Softwr

Cloud · head to head

Zipkin vs Skopeo

Zipkin logo

Zipkin

Cloud

Distributed tracing system for microservice latency

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Skopeo logo

Skopeo

Cloud

Inspect, copy and sign container images without pulling them

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Zipkin less active development and smaller community momentum than Jaeger; Skopeo single-purpose: it neither builds nor runs images, so it is one tool in a chain rather than a solution
  • They diverge on capability: Zipkin covers Trace collection and search, Skopeo covers Remote inspection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Zipkin and Skopeo actually diverge.

Attributes where Zipkin and Skopeo differ
AttributeZipkinSkopeo
PlatformsLinux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hostedLinux, macOS

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Cloud).

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 Zipkin

  • Trace collection and search
  • Dependency diagram
  • Simple deployment
  • Pluggable storage

Only in Skopeo

  • Remote inspection
  • Registry-to-registry copy
  • Format conversion
  • Image signing

What people use each for

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

Zipkin

  • Adding distributed tracing quickly without standing up heavy infrastructurenot Skopeo
  • Java and Spring Boot estates, where instrumentation support is long-establishednot Skopeo
  • Small deployments where Jaeger is more than the problem requiresnot Skopeo

Skopeo

  • Promoting images between staging and production registries without a round tripnot Zipkin
  • Inspecting an image’s contents before deciding to deploy itnot Zipkin
  • Mirroring images into an air-gapped or internal registrynot Zipkin

Where each one falls short

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

Zipkin

  • Less active development and smaller community momentum than Jaeger
  • Fewer features: sampling, storage options and UI are all more limited
  • The interface is dated and slower to work with on large trace volumes
  • Tracing alone still leaves metrics and logs in separate tools during an incident

Skopeo

  • Single-purpose: it neither builds nor runs images, so it is one tool in a chain rather than a solution
  • Command syntax with transport prefixes such as docker:// is unusual and trips people up initially
  • Documentation is sparse compared with the rest of the container ecosystem

Pricing, plan by plan

Zipkin

Free
  • ZipkinFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Skopeo

Free
  • SkopeoFree
    • Full functionality
    • No usage limits
    • Community support

Which should you pick?

Choose Zipkin if

  • You need trace collection and search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted.
  • You also want dependency diagram.
Zipkin review

Choose Skopeo if

  • You need remote inspection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, macOS.
  • You also want registry-to-registry copy.
Skopeo review

Questions people ask

Is Zipkin or Skopeo better?
Neither clearly leads. Zipkin starts at Free and Skopeo at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Zipkin or Skopeo?
Zipkin starts at Free and Skopeo at Free.
Does Zipkin or Skopeo run on more platforms?
Zipkin runs on Linux, Docker, Kubernetes, Self-hosted. Skopeo runs on Linux, macOS.
Can I use Zipkin for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Zipkin best used for?
Zipkin is most often used for adding distributed tracing quickly without standing up heavy infrastructure, java and spring boot estates, where instrumentation support is long-established, small deployments where jaeger is more than the problem requires. Of those, adding distributed tracing quickly without standing up heavy infrastructure and java and spring boot estates, where instrumentation support is long-established are not what Skopeo is typically brought in for.
What can Zipkin do that Skopeo cannot?
Zipkin covers Trace collection and search, Dependency diagram, Simple deployment, Pluggable storage. Skopeo covers Remote inspection, Registry-to-registry copy, Format conversion, Image signing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zipkin: Is Zipkin free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Skopeo: Is Skopeo free?

Yes, open source with no licence fee.

Zipkin: Zipkin or Jaeger?

Jaeger has more momentum, more features and CNCF backing. Zipkin is lighter and quicker to stand up, and remains well supported in the Java and Spring ecosystem.

Skopeo: Why copy images without pulling them?

A registry-to-registry copy avoids downloading and re-uploading gigabytes, which is faster and much cheaper on bandwidth in CI.

Zipkin: Does Zipkin work with OpenTelemetry?

Yes. OpenTelemetry can export to Zipkin, which is now the usual way to instrument for it.

Skopeo: Can Skopeo run containers?

No. It only inspects, copies, signs and deletes images. Running them is Podman’s or Docker’s job.

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