Grafana
Grafana unifies metrics, logs, traces, profiles, and business data into one OpenTelemetry-native platform with AI-assisted root cause analysis and adaptive cost controls.
Technical Profile & Specs
verified 2026-11-07
- Cost
- $0 / forever (Open Source)
- License
- Open Source
- Hosting Model
- Self-host (your server)
- Platforms
- webself-hosteddocker to self-host
- Installation
- Clone https://github.com/grafana/grafana or deploy with Docker Compose
- Operational Setup
- Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
- Where Your Data Lives
- All application data and configuration live on your own server or local database.
- The Catch / Trade-off
- Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Chronosphere.
Replaces 3 paid apps
up to $105/mo ($1,260/yr) in subscriptions
Grafana FAQ
Common questions
Is Grafana free and open source?+
Grafana is an open-source tool licensed under Open Source that runs on self-host. Grafana unifies metrics, logs, traces, profiles, and business data into one OpenTelemetry-native platform with AI-assisted root cause analysis and adaptive cost controls.
What paid software does Grafana replace?+
Grafana serves as a free replacement for 3 paid SaaS applications: Chronosphere, Dynatrace, Splunk, saving up to $105/month ($1,260/year) in subscription bills.
How do you install and set up Grafana?+
Installation: Clone https://github.com/grafana/grafana or deploy with Docker Compose. Setup notes: Deploy via Docker or binary release from GitHub and configure environment variables.
What is the catch or trade-off with Grafana?+
Requires self-hosting setup, updates, and server maintenance compared to managed Chronosphere.