Graylog vs OpenSearch
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted monitoring & status options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
Graylog
Centralized log management and analysis platform
VS
OpenSearch
Search and observability suite with logs and dashboards
| Feature | Graylog | OpenSearch |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Monitoring & Status | Monitoring & Status |
| License | SSPL-1.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | Java | Java |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Hard |
| Min. RAM | 2,048 MB | 2,048 MB |
| Deployment | docker, bare-metal | docker, kubernetes, helm |
| GitHub stars | ★ 8,105 | ★ 13,480 |
| First released | 2010 | 2021 |
| Replaces | Splunk, Datadog Logs | Elasticsearch, Splunk |
Why pick each one
Frequently asked questions
Is Graylog or OpenSearch better?
Neither is universally better. OpenSearch has the larger community, while Graylog is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are Graylog and OpenSearch free and open-source?
Yes. Graylog is licensed under SSPL-1.0 and OpenSearch under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Graylog and OpenSearch with Docker?
Graylog: yes. OpenSearch: yes.