The main difference between SigNoz, Grafana, and CubeAPM lies in their scope of observability, deployment model, and level of backend ownership.

SigNoz and Grafana are popular for OpenTelemetry observability and visualization, but teams often face higher operational overhead and growing costs as setups scale. CubeAPM, on the other hand, unifies logs, metrics, and traces in a single platform with managed self-hosting and predictable ingestion-based pricing.

In this article, we compare SigNoz, Grafana, and CubeAPM to highlight their differences in scope, complexity, and cost, and why CubeAPM stands out as the more unified option.

Grafana vs SigNoz vs CubeAPM — Comparison Table

 

Features	CubeAPM	Grafana	SigNoz
Known For	OpenTelemetry-native full-stack observability	Flexible observability with strong visualization	Unified OpenTelemetry-based observability
Multi-Agent Support	Yes (OTel, Datadog, New Relic, Elastic)	Partial (OTel, Prometheus)	Partial(OTel)
MELT Support	Full MELT coverage	Full MELT coverage	Full MELT coverage
Setup	Self-hosted but vendor-managed	SaaS & Self-hosted	SaaS & Self-hosted
Pricing	Ingestion-based pricing of $0.15/GB	Logs: $0.50/GB Traces: $0.50/GB APM: $0.04/host-hour	Traces: $0.3/GB Logs: $0.3/GB Metrics: $0.1/million samples
Sampling Strategy	Smart sampling	Tail + Head-based	Head-based + Tail-based + Probabilistic
Log Retention	Infinite Retention (no extra cost)	Free Plan: 15-day Pro Plan: 30-day	Logs and Traces: 15 days Metrics: 30 days
Support TAT	Within minutes	2hrs–6hrs	No details

Grafana vs SigNoz vs CubeAPM: Feature-by-Feature Breakdown

Multi-Agent Support

CubeAPM

CubeAPM supports multiple agents out of the box, including OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, Datadog, New Relic, and Elastic. This flexibility allows teams to migrate gradually from legacy APMs or mix existing agents within one unified backend. CubeAPM automatically maps telemetry from different sources without configuration changes—ideal for hybrid or multi-cloud teams.

Grafana

Grafana offers wide integration support for Prometheus, StatsD, InfluxDB, and full OpenTelemetry ingestion through Tempo and Loki. While its plugin model is powerful, it often requires additional configuration and backend tuning. It suits engineering teams that already maintain their own observability stack and prefer a customizable, open-source ecosystem.

SigNoz

SigNoz is built natively on OpenTelemetry and works well with its SDKs and collectors. It provides easy instrumentation for popular languages and frameworks. It’s best for developer-first teams that rely on code-level tracing and prefer lightweight, self-managed setups.

MELT Support (Metrics, Events, Logs, Traces)

CubeAPM

CubeAPM delivers complete MELT coverage in one backend. Metrics, logs, traces, and events are correlated automatically, reducing troubleshooting time. The unified data model helps teams quickly identify issues across layers—from user behavior to infrastructure—without switching between tools.

Grafana

Grafana supports MELT through its modular stack: Loki for logs, Tempo for traces, and Mimir for metrics. While powerful, this distributed approach requires separate setup and scaling for each service.

SigNoz

SigNoz provides full MELT coverage with strong tracing and metrics capabilities. It’s ideal for teams focused on application performance and debugging.

Deployment Options

CubeAPM

CubeAPM runs self-hosted inside your VPC or on-prem for full data control, yet is managed like SaaS—no maintenance, scaling, or upgrade overhead. Teams benefit from SaaS simplicity with the compliance advantages of local data storage, making it ideal for regulated or data-sensitive environments.

Grafana

Grafana offers both self-hosted and SaaS deployments, but running and maintaining multiple backends like Loki and Tempo can add notable operational overhead as environments scale.

SigNoz

SigNoz offers both self-hosted and SaaS options. The self-hosted option is easy to install using Docker or Kubernetes but can require more manual resource management at scale. It’s a good choice for startups looking to deploy OpenTelemetry quickly without complex licensing.

Pricing: Approximate Cost for Small, Medium & Large Teams

*Disclaimer: Pricing comparisons are based on standardized Small/Medium/Large team profiles defined in our internal benchmarking sheet. Actual costs may vary by usage, region, and plan. Please verify current pricing with each vendor.

An APM host is a host that is actively generating traces data and an Infra host is any physical or virtual OS instance that you monitor with any observability tool.

Cost for Small Teams (~30):

• CubeAPM: $2,080
• Grafana: $3,870
• SigNoz: $4,600

Cost for Mid-Sized Teams (~125):

• CubeAPM: $7,200
• Grafana: $11,875
• SigNoz: $16,000

Cost for Large Teams (~250):

• CubeAPM: $15,200
• Grafana: $26,750
• SigNoz: $34,000

CubeAPM Cost for Small, Medium, and Large Teams

CubeAPM operates on a simple, all-inclusive model of $0.15 per GB of data ingested, with no additional charges for infrastructure, storage, or user licenses. Whether tracking logs, metrics, or traces, CubeAPM’s unified pricing brings complete predictability and transparency across every telemetry type.
Here is a cost breakdown for large, medium, and small teams:

• Small teams (~30): $2,080
• Mid-sized teams (~125): $7,200
• Large teams (~250): $15,200

This structure makes CubeAPM ideal for startups, SaaS platforms, and enterprises handling multi-terabyte telemetry workloads each month.

Grafana Cloud: Cost for Small, Medium, and Large Teams

Grafana’s modular pricing combines base plan fees and per-GB ingestion charges.

• Pro plan: $19/month usage
• Logs:$0.50/GB ingested
• Traces: $0.50 / GB ingested

Here is a cost breakdown for large, medium, and small teams:

• Small teams (~30): $3,870
• Mid-sized teams (~125): $11,875
• Large teams (~250): $26,750

While Grafana’s modular approach gives flexibility for small environments, costs climb quickly once data volume grows.

SigNoz: Cost for Small, Medium, and Large Teams

SigNoz uses a transparent, usage-based pricing structure designed for engineering teams that want control over their ingestion costs. It separates billing by telemetry type—logs, traces, and metrics—allowing teams to scale gradually as observability needs grow.

SigNoz Pricing Overview

• Teams: $49 per month
• Logs: $0.3 per GB ingested
• Traces: $0.3 per GB ingested
• Metrics: $0.10 per million samples
• Free self-hosted edition available

This pay-as-you-grow model keeps the entry barrier low for small teams but can add up as data volumes expand across multiple services and environments.

Team-Size Cost Breakdown
Small teams (~30): $4,600
Mid-sized teams (~125): $16,000
Large teams (~250): $34,000

SigNoz remains an appealing choice for developer-first teams that prioritize OpenTelemetry tracing and metrics. However, because logs, traces, and metrics are billed separately, scaling across distributed systems can make long-term costs unpredictable.

Sampling Strategy

CubeAPM

CubeAPM’s Smart Sampling combines context-aware logic and 95% compression, retaining high-value error and latency traces while dropping redundant data. This approach maintains accuracy in high-throughput systems, reducing storage costs without losing observability fidelity.

Grafana

Grafana supports both head-based sampling, where traces are sampled at the start of a request, and tail-based sampling, where traces are evaluated after completion to retain high-value data such as errors or slow requests.

SigNoz

SigNoz supports multiple sampling strategies, including head-based, tail-based, and probabilistic sampling, allowing teams to balance data volume, cost, and trace fidelity while retaining important requests and errors.

Log Retention

CubeAPM

CubeAPM provides unlimited retention at no extra cost. All telemetry remains in your own cloud storage, ensuring compliance and long-term auditability without additional storage fees.

Grafana

Grafana Cloud data retention depends on the plan: the Free tier retains metrics, logs, traces, profiles, and k6 data for 14 days; the Pro plan retains metrics for 13 months and logs, traces, profiles, and k6 data for 30 days; Enterprise plans offer custom retention periods based on contract.

SigNoz

SigNoz data retention varies by telemetry type: logs and traces are retained for 15 days by default, while metrics are retained for 1 month, with pricing and retention scaling based on usage and plan.

Support Channel & TAT

CubeAPM

CubeAPM provides real-time support via Slack and WhatsApp with response times measured in minutes. This level of direct access to core engineers helps production teams resolve issues quickly and avoid extended downtime.

Grafana

Grafana support is primarily ticket-based. Free users rely on community support with no SLA, paid plans offer email support with P1 responses around 2 business hours and P3 around 6 business hours, while Enterprise plans provide 24/7 support with P1 responses as fast as 30 minutes.

SigNoz

SigNoz offers standard email and in-app chat support, with faster response for paying customers. However it does not provide details about TAT.

Known For

CubeAPM

Known for OpenTelemetry-native observability, unlimited retention, and predictable pricing, CubeAPM combines self-host flexibility with SaaS simplicity. It’s the preferred choice for teams prioritizing compliance, full MELT coverage, and transparent cost scaling.

Grafana

Known for rich visual dashboards and a vast plugin ecosystem, Grafana remains the go-to for open-source observability and visualization-first workloads.

SigNoz

Known for developer-first tracing and easy OpenTelemetry setup, SigNoz appeals to small teams needing quick visibility into application performance without enterprise overhead.

Which Tool Is Best for You? Why Brands Choose CubeAPM

Benefits of Choosing CubeAPM

• Full Data Sovereignty: All telemetry stays within your own cloud or VPC for complete compliance.
• Unified MELT Visibility: One backend for Metrics, Events, Logs, and Traces—eliminating tool sprawl, plug-in maintenance, and context switching.
• Predictable Pricing: Flat ingestion cost of $0.15 per GB across all telemetry types—no per-user, per-host, or feature-based fees.
• Unlimited Retention: Retain logs, metrics, and traces indefinitely without paying per-GB storage premiums.
• Smart Sampling Efficiency: Context-aware sampling with up to 95 % compression while preserving critical latency and error data—optimized performance with lower costs.
• Multi-Agent Compatibility: Works natively with OpenTelemetry, Prometheus, Datadog, and New Relic agents, enabling easy migration from existing setups.
• API Access: Retrieve and manage all telemetry through open APIs at no additional cost.
• Real-Time Support: Direct Slack and WhatsApp access to core engineers with response times measured in minutes.

Grafana vs SigNoz vs CubeAPM: Use Cases

Choose CubeAPM if

You want full-stack observability across applications, infrastructure, and user experience—all in one OpenTelemetry-native platform. CubeAPM provides self-hosting, unlimited retention, and predictable $0.15/GB pricing, giving enterprises control and cost efficiency.
It’s best suited for:

• SRE and platform teams managing Kubernetes, microservices, and cloud workloads.
• Organizations with strict data residency, compliance, or long-term retention needs.
• Teams that want real-time support, 95% sampling efficiency, and up to 80% lower observability spend compared to legacy APMs

Choose Grafana if

You need deep visualization and alerting flexibility for Prometheus, Loki, or Tempo metrics. Grafana is ideal for DevOps teams already running self-managed telemetry pipelines and looking for a unified dashboarding layer.
It’s best suited for:

• Teams comfortable managing multiple open-source backends.
• Organizations prioritizing visual analytics and alerting over full-stack observability.
• Use cases where data volume is moderate, and compliance requirements are minimal.

Choose SigNoz if

You want a lightweight, developer-focused observability platform built on OpenTelemetry. SigNoz is ideal for engineering teams that primarily track traces and metrics to debug application performance.
It’s best suited for:

• Developer-led teams focused on performance optimization and error tracking.
• Startups needing simple tracing without complex multi-layer infrastructure monitoring.
• Environments with lower data ingestion where cost predictability is less critical.

Disclaimer: The information in this article reflects the latest details available at the time of publication and may change as technologies and products evolve.

Conclusion

Grafana and SigNoz both offer capable observability options, but costs increase as usage grows, and managing multiple backends in the case of Grafana increases overhead.

CubeAPM brings everything together in one OpenTelemetry-native stack—covering logs, metrics, traces, and infra under a single backend. It simplifies scaling, improves data control, and cuts the time needed to resolve issues.

For teams aiming to consolidate tools, streamline operations, and gain real-time visibility without complexity, CubeAPM is the clear choice.

FAQs