Elastic vs. Splunk for logs, security, and observability

The right observability and security solution is fast, affordable, and built for the future of generative AI.

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Review the key differences between the Elastic and Splunk data tiers.

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Say goodbye to Splunk limitations — elevate observability with Elastic.

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Stay ahead of threats. Empower your teams with AI-driven security analytics.

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Your peers cut costs by migrating from Splunk to Elastic

  • 85
    %

    reduction in time spent identifying and resolving incidents, realized by a leading multinational telecommunication company (400TB ingested per day)

  • $27M

    total annual benefits realized by a leading financial services company by migrating from Splunk to Elastic

  • 50
    %

    reduction in costs compared with Splunk through more efficient data management

Elastic vs. Splunk: Key differences

Elastic
Splunk
User experience
Elastic provides a fully unified user interface for observability and security on the same Elastic Search AI Platform.
Splunk's fragmented offerings include Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Cloud, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk SOAR, Splunk User Behavior Analytics, and Splunk Observability Cloud. Splunk's acquisitions don't integrate well, creating siloed solutions that are an obstacle to speedy problem resolution.
Insights
Elastic offers advanced search and generative AI capabilities, including vector search, natural language processing (NLP), a generative AI Assistant powered by RAG, AI-driven Attack Discovery, an open library of machine learning (ML) models, and easily customizable ML jobs for any type of data or use case.
Splunk lacks advanced AI and analytics capabilities, hampered by disjointed data sets.
Pricing
Pricing is simple — it's based only on the resources you use. A single Elastic SKU provides all features across Observability, Security, and Search.
Each Splunk product has a different pricing model. And achieving full-stack observability and security requires purchase of multiple solutions and add-ons. Volume and compute-based pricing options add further complexity and costs.
Storage and performance
Gain a unified data store for all data (logs, events, metrics, traces, profiling, business data, etc.) with fast access, even from cost-effective archival tiers (without rehydration). Get up to 65% more compression with the new logsdb index mode. Rapidly analyze all of your data — no matter where it's located.
Splunk's disjointed solution architecture fragments data sets (e.g., log data siloed from metrics and traces). Further, Splunk's data tiering approach results in a higher cost-to-performance ratio than the Elastic equivalent, with the lowest-cost tiers requiring rehydration (24hr) to access.
Query language
Elastic's piped query language and engine, ES|QL, addresses many of the previous constraints around JSON-based DSL queries.
Splunk's piped query language, SPL, allows you to search and manipulate Splunk data.
User experience
Insights
Pricing
Storage and performance
Query language
Elastic
Splunk
Elastic provides a fully unified user interface for observability and security on the same Elastic Search AI Platform.
Splunk's fragmented offerings include Splunk Enterprise, Splunk Cloud, Splunk Enterprise Security, Splunk SOAR, Splunk User Behavior Analytics, and Splunk Observability Cloud. Splunk's acquisitions don't integrate well, creating siloed solutions that are an obstacle to speedy problem resolution.
Elastic offers advanced search and generative AI capabilities, including vector search, natural language processing (NLP), a generative AI Assistant powered by RAG, AI-driven Attack Discovery, an open library of machine learning (ML) models, and easily customizable ML jobs for any type of data or use case.
Splunk lacks advanced AI and analytics capabilities, hampered by disjointed data sets.
Pricing is simple — it's based only on the resources you use. A single Elastic SKU provides all features across Observability, Security, and Search.
Each Splunk product has a different pricing model. And achieving full-stack observability and security requires purchase of multiple solutions and add-ons. Volume and compute-based pricing options add further complexity and costs.
Gain a unified data store for all data (logs, events, metrics, traces, profiling, business data, etc.) with fast access, even from cost-effective archival tiers (without rehydration). Get up to 65% more compression with the new logsdb index mode. Rapidly analyze all of your data — no matter where it's located.
Splunk's disjointed solution architecture fragments data sets (e.g., log data siloed from metrics and traces). Further, Splunk's data tiering approach results in a higher cost-to-performance ratio than the Elastic equivalent, with the lowest-cost tiers requiring rehydration (24hr) to access.
Elastic's piped query language and engine, ES|QL, addresses many of the previous constraints around JSON-based DSL queries.
Splunk's piped query language, SPL, allows you to search and manipulate Splunk data.

See why companies like yours choose Elastic

Learn about the real-world benefits of using the Elastic Search AI Platform for observability and security.

  • Informatica cuts costs, accelerates mean time to resolution (MTTR), and stays one step ahead of threats to system performance — all with a unified observability and security solution.

  • Booking.com protects its brand with a truly integrated security and observability solution that automates data gathering, analysis, detection, and response.

  • Comcast enables its engineers to iterate and innovate faster with essential feedback from Elastic Observability.

Splunk Replacement for Data Management

Elastic vs. Splunk: Cold truth about data tiers

To be successful with Splunk, you need dedicated resources plus a near-term and long-term storage strategy. Many Splunk customers struggle to align their evolving business needs to the correct data storage option.

But with Elastic, you get simple, straight-forward, and centralized data management — with no hidden agenda or costs. Search across geos in milliseconds, not seconds. Query archival tiers in minutes, not hours. Compare the capabilities of Splunk versus Elastic data tiers so you can make an informed, cost-effective decision.

Splunk Replacement for Logging

Elastic Observability

In Splunk, logs are fragmented and separated from traces and metrics. Teams cannot see the full picture on one screen. Take the first step by consolidating your logs on Elastic and gain the benefits of a unified observability solution built with Search AI. With end-to-end visibility across all your logs, metrics, and traces, correlated and in context, you can decrease MTTR and lower TCO.

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Splunk Replacement for SIEM

Elastic Security

Many legacy SIEMs, like Splunk, weren't built to adjust to your business's needs. AI-driven security analytics is critical to adapt to the latest breed of threats. Accelerate SecOps workflows and reduce risk with Elastic. You get limitless scalability, advanced analytics, and generative AI insights to eliminate blind spots, strengthen defenses, and mitigate the global cyber skills shortage. The AI revolution is here — and SIEM will never be the same.

Elastic Security for SIEM, with SOC dashboard, ML findings, and detection rules

Splunk and other related marks are trademarks or registered trademarks of Splunk Inc. in the United States and other countries. All other brand names, product names, or trademarks belong to their respective owners.

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