GitHub vs OpenObserve: Pricing Comparison (2026)
GitHub starts at $4/mo. OpenObserve starts at Free. OpenObserve is $4/mo cheaper on the entry tier than GitHub.
See price history: GitHub · OpenObserve
The dominant developer platform (source control + code review + CI/CD + package registry), owned by Microsoft ($7.5B acquisition, 2018). Positioned as the alternative to GitLab and Bitbucket for the vast majority of open-source and enterprise software teams. Distinctive for its Copilot AI product ($10-$39/user/mo) that became Microsoft's fastest-growing AI SKU. Priced free (unlimited public + private repos) up to $21/user/mo Enterprise. Real cost bloat: GitHub Actions minutes and Copilot seats scale with team activity.
OpenObserve is a Datadog/Splunk/New Relic alternative positioned on transparent pay-as-you-go pricing with no per-seat or per-host fees. Cloud PAYG: $0.50/GB ingestion + $0.01/GB query (30% off with annual commit). Includes 15-month metrics retention + 30-day non-metrics retention default. Enterprise adds SSO/RBAC, AI SRE agent, BYO bucket infinite retention. Self-hosted OSS is free; Self-hosted Enterprise free up to 50GB/day.
All plans compared
| # | Plan | GitHub monthly | GitHub annual | OpenObserve monthly | OpenObserve annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Free / Cloud Professional (PAYG) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 2 | Team / Cloud Enterprise | 4 | 4 | custom | custom |
| 3 | Enterprise / Self-hosted (OSS) | 21 | 21 | 0 | 0 |
| 4 | Self-hosted Enterprise | — | — | 0 | 0 |
What each is best for
The dominant developer platform (source control + code review + CI/CD + package registry), owned by Microsoft ($7.5B acquisition, 2018). Positioned as the alternative to GitLab and Bitbucket for the vast majority of open-source and enterprise software teams. Distinctive for its Copilot AI product ($10-$39/user/mo) that became Microsoft's fastest-growing AI SKU. Priced free (unlimited public + private repos) up to $21/user/mo Enterprise. Real cost bloat: GitHub Actions minutes and Copilot seats scale with team activity.
OpenObserve is a Datadog/Splunk/New Relic alternative positioned on transparent pay-as-you-go pricing with no per-seat or per-host fees. Cloud PAYG: $0.50/GB ingestion + $0.01/GB query (30% off with annual commit). Includes 15-month metrics retention + 30-day non-metrics retention default. Enterprise adds SSO/RBAC, AI SRE agent, BYO bucket infinite retention. Self-hosted OSS is free; Self-hosted Enterprise free up to 50GB/day.
At a glance
| GitHub | OpenObserve | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Entry price | $4/mo | Free |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Seat | Per Usage |
| Last verified | August 16, 2026 | August 18, 2026 |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified August 18, 2026. Tracked daily.
