Grafana vs Prometheus
Compare Grafana and Prometheus on deployment, pricing and source model before you shortlist.
Scroll horizontally to compare every column →
| Attribute |  GrafanaOpen source |  PrometheusOpen source |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Monitoring & Observability | Monitoring & Observability |
| Primary focus | Open source dashboards and observability across many data sources | Open-source, pull-based metrics monitoring and alerting toolkit |
| Deployment | Self-hosted / Web | Self-hosted |
| Source model | Open source | Open source |
| Pricing model | freemium | open source |
| API available | Yes | Yes |
| Vendor website | Visit vendor ↗ | Visit vendor ↗ |
| ITHub profile | View full profile → | View full profile → |
ⓘ Confirm technical details and prices with each vendor before making a decision. Want a third tool in the mix? Open the interactive comparison →
Start with the architecture and workload
Grafana and Prometheus usually solve different layers of the same monitoring stack. Prometheus collects and queries time-series metrics; Grafana visualizes Prometheus and many other data sources. Many production designs use both.
Decide whether you need a metrics system, a visualization layer or a complete managed observability service. Treating these projects as direct substitutes can leave collection, storage or alerting requirements uncovered.
Compare these first
- Metrics collection and service discovery
- Time-series storage and retention
- Dashboard and multi-source visualization
- Alert rules, routing and high availability
Shortlist Grafana when
Use Grafana when the requirement is dashboards and exploration across Prometheus or other supported data sources.
Shortlist Prometheus when
Use Prometheus when the requirement is metric scraping, time-series queries and alert-rule evaluation in a cloud-native ecosystem.
Run this proof of concept
Deploy Prometheus against a representative service, connect Grafana, create one recording rule, dashboard and actionable alert, then test component restart and data retention behavior.
Migration and rollback
Inventory data, identities, integrations and configuration. Test export, import and rollback with production-like data.
Security and operations
Compare access controls, audit evidence, upgrade ownership, observability and recovery procedures.
Total cost
Model licensing, infrastructure, support, data transfer and operator time at the expected scale.
Frequently asked questions
Is Grafana or Prometheus open source?
Grafana is open source. Prometheus is open source.
What is the pricing model for Grafana vs Prometheus?
Grafana uses a freemium pricing model. Prometheus uses an open source pricing model. Confirm current rates with each vendor before deciding.
Can Grafana and Prometheus be self-hosted?
Grafana is self-hostable. Prometheus is self-hostable.