Grafana Loki vs Splunk
Grafana Loki: Label-indexed log aggregation: Prometheus-style streams, chunks on object storage, LogQL queries. Splunk: Machine-data indexing and search platform with schema-on-read SPL queries, now owned by Cisco.
key differences
- Grafana Loki is primarily a time-series database; Splunk is search engine.
- Licensing: Grafana Loki is open source (copyleft) (GNU AGPL v3.0); Splunk is proprietary (Proprietary commercial license).
- Grafana Loki is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than Splunk (≤ 1 PB).
- Only Grafana Loki has json.
- Only Splunk has full-text search, role-based access.
choose grafana-loki for
- +Kubernetes and application logs alongside Prometheus
- +Cost-efficient log retention on S3
- +Deriving metrics and alerts from log lines
- +Correlating logs with traces in Grafana
best at · Observability, Time-series
choose splunk for
- +Security information and event management (SIEM)
- +Centralised log search and alerting
- +IT operations monitoring and incident investigation
- +Compliance reporting over machine data
best at · Observability, Search, Time-series
Grafana Loki vs Splunk: FAQ
What is the difference between Grafana Loki and Splunk?
Grafana Loki: Label-indexed log aggregation: Prometheus-style streams, chunks on object storage, LogQL queries. Splunk: Machine-data indexing and search platform with schema-on-read SPL queries, now owned by Cisco. Grafana Loki is primarily a time-series database; Splunk is search engine. Licensing: Grafana Loki is open source (copyleft) (GNU AGPL v3.0); Splunk is proprietary (Proprietary commercial license). Grafana Loki is built for larger datasets (Multi-PB) than Splunk (≤ 1 PB).
When should I choose Grafana Loki over Splunk?
Choose Grafana Loki for kubernetes and application logs alongside Prometheus; cost-efficient log retention on S3; and deriving metrics and alerts from log lines. Choose Splunk for security information and event management (SIEM); centralised log search and alerting; and IT operations monitoring and incident investigation.
Is Grafana Loki or Splunk more popular?
Splunk ranks #31 on the WhichDB Score (48.1/100) and Grafana Loki ranks #96 (28.7/100). Popularity is not fit: check the requirements that matter for your project.
Are Grafana Loki and Splunk open source?
Yes. Grafana Loki is open source. License: GNU AGPL v3.0. No. Splunk is proprietary, closed-source software.