SigNoz

SigNoz is an open-source observability tool for monitoring applications and infrastructure. It brings logs, metrics, traces and exceptions together with signal explorers and alerting. Its OpenTelemetry-native design avoids proprietary agents, while the Query Builder supports aggregations, filters and formulas across signal types. Alerts can use thresholds, anomaly detection or Apdex, and teams can create dashboards that combine metrics, logs and traces.

APM charts cover p99 latency, error rate, Apdex and operations per second, with database and external-call monitoring. Distributed tracing includes flamegraph and Gantt-chart views for following requests across services. SigNoz uses ClickHouse for telemetry queries and storage, with hot and cold tiers. It is available as a cloud service or can be self-hosted with Docker, Docker Swarm or Kubernetes. Cloud offers new users 30-day access to all features. Self-hosted Community is free, but users manage infrastructure, storage, scaling, upgrades and backups. Cloud Teams costs $49 a month minimum, with $49 usage included and additional signal charges.

SigNoz combines observability signals with querying, alerting and tracing in cloud or self-hosted forms. The free self-hosted option places infrastructure operations on the user, while cloud costs can include signal charges.

SigNoz suits teams monitoring application and infrastructure telemetry across logs, metrics, traces and exceptions. It offers a cloud option and self-managed deployment for teams prepared to run their own infrastructure.

SigNoz is an OpenTelemetry-based observability platform for teams that need to monitor applications and infrastructure. It suits engineering groups that want to investigate logs, metrics and traces together, but its cloud usage charges or self-hosting workload make it a less natural fit for teams seeking a hands-off, fixed-cost service.

Overview

SigNoz brings logs, metrics, traces and exceptions into one workspace, with explorers and alerting across those signals. Its OpenTelemetry-native approach avoids proprietary agents, which helps teams keep instrumentation vendor-free rather than tying collection to a particular monitoring vendor.

The platform also covers application performance monitoring, with charts for p99 latency, error rate, Apdex and operations per second, plus database and external-call monitoring. Distributed tracing adds flamegraph and Gantt-chart views for following requests across services. This range makes SigNoz useful when a team needs to connect application symptoms with request paths and telemetry, rather than investigate each signal in a separate tool.

Key features

Cross-signal queries and alerting

The Query Builder supports aggregations, filters and formulas across signal types, and custom dashboards can combine metrics, logs and traces. Threshold, anomaly and Apdex-based alerts let teams choose different ways to detect problems. Together, these features offer flexibility for teams shaping observability around their services, though that flexibility presumes users can define useful queries and alert conditions.

Tracing and telemetry storage

Flamegraph and Gantt views help track requests across services, while ClickHouse backs queries and telemetry storage. Hot and cold storage tiers give the platform a way to balance access and storage needs. The official integrations directory spans 45 integrations, including Temporal, databases and major cloud platforms such as AWS, Azure and GCP.

Security and deployment

SigNoz Cloud is SOC2 Type II and HIPAA compliant, with data centers in the United States, European Union and India. Self-hosted installation options cover Docker, Docker Swarm and Kubernetes. The choice is meaningful: self-hosting keeps infrastructure and operations in the user's hands, while cloud reduces that burden but puts telemetry usage into the bill.

Pricing

SigNoz offers a free self-hosted Community plan and a 30-day free access period to all SigNoz Cloud features for new users. The free self-hosted option costs nothing, but users manage infrastructure, storage, scaling, upgrades and backups themselves. It is best for teams able to own that operational work, not those who need a managed service at no charge.

SigNoz Cloud for Startups costs $19 a month, billed for the first 12 months, and includes $19 telemetry usage. Eligibility is restricted to startups less than three years old, with fewer than 30 employees and less than $6 million raised. It is a lower-cost entry for qualifying young companies, but it is not a general-purpose discounted plan.

SigNoz Cloud Teams costs $49 a month minimum, with $49 of usage included. Additional usage is charged at $0.30/GB for logs, $0.30/GB for traces and $0.10/mn samples for metrics. Unlimited teammates and hosts make it suitable for teams that need room to grow across people and infrastructure, but the minimum bill can rise with signal consumption.

Enterprise starts at $4,000 a month and includes Cloud Dedicated, BYOC, self-hosted enterprise support, volume discounts, annual contracts and dedicated support. It is aimed at organizations that need those deployment and support arrangements; the minimum starting price and annual contract make it a poor match for small teams. In-product chat, email and Slack support are included with Teams.

Platforms

SigNoz lists Android, iOS, API, web and self-hosted platforms. Its hybrid deployment model accommodates managed cloud and self-managed use, with Docker, Docker Swarm and Kubernetes installation options for self-hosting.

Who it's for

SigNoz is a strong fit for engineering teams standardizing on OpenTelemetry that want logs, metrics, traces, exceptions, dashboards and alerting in one observability workflow. It is particularly practical for teams that need cross-service tracing and can either operate their own deployment or budget for usage-based cloud telemetry.

It is less compelling for teams that cannot take on self-hosting and need predictable costs independent of usage. The free Community plan requires operational ownership, while cloud plans include usage allowances and then charge by telemetry volume.

Pros and cons

• Pro: OpenTelemetry-native collection avoids proprietary agents, preserving vendor-free instrumentation.
• Pro: Logs, metrics, traces and exceptions share explorers, queries, dashboards and alerting, supporting cross-signal investigation.
• Pro: Tracing views, application-performance charts and database and external-call monitoring cover multiple stages of performance diagnosis.
• Con: The free self-hosted plan leaves infrastructure, scaling, storage, upgrades and backups to the user.
• Con: Cloud Teams has a monthly minimum and usage-based charges for logs, traces and metrics, so telemetry growth can raise costs.
• Con: The $19 startup plan is limited to companies meeting age, headcount and funding thresholds.

Alternatives

For AI agent observability alternatives, see AI Agent Observability Tools. Teams focused on distributed request tracing can compare options in Distributed Tracing Tools, while Kubernetes-centric monitoring needs may point to Kubernetes Monitoring. For a broader APM comparison, browse Application Performance Monitoring; teams centered on metrics can use Metrics Monitoring Tools, and those choosing across observability suites can consult Observability Platforms.

Agenta is another freemium option with a free Hobby plan for two team members, 5,000 agent runs per month, 20 evaluations per month and one-week trace retention. PetalTrace is a free alternative with API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web and Windows platforms. Traccia offers a free Hobby plan with 50K events and seven-day retention, or an Observe plan at $99 a month with 500K events and $12/100K overage. TraceRoot has a Starter plan at $30 a month with unlimited seats, 150k events per month, 30-day retention and 100 chat runs per month. VoltOps offers a free Developer plan at no cost with one seat, one prompt, one project and 250 traces per month. Arize AX has a free SaaS plan with 10 issues per month, 25k trace spans per month, 1 GB ingestion, 15-day retention, unlimited users and evaluations. Braintrust has a free Starter plan with 1 GB processed data, 10,000 scores, 14-day retention and unlimited users, projects and datasets. Fiddler AI is another freemium alternative.

Verdict

Choose SigNoz if your team wants OpenTelemetry-based logs, metrics, traces and alerting together, and has the operational capacity for self-hosting or the budget to cover cloud telemetry usage. Its breadth and vendor-free instrumentation are the main reasons to choose it; look elsewhere if you need predictable managed pricing without usage-linked charges or cannot take responsibility for a self-managed deployment.