Quick answer
OpenObserve - OpenObserve wins for most builders who want a free observability tier, because it covers a much broader observability stack and lets you start without a card, while Simple Observability is better only if you want one inexpensive monitored server.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers solve different problems. OpenObserve is a broader observability platform: logs, metrics, traces, RUM, dashboards, alerts, session replay, and incident workflows, with 15 months of metrics retention and 30 days for non-metrics on Cloud plans. Its free offer is a 14-day trial on the Cloud Pay As You Go plan, so it is better for evaluating a real production-style platform quickly. Simple Observability is narrower and more operationally simple: one server, 50 metrics per server, low log volume, and 500,000 log lines per month on the free plan. It is the better fit for a small server-monitoring job, especially if you only need one host and want a perpetually free starting point. After the free tier, OpenObserve moves to usage-based pricing, while Simple Observability uses a simple per-server fee.
OpenObserve vs Simple Observability free tier, side by side
| OpenObserveFTV 62 | Simple ObservabilityFTV 46 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier shapeOpenObserve is time-limited; Simple Observability is capacity-limited. | 14-day free trial on Cloud Pay As You Go | Free plan for 1 server |
| Credit card required to startBoth inputs explicitly say no credit card is required. | No | No |
| UsersSimple Observability paid plan is priced per server, not per seat. | Unlimited users on all Cloud plans | Not stated in the free plan |
| RetentionRetention is a clear advantage for OpenObserve based on the provided data. | 15 months metrics; 30 days logs, traces, RUM, and other non-metrics | Not stated |
| Metrics quotaSimple Observability spells out per-server metric allowance. | Not stated in the free tier items | 50 metrics per server |
| Log quotaSimple Observability includes a specific log-line cap. | Not stated in the free tier items | 500,000 log lines per month |
| Core product scopeOpenObserve is broader; Simple Observability is more server-monitoring focused. | Logs, metrics, traces, RUM, dashboards, alerts, session replay, incident workflows | Metrics, logs, cron job results, dashboards, alerts, mobile access |
After you outgrow the free tier
OpenObserve’s first paid option is usage-based, with ingestion at $0.50 per GB and query at $0.01 per GB, while Simple Observability’s first paid option is a flat $3 per month per server. That means OpenObserve’s bill scales with how much data you ingest and query, while Simple Observability scales with how many servers you monitor. For a small team with one or a few servers and modest observability needs, Simple Observability is the cheaper and easier-to-predict option. OpenObserve becomes more interesting when you need a broader feature set and accept variable usage costs.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | OpenObserve | Simple Observability |
|---|---|---|
| 1 server, light monitoringOpenObserve does not provide enough usage data to estimate a dollar amount. | est. varies by ingestion and queries | $3/mo |
| 10 serversSimple Observability is $3 per server; OpenObserve is not priced per server in the provided data. | est. varies by ingestion and queries | $30/mo |
| 100k log lines/mo on one serverSimple Observability’s paid price does not change with log volume in the provided first paid tier, but the plan lists high log volume. | est. varies by ingestion and queries | $3/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick OpenObserve when…
- You want logs, metrics, traces, and frontend monitoring in one place.
- You need a broader observability platform for DevOps or platform engineering work.
- You want to evaluate a cloud observability stack without entering a credit card.
- You care more about unified workflows, dashboards, and alerts than about a tiny free quota.
- You expect to outgrow a one-server monitoring tool and want a path to more advanced observability features.
Pick Simple Observability when…
- You only need to monitor one server.
- You want a free plan that is perpetual rather than a short trial.
- Your use case is basic server metrics, log search, alerts, and dashboards.
- You want a very predictable paid bill tied to server count.
- You are starting with a small self-hosted or single-host setup and do not need traces, RUM, or incident workflows.
Bottom line
For most builders comparing free observability tiers, OpenObserve is the stronger pick because it covers far more of the observability stack and gives you a no-card trial of the cloud product. Simple Observability is the better fit when you want a small, ongoing free plan for a single server and do not need traces, RUM, or incident workflows. If your goal is to evaluate a fuller platform or plan for growth, OpenObserve wins. If your goal is to keep one box monitored cheaply and simply, Simple Observability is easier to live with.
Read the full listings: OpenObserve and Simple Observability. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.