Prometheus vs VictoriaMetrics: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Prometheus and VictoriaMetrics side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Prometheus
Monitoring and alerting toolkit
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (VictoriaMetrics requires payment)
VictoriaMetrics
Simple, reliable, and efficient monitoring for everyone, built by engineers for engineers.
Best for you if:
- • You want significantly reduces compute and storage costs compared to alternatives
| At a Glance | Prometheus | VictoriaMetrics |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free 100% free | Free plan |
Category | DevOps Monitoring | DevOps Monitoring |
Rating | 4.5/5 G2 4.5 61 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Storage costs grow linearly with metric cardinality and retention period | n/a |
Choose Prometheus or VictoriaMetrics?
Choose Prometheus if
- You want a fully free tool (VictoriaMetrics requires payment)
- You want industry standard
- You want great for metrics
Choose VictoriaMetrics if
- You want significantly reduces compute and storage costs compared to alternatives
- You want exceptional data compression allows for storing more data for longer periods
In-Depth Analysis
Prometheus
Monitoring and alerting toolkit
Prometheus is 100% free and open source (Apache 2.0).
Watch out
Storage costs grow linearly with metric cardinality and retention period
Strengths
- Pro: Industry standard
- Pro: Great for metrics
- Pro: Open source
Weaknesses
- Con: Long-term storage
- Con: Learning curve
Key features
VictoriaMetrics
Simple, reliable, and efficient monitoring for everyone, built by engineers for engineers.
VictoriaMetrics offers a highly generous pricing model with its comprehensive free open-source tier, providing powerful monitoring, logging, and tracing capabilities at no cost.
Strengths
- Pro: Significantly reduces compute and storage costs compared to alternatives.
- Pro: Exceptional data compression allows for storing more data for longer periods.
- Pro: High performance for data ingestion and querying, even with massive datasets.
- Pro: Easy to set up and operate, with a single binary and no extra dependencies.
- Pro: Open-source core with strong community support and enterprise options for advanced needs.
Weaknesses
- Con: Specific cons are not explicitly mentioned in the provided text, but as with any complex system, there could be a learning curve for advanced features or self-hosting.
Key features
Plans and prices: Prometheus vs VictoriaMetrics
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Prometheus |
| prometheus.io read Oct 2, 2026 |
| VictoriaMetrics |
| victoriametrics.com read Oct 3, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Prometheus pricing and VictoriaMetrics pricing.
Key Takeaways
Prometheus
- Choose if you want monitoring and alerting toolkit
VictoriaMetrics
- Choose if you want simple, reliable, and efficient monitoring for everyone, built by engineers for engineers
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- Only Prometheus has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 61 reviews); VictoriaMetrics has none we can show.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Prometheus and VictoriaMetrics compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Only Prometheus has a published user rating (4.5/5 from 61 reviews); VictoriaMetrics has none we can show. Both have a free plan.
What are Prometheus and VictoriaMetrics used for?
Prometheus: Monitoring and alerting toolkit. VictoriaMetrics: Simple, reliable, and efficient monitoring for everyone, built by engineers for engineers.
What does Prometheus cost vs VictoriaMetrics?
Prometheus is free. VictoriaMetrics has no public paid-plan price on file. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 3, 2026.
What's the main difference between Prometheus and VictoriaMetrics?
Prometheus's main strength: industry standard. VictoriaMetrics's main strength: significantly reduces compute and storage costs compared to alternatives.