HyperObserve vs Prometheus
Compare complete observability platform with metrics-only monitoring. See why teams upgrade from Prometheus to HyperObserve.
Key Differences at a Glance
Deployment
HyperObserve: 5 minutes
Prometheus: Hours of setup
Coverage
HyperObserve: Full stack
Prometheus: Metrics only
Maintenance
HyperObserve: Fully managed
Prometheus: Self-managed
Feature-by-Feature Comparison
| Feature | HyperObserve | Prometheus |
|---|---|---|
| Implementation | Zero code changes, eBPF-based | Requires exporters for each service |
| Performance Overhead | <5% CPU overhead | 1-5% per exporter |
| Time to Deploy | 5 minutes, automatic discovery | Hours configuring exporters |
| Cost | $99/host simple pricing | Open source (self-managed) |
| Application Tracing | Built-in distributed tracing | Metrics only, no tracing |
| Database Monitoring | MySQL, PostgreSQL, MongoDB, Redis auto-detected | Requires database exporters |
| Learning Curve | Minimal - works out of box | Steep - PromQL, exporters, config |
| Data Storage | Built-in with 7 backend options | Local storage, needs external TSDB |
| High Availability | Built-in clustering | Complex federation setup |
| Visualization | Built-in dashboards & analytics | Requires Grafana |
Note: HyperObserve's eBPF-based monitoring requires Linux kernel 4.14+ for full features. Prometheus runs on any platform but requires exporters for each service you want to monitor.
Architecture Comparison
HyperObserve: Complete Platform
All-in-One Solution
Metrics, logs, traces, and RUM in a single platform
Automatic Discovery
eBPF auto-detects all services without configuration
Built-in Everything
Storage, visualization, alerting, and analytics included
Prometheus: Metrics Only
Metrics-Focused
Only collects metrics, needs separate tools for logs/traces
Manual Configuration
Each service needs an exporter configured and maintained
Additional Tools Needed
Requires Grafana, AlertManager, external storage, etc.
Total Cost of Ownership
HyperObserve
Software Cost
$99/host/month
All features included
Engineering Time
Minimal
5 minute setup, no ongoing maintenance
10-host environment:
$990/month total
Prometheus Stack
Software Cost
$0
Open source
Engineering Time
Significant
- • Setup: 40-80 hours
- • Maintenance: 20-40 hours/month
- • Exporter management
- • Storage scaling
Hidden costs:
- • 0.5-1 FTE engineer
- • External storage (Thanos, Cortex)
- • Grafana Enterprise
When to Choose Each
Choose HyperObserve When You Need:
- Complete observability (metrics + logs + traces)
- Fast deployment without code changes
- Application performance monitoring
- Managed solution with support
- AI-powered analytics and predictions
Choose Prometheus When You Have:
- Dedicated monitoring team
- Only need basic metrics
- Existing Prometheus expertise
- Time to manage infrastructure
- Strict open-source requirements
Migrating from Prometheus to HyperObserve
Deploy HyperObserve Agent
Install alongside Prometheus - they don't conflict. Get immediate full-stack visibility.
Import Prometheus Metrics
HyperObserve can scrape Prometheus endpoints directly for gradual migration.
Recreate Dashboards & Alerts
Use our Grafana migration tool or recreate dashboards with enhanced visualizations.
Decommission Prometheus Stack
Once verified, remove Prometheus, exporters, and associated infrastructure.
Benefits After Migration:
- • 80% reduction in monitoring infrastructure
- • Application tracing and RUM added automatically
- • No more exporter management
- • Built-in log aggregation and analysis
"We spent months setting up Prometheus, Grafana, Loki, and Tempo. HyperObserve replaced all of it in 5 minutes with better visibility and 1/10th the operational overhead."
Sarah Chen
VP Engineering, TechCorp
Ready for Complete Observability?
See why teams upgrade from Prometheus to HyperObserve
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