensional Data Model, PromQL Query Language, Pull-based Collection, Service Discovery.

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.

Prometheus: What does Prometheus cost?

Prometheus is completely free and open source. There are no pricing tiers or paid plans. The entire project is licensed under Apache 2 and hosted on GitHub.

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.

Prometheus: Is Prometheus commercial software or free?

Prometheus is 100% open source and community-driven. It is a CNCF graduated project with no commercial restrictions or licensing fees.

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.

Prometheus: How is Prometheus licensed?

Prometheus is licensed under the Apache 2 License, which permits free use, modification, and distribution for commercial and non-commercial purposes.

Source
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