Side by side
Apache SkyWalking vs Uptrace
Both stand on application performance monitoring. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan APILinuxMac+3
Apache SkyWalking covers service observability and AI workload inspection in a self-hosted package. Its Horizon UI compatibility varies by SkyWalking version, and the GraalVM distribution is experimental.
Visit Apache SkyWalking
Free plan Open source APILinuxMac+3
Uptrace offers flexible analysis and deployment options for OpenTelemetry data, from a free Cloud plan to self-hosted editions. Consider the stated retention and encryption details when evaluating where to store telemetry.
Visit UptraceThe facts
| Apache SkyWalking | Uptrace | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Yes |
| Runs on | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows | API, Linux, Mac, Self-hosted, Web, Windows |
| Lowest paid plan | Free or on request | Starter: $39 a month |
| Plans published | 1 | 6 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | skywalking.apache.org | uptrace.dev |
| On application performance monitoring | #2 of 37 | #1 of 37 |
Apache SkyWalking: what it does well
- Combines traces, metrics, logs, and profiling.
- Provides views of AI calls and agent activity.
- Lists agents across multiple languages and systems.
- Docker installation instructions cover Linux, macOS, WSL, and Windows.
What to know first
- Self-hosted deployment is required.
- Horizon UI supports SkyWalking natively from v11 and partially for v10.
- GraalVM distribution is marked experimental.
Uptrace: what it does well
- Unifies traces, metrics, and logs.
- Supports UQL and a PromQL-compatible metrics engine.
- Offers cloud and self-hosted deployment options.
- Free Cloud plan includes 50 GB per month.
- Self-hosted deployments keep telemetry within customer infrastructure.
What to know first
- Most live database data is not encrypted at rest.
- Cloud data retention defaults to four weeks.
- Starter costs $39 a month.
- Cloud data centers and backups are in Germany and Finland.
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