Graylog collects, indexes and searches logs, with streams, alerts and dashboards on top. Its source is public, but the Graylog repository carries the Server Side Public License (SSPL), which the Open Source Initiative does not recognise as open source. Teams that need an OSI licence for policy or procurement reasons have several options.
Every project below is under an OSI-approved licence (AGPL-3.0, Apache-2.0, MIT), checked against its repository. Some of them are log-first and some cover logs, metrics and traces together, so pick by how much of the observability stack you want in one tool.
Licences checked against each repository on November 7, 2026.
What you're replacing
•Central log ingestion from servers and apps
•Full-text search and filtered streams
•Dashboards and alerting on log events
•Retention and storage control on your own infrastructure
Best for: Cost-efficient log aggregation next to Grafana
A horizontally scalable log aggregation system inspired by Prometheus. It indexes labels rather than the full text of logs and is queried with LogQL, usually through Grafana.
Strengths
+ Label-based indexing keeps storage lean
+ Works natively with Grafana dashboards
+ Scales from a single binary to a distributed setup
Trade-offs
− Full-text search is less central than in Graylog
Best for: OpenTelemetry-native logs, metrics and traces
An open-source observability platform built on OpenTelemetry that unifies logs, metrics and traces in one application. Core code is MIT; the ee/ directory is under a separate licence.
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How to choose
If you need…
Start with
Logs alongside Grafana dashboards
Grafana Loki
All-in-one for logs, metrics and traces
OpenObserve or SigNoz
Lowest resource use
VictoriaLogs
SQL on object storage
Parseable
Debugging with session replay
HyperDX
ELK-style full-text search
OpenSearch
Often called open source, but aren't
Public source code, but under licences the Open Source Initiative doesn't approve. Fine to use; read the terms first.
Graylog(SSPL)
Source code is public and free to run, but the Server Side Public License is not OSI-approved, so Graylog itself does not qualify as open source.
Open-source Graylog alternatives: FAQ
Quick answers to common questions
Is Graylog open source?
The Graylog server repository is licensed under the Server Side Public License, which the OSI does not approve. The code is public, but it is not open source by the OSI definition.
What is the closest open-source alternative to Graylog?
For ELK-style full-text search, OpenSearch plus a dashboard is the nearest match. For a lighter log-first tool, Loki and VictoriaLogs are popular.
Can I keep using Graylog for internal use?
The SSPL's restrictions apply mainly to offering the software as a service. Check the licence and your legal team's policy, since many organisations require an OSI licence regardless.
Do these tools support alerts?
Several do, such as Loki through Grafana alerting and OpenObserve and SigNoz built in, but features and depth differ. Check each project's docs for your use case.
Will I need to rewrite my log shipping?
Often not. Many accept syslog, OpenTelemetry or common shippers, but supported protocols vary by project, so test ingestion before migrating.
Maintain an open-source Graylog alternative?
List it on TechLogHub and we'll review it for this page.
