Ingest, transform, and send data with 200+ plugins
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37 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free, no paid tier
Biggest pro
Flexible pipelines
Biggest con
Resource intensive
TL;DR - Logstash
- Logstash is an open-source data processing pipeline for log ingestion
- It collects, transforms, and sends logs to Elasticsearch and other destinations
- Free and open-source, part of the Elastic Stack
Pricing: Free forever
Best for: Individuals & startups
4.6/5 across review platforms
What is Logstash?
Logstash is an open-source data processing pipeline that ingests, transforms, and sends data. Part of the Elastic Stack alongside Elasticsearch and Kibana. 200+ plugins connect to data sources and destinations. Filter and enrich logs in real-time. Scale horizontally for high-volume data. The ETL pipeline for log and event data.
Available on: Web, Linux, macOS, Windows
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Flexible pipelines
- Many inputs/outputs
- Part of ELK stack
Cons
- Resource intensive
- JVM overhead
Ratings Across the Web
4.6(37 reviews)
Ratings aggregated from independent review platforms. Learn more
Key Features
Data pipelineParsingEnrichmentOutput pluginsElastic StackOpen source
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked Jul 13, 2026
Free
Free
Open source
- Data collection
- 200+ plugins
- Real-time processing
- Transformation pipelines
- Apache 2.0 license
Reviews
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4.6/5
Across 37 verified user reviews on Capterra, SourceForge
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Logstash FAQ
How does Logstash facilitate log management?
Logstash serves as an open-source data processing pipeline that ingests, transforms, and sends log data. It allows users to filter and enrich logs in real-time, making it a key component for comprehensive log management within the Elastic Stack.
Which teams benefit most from using Logstash?
Logstash is best suited for development teams and operations teams that require robust ETL capabilities for log and event data. Its ability to ingest, transform, and send data with over 200 plugins makes it valuable for managing diverse data sources.
How is Logstash priced?
Logstash is free to use, as it is an open-source data processing pipeline. There are no paid plans required to utilize its features for ingesting, transforming, and sending data.
Can Logstash integrate with various data sources and destinations?
Yes, Logstash is designed for extensive integration, offering over 200 plugins to connect to a wide array of data sources and destinations. This flexibility allows it to ingest data from many origins and send it to diverse targets.
What kind of trade-offs should users consider when implementing Logstash?
Users should be aware that Logstash can be resource-intensive due to its JVM overhead. While it offers powerful data processing capabilities, its operational footprint requires consideration.
How does Logstash compare to Apache Kafka for data processing?
Logstash is primarily an ETL pipeline focused on ingesting, transforming, and sending data with over 200 plugins, often used for log and event data. Apache Kafka, while also handling data streams, is more focused on high-throughput, fault-tolerant messaging queues for building real-time data pipelines and streaming applications.
Source: elastic.co