Graylog vs Splunk
Self-host swap-in for Splunk. · Self-host Splunk · Graylog on os-alt
Graylog is one of the open-source self-host replacements for Splunk — license SSPL-1.0, 30min docker-compose (Graylog + OpenSearch + MongoDB) to stand up, and $30-100/mo vps — opensearch is the heaviest component; budget by daily ingest gb. Compare against Splunk's Workload pricing from $1500/mo (5GB/day); Enterprise rises to $20k+/mo at scale below.
| Graylogopen-source | Splunkpaid SaaS | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Log management + SIEM | Log management + SIEM |
| License / pricing | SSPL-1.0 | Workload pricing from $1500/mo (5GB/day); Enterprise rises to $20k+/mo at scale |
| Starting price | $0 self-host | $1500/user/mo |
| GitHub | Graylog2/graylog2-server | closed source |
| Setup time | 30min docker-compose (Graylog + OpenSearch + MongoDB) | SaaS — sign up + bill |
| Monthly cost | $30-100/mo VPS — OpenSearch is the heaviest component; budget by daily ingest GB. | from $1500/user/mo (Workload pricing from $1500/mo (5GB/day); Enterprise rises to $20k+/mo at scale) |
Switching from Splunk to Graylog
Use the official compose at docs.graylog.org. Configure inputs (Syslog, GELF, Beats, raw TCP) — Splunk's universal forwarder maps to Filebeat or NXLog shipping to Graylog's Beats input. Splunk SPL queries don't port; rewrite as Graylog's query language (Lucene-syntax). Dashboards rebuild manually.
- Good fit for
- Centralized log management for a single team or org with strong SIEM needs (built-in alerting, RBAC, audit trail).
- Weak at
- OpenSearch ops overhead — sharding, snapshots, version upgrades are non-trivial at scale.
- License note
- Graylog moved from GPL to SSPL in 2024; self-host is unrestricted, but reselling as a managed service is restricted.
Other open-source self-host alternatives to Splunk
In a terminal? npx os-alt splunk prints Splunk's self-host options —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Is Graylog a free alternative to Splunk?
Yes — Graylog is open source under SSPL-1.0. Self-host cost: $30-100/mo VPS — OpenSearch is the heaviest component; budget by daily ingest GB.. Splunk starts at $1500/user/mo (Workload pricing from $1500/mo (5GB/day); Enterprise rises to $20k+/mo at scale).
How long does Graylog take to set up vs Splunk?
Self-hosting Graylog: 30min docker-compose (Graylog + OpenSearch + MongoDB). Splunk is a hosted SaaS — sign up and you're in.
What is Graylog good at, and what is it weak at?
Good fit for: Centralized log management for a single team or org with strong SIEM needs (built-in alerting, RBAC, audit trail).. Weak at: OpenSearch ops overhead — sharding, snapshots, version upgrades are non-trivial at scale..