HyperObserve vs Grafana
Complete observability platform vs visualization tool. Understand the fundamental differences in approach.
Fundamental Differences
Scope
HyperObserve: Full platform
Grafana: Visualization only
Data Collection
HyperObserve: Built-in eBPF
Grafana: External sources
Complexity
HyperObserve: Single solution
Grafana: Multiple tools
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | HyperObserve | Grafana |
|---|---|---|
| Core Functionality | Complete observability platform | Visualization layer only |
| Data Collection | Built-in eBPF collectors | Requires external data sources |
| Time to Value | 5 minutes to full visibility | Days setting up data sources |
| Cost Model | $99/host all-inclusive | Free OSS / $299+ Cloud |
| APM & Tracing | Native distributed tracing | Via Tempo integration |
| Log Management | 100% log parsing built-in | Via Loki integration |
| AI Analytics | 85%+ accuracy anomaly detection | Basic threshold alerts only |
| Maintenance | Zero maintenance required | Complex stack management |
| Visualization | Built-in dashboards | Industry-leading visualizations |
| Community | Growing ecosystem | Large plugin ecosystem |
Important: Grafana is primarily a visualization tool, not a complete monitoring platform. It requires external data sources like Prometheus, Loki, and Tempo for metrics, logs, and traces.
Stack Requirements
HyperObserve Stack
HyperObserve Agent
Single lightweight agent
That's it!
- Data collection included
- Storage included
- Visualization included
- Alerting included
Typical Grafana Stack
Grafana
Visualization
Prometheus
Metrics + Exporters
Loki
Logs + Promtail
Tempo
Traces + Instrumentation
AlertManager
Alert routing
5+ tools to manage!
Operational Overhead Comparison
HyperObserve Operations
Initial Setup
5 minutes
Install agent, done
Ongoing Maintenance
0 hours/month
Fully managed
Required Skills
Minimal
Works out of the box
Grafana Stack Operations
Initial Setup
1-2 weeks
Configure entire stack
Ongoing Maintenance
40+ hours/month
Updates, scaling, troubleshooting
Required Skills
Extensive
- • Prometheus & PromQL
- • Loki & LogQL
- • Kubernetes operations
- • Storage management
When to Choose Each
Choose HyperObserve When You:
- Want complete observability solution
- Need metrics, logs, and traces together
- Prefer managed solution
- Want AI-powered insights
- Value quick time-to-value
Choose Grafana When You:
- Already have data sources
- Only need visualization layer
- Have dedicated ops team
- Need custom visualizations
- Want plugin ecosystem
Using HyperObserve with Grafana
Best of Both Worlds
You don't have to choose! HyperObserve can work alongside Grafana:
HyperObserve as Data Source
Use HyperObserve for data collection and query it from Grafana via our API
Replace Complex Stack
Replace Prometheus + Loki + Tempo with HyperObserve, keep Grafana for visualization
Gradual Migration
Start with HyperObserve dashboards, migrate custom Grafana dashboards over time
Pro tip: This approach gives you HyperObserve's automatic data collection and AI insights while maintaining your existing Grafana dashboards.
Real-World Experiences
"We loved Grafana but maintaining the entire LGTM stack was killing us. HyperObserve replaced everything except Grafana, saving us 30 hours/month."
Michael Torres
Platform Lead, FinTech Startup
"Grafana is great at what it does - visualization. But we needed monitoring, not just dashboards. HyperObserve gave us the complete solution."
Lisa Park
CTO, E-commerce Platform
Get Complete Observability in 5 Minutes
Stop managing tools. Start monitoring applications.
Works with your existing Grafana dashboards