Jaeger vs Honeycomb
Self-host swap-in for Honeycomb. · Self-host Honeycomb · Jaeger on os-alt
Jaeger is one of the open-source self-host replacements for Honeycomb — license Apache-2.0, 10min docker run (`all-in-one`) for dev; 1h for production with Cassandra/Elasticsearch backend to stand up, and $5/mo vps for dev; $50+/mo for production with elasticsearch storage. Compare against Honeycomb's Free 20M events/mo; Pro $130/mo for 100M events; Enterprise custom below.
| Jaegeropen-source | Honeycombpaid SaaS | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Distributed tracing / observability | Distributed tracing / observability |
| License / pricing | Apache-2.0 | Free 20M events/mo; Pro $130/mo for 100M events; Enterprise custom |
| Starting price | $0 self-host | $130/user/mo |
| GitHub | jaegertracing/jaeger | closed source |
| Setup time | 10min docker run (`all-in-one`) for dev; 1h for production with Cassandra/Elasticsearch backend | SaaS — sign up + bill |
| Monthly cost | $5/mo VPS for dev; $50+/mo for production with Elasticsearch storage. | from $130/user/mo (Free 20M events/mo; Pro $130/mo for 100M events; Enterprise custom) |
Switching from Honeycomb to Jaeger
`docker run --rm -d -p 16686:16686 -p 4317:4317 -p 4318:4318 jaegertracing/all-in-one`. Apps export OTLP to Jaeger directly (it's an OTel collector + storage + UI in one image). Migration from Honeycomb: change OTLP endpoint to Jaeger's. Trace search via service/operation/tag is the focus; metrics and logs are not in scope (Jaeger is traces-only).
- Good fit for
- Pure trace exploration — span search, dependency graphs, latency histograms — without the metric/log surface.
- Weak at
- No metrics or logs; no SLO management; you'll pair with Prometheus and Loki for the rest.
Other open-source self-host alternatives to Honeycomb
In a terminal? npx os-alt honeycomb prints Honeycomb's self-host options —
how the CLI works →
FAQ
Is Jaeger a free alternative to Honeycomb?
Yes — Jaeger is open source under Apache-2.0. Self-host cost: $5/mo VPS for dev; $50+/mo for production with Elasticsearch storage.. Honeycomb starts at $130/user/mo (Free 20M events/mo; Pro $130/mo for 100M events; Enterprise custom).
How long does Jaeger take to set up vs Honeycomb?
Self-hosting Jaeger: 10min docker run (`all-in-one`) for dev; 1h for production with Cassandra/Elasticsearch backend. Honeycomb is a hosted SaaS — sign up and you're in.
What is Jaeger good at, and what is it weak at?
Good fit for: Pure trace exploration — span search, dependency graphs, latency histograms — without the metric/log surface.. Weak at: No metrics or logs; no SLO management; you'll pair with Prometheus and Loki for the rest..