Grafana vs Loki
Updated June 2026 · A structured head-to-head comparison.
The verdict
Both Grafana and Loki are credible error tracking tools, and the right pick comes down to your priorities.
Choose Grafana if you want broader platform coverage. Open-source dashboards and observability.
Loki — Like Prometheus, but for logs.
Grafana vs Loki: side by side
| Dimension | Grafana | Loki |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free – $19/mo | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Freemium | Open source |
| Best for | Devops Teams, Developers | Devops Teams |
| Platforms | Web, Self Hosted, ApiWinner | Self Hosted |
| Rating | 4.6/5 | 4.5/5 |
Grafana key facts
- Vendor
- Grafana Labs
- Pricing
- Freemium — Free – $19/mo
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- Web, Self Hosted, Api
- Best for
- Devops Teams, Developers
- Editor rating
- 4.6 / 5
- Founded
- 2014
- Headquarters
- New York, NY, USA
Loki key facts
- Vendor
- Grafana Labs
- Pricing
- Open source — Free
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- Self Hosted
- Best for
- Devops Teams
- Editor rating
- 4.5 / 5
- Founded
- 2018
- Headquarters
- Open source
Frequently asked questions
Is Grafana better than Loki?
Neither is universally better — Grafana edges ahead on overall rating, but the best choice depends on price, platforms, and your use case. See the side-by-side table above.
Is Grafana or Loki cheaper?
Grafana is the more affordable of the two to get started, at free – $19/mo. Grafana starts at free – $19/mo; Loki starts at free.
Can Grafana replace Loki?
Yes for most teams — both are error tracking tools with heavily overlapping features. The main trade-offs are pricing and platform support, covered in the comparison above.