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AWS X-Ray
What it is
AWS X-Ray collects application request data and provides tools to view, filter, and analyze traces for issues and optimization opportunities. A trace can include request and response details plus calls to downstream AWS resources, microservices, databases, and web APIs. X-Ray also builds a service map of clients, front-end services, and backend services to help teams locate bottlenecks and latency spikes. Applications can send trace data through X-Ray SDKs or APIs, AWS Distro for OpenTelemetry, or CloudWatch Application Signals. AWS integrations can add tracing headers, transmit trace data, run the X-Ray daemon, or instrument requests. For Lambda, the daemon can record invocation details, while the SDK can trace outgoing calls and add annotations and metadata. The SDK samples requests by default, and sampling rules can be configured. X-Ray retains trace data for 30 days, encrypts it at rest, and uses AWS Identity and Access Management for access control. Its pricing page lists monthly free usage allowances, with additional usage billed by usage.
For and against
For
- Maps clients, front-end, and backend services.
- Shows request details and downstream calls.
- Supports AWS Distro for OpenTelemetry.
- Trace data is retained for 30 days.
- Encrypts traces and related data at rest.
Against
- Trace data retention is limited to 30 days.
- Additional usage is billed by usage.
- SDK and daemon releases are limited to security fixes beginning February 25, 2026.
The verdict
AWS X-Ray combines request traces with a service map and supports several ways to send trace data. Teams should note the 30-day retention period and the stated shift toward OpenTelemetry for SDK and daemon development.
Who it suits
AWS X-Ray suits teams that need to trace requests across AWS resources and other services, inspect latency, and analyze application behavior. It also supports sending traces with OpenTelemetry options.
Plans and prices
Free tier
100,000 traces recorded · 1,000,000 traces retrieved or scanned
Read 15 Oct 2026 · aws.amazon.com
Usage above free tier
$0.0000005 per trace retrieved or scanned · first 100,000 recorded and 1,000,000 retrieved/scanned free monthly
Read 15 Oct 2026 · aws.amazon.com
AWS X-Ray pay-as-you-go
100,000 traces recorded per month free · first 1,000,000 traces retrieved or scanned per month free · additional usage billed by usage
Read 5 Oct 2026 · aws.amazon.com
On the record
- Access control
- AWS Identity and Access Management controls access to X-Ray at the API level, and X-Ray supports identity-based and resource-based policies.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- API Gateway integration
- API Gateway supports active and passive tracing, applies sampling rules and adds a gateway-stage node to the service map.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- AWS integrations
- AWS service integrations can add tracing headers, send trace data, run the X-Ray daemon, or instrument requests; examples include AWS Lambda and AWS Distro for OpenTelemetry.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Company founding
- LinkedIn says AWS launched in 2006 as a provider of infrastructure web services.linkedin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Company size
- LinkedIn lists Amazon Web Services with more than 10,001 employees and Seattle, Washington as headquarters.linkedin.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Daemon licence
- The open-source X-Ray daemon repository is licensed under Apache 2.0.github.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Daemon platforms
- AWS publishes daemon executables or installers for Linux, macOS and Windows, plus container images.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Documentation depth
- The API reference was updated October 7, 2026 and documents trace-management and service-map operations.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Encryption
- X-Ray always encrypts traces and related data at rest and can use an AWS KMS key, including a customer-managed key.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Instrumentation
- Applications can send incoming, outgoing and in-application event data with metadata, often through configuration changes or SDKs.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Instrumentation options
- Applications can send trace data to X-Ray using X-Ray SDKs, X-Ray APIs, AWS Distro for OpenTelemetry, or CloudWatch Application Signals.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Integration modes
- AWS integrations can provide active instrumentation, passive instrumentation, request-header propagation and daemon tooling.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Lambda integration
- Lambda supports active and passive X-Ray instrumentation and adds Lambda service and function nodes to trace maps.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Lambda tracing
- AWS Lambda can run the X-Ray daemon and record invocation details, while the X-Ray SDK can add outgoing-call tracing, annotations, and metadata.docs.aws.amazon.com · read 5 Oct 2026
- Legal maker
- The legal entity is Amazon Web Services, Inc., headquartered at 410 Terry Avenue North, Seattle, Washington, with a creation date of May 3, 2006.lei.bloomberg.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: G2 learning and price
- G2 reviewers mention a learning curve, occasional inaccurate analysis or freezing, and high price concerns.g2.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Gartner usability
- Gartner feedback repeatedly describes the product as unintuitive and cites weak debugging intuitiveness.gartner.com · read 15 Oct 2026
- Limit: Software Advice reliability
- Software Advice reviews mention interface glitches, intermittent application errors, delayed output and a limited six-hour view in one report.softwareadvice.com · read 15 Oct 2026
