Grafana Loki vs OpenObserve
Self-host pick — both replace Splunk (Log management + SIEM).
Both Grafana Loki and OpenObserve self-host as a replacement for Splunk (Log management + SIEM). Pick OpenObserve if you want the lighter footprint — 15min single-binary or docker run, $15-50/mo vps; s3-backed storage scales independently of compute. Pick Grafana Loki if you need teams already running Prometheus/Grafana that want logs in the same UI without bringing up an ELK-class index — 30min docker-compose (Loki + Promtail + Grafana) and $10-50/mo vps — loki is index-light by design; storage backed by s3 stays cheap.
| Grafana Lokiopen-source | OpenObserveopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Setup time | 30min docker-compose (Loki + Promtail + Grafana) | 15min single-binary or docker run |
| Monthly cost | $10-50/mo VPS — Loki is index-light by design; storage backed by S3 stays cheap. | $15-50/mo VPS; S3-backed storage scales independently of compute. |
| GitHub | grafana/loki | openobserve/openobserve |
| Replaces | Splunk | Splunk + 1 other |
Good fit for
Grafana Loki
Teams already running Prometheus/Grafana that want logs in the same UI without bringing up an ELK-class index.
Weak at:Free-text search across high-cardinality fields is slower than Elasticsearch/OpenSearch — Loki indexes labels, not content.
OpenObserve
Cost-conscious teams ingesting >100GB/day who can't justify Splunk's per-GB price.
Weak at:Newer than Graylog/Loki — fewer SIEM-specific features; thinner third-party app ecosystem.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli splunk prints Splunk's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, Grafana Loki or OpenObserve?
Grafana Loki: 30min docker-compose (Loki + Promtail + Grafana). OpenObserve: 15min single-binary or docker run.
What does each cost to run?
Grafana Loki: $10-50/mo VPS — Loki is index-light by design; storage backed by S3 stays cheap.. OpenObserve: $15-50/mo VPS; S3-backed storage scales independently of compute.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do Grafana Loki and OpenObserve replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Splunk.