Grafana stack (Mimir + Loki + Tempo) vs Uptrace
Self-host pick — both replace Datadog (Observability (metrics + logs + traces + APM)).
Both Grafana stack (Mimir + Loki + Tempo) and Uptrace self-host as a replacement for Datadog (Observability (metrics + logs + traces + APM)). Pick Uptrace if you want the lighter footprint — 30min docker-compose, $10-20 vps for a small fleet; clickhouse + postgres backend. Pick Grafana stack (Mimir + Loki + Tempo) if you need teams that want best-in-class composable observability and have an SRE who enjoys it — 1-2h to wire up the LGTM stack via docker-compose; multi-day to do it production-grade and $20-40 vps for a small setup; cost scales with retention (s3 / object store strongly recommended).
| Grafana stack (Mimir + Loki + Tempo)open-source | Uptraceopen-source | |
|---|---|---|
| License | AGPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Setup time | 1-2h to wire up the LGTM stack via docker-compose; multi-day to do it production-grade | 30min docker-compose |
| Monthly cost | $20-40 VPS for a small setup; cost scales with retention (S3 / object store strongly recommended). | $10-20 VPS for a small fleet; ClickHouse + Postgres backend. |
| GitHub | grafana/grafana | uptrace/uptrace |
| Replaces | Datadog + 1 other | Datadog |
Good fit for
Grafana stack (Mimir + Loki + Tempo)
Teams that want best-in-class composable observability and have an SRE who enjoys it.
Weak at:Operational burden is real — you are now responsible for keeping Mimir/Loki/Tempo healthy.
Uptrace
Smaller teams that want SigNoz's shape with a lighter ops surface.
Weak at:Smaller community than SigNoz; UI features lag a bit.
In a terminal? npx -y github:SolvoHQ/os-alt-cli datadog prints Datadog's self-host options including both —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Which is easier to self-host, Grafana stack (Mimir + Loki + Tempo) or Uptrace?
Grafana stack (Mimir + Loki + Tempo): 1-2h to wire up the LGTM stack via docker-compose; multi-day to do it production-grade. Uptrace: 30min docker-compose.
What does each cost to run?
Grafana stack (Mimir + Loki + Tempo): $20-40 VPS for a small setup; cost scales with retention (S3 / object store strongly recommended).. Uptrace: $10-20 VPS for a small fleet; ClickHouse + Postgres backend.. Both projects are free and open source.
Do Grafana stack (Mimir + Loki + Tempo) and Uptrace replace the same SaaS?
Yes — both are open-source alternatives to Datadog.