Observe pricing guide details
Pricing Overview
Observe takes a usage-based pricing approach anchored to data ingestion volume rather than per-host or per-seat licensing. This is a meaningful differentiator in the observability market, where costs can spiral as infrastructure scales. Observe charges per GB ingested, with rates varying by signal type: logs start at $0.49/GB, metrics at $0.01/GB, and traces at $0.59/GB. There is also a $0.00/GB tier for certain data types. Every plan includes compute, unlimited users, and either 30-day or 13-month retention depending on the commitment level. The platform is delivered as fully managed SaaS, so there are no infrastructure provisioning costs on your end. Observe claims up to 60% lower total cost of ownership compared to legacy observability platforms, largely driven by 10x compression on low-cost cloud storage via their open data lake architecture.
Plan Comparison
Observe lists starting prices by telemetry signal type. The listed prices include compute and unlimited users.
| Signal Type | Starting Price | Compute | Users | Listed Retention |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Logs | $0.49/GiB | Included | Unlimited | 30-day retention |
| Metrics | $0.008/DPM | Included | Unlimited | 13-month retention |
| Traces | $0.59/GiB | Included | Unlimited | 30-day retention |
Observe also states that volume pricing and discounts are available. Its pricing FAQ describes subscription-based pricing based on a committed volume of uncompressed telemetry data ingested. Multi-year and volume-based discounts are available; Observe asks customers to contact it for a custom quote based on use case and data volume. The pricing page also lists retention for $0.01/GiB per month.
Hidden Costs and Considerations
Observe's pricing model is straightforward, but there are factors to watch. Data volume is the primary cost driver, so teams without strong control over telemetry pipelines could see bills grow quickly. We recommend implementing OpenTelemetry sampling strategies before ingestion to manage costs. The jump from 30-day to 13-month retention likely involves a higher commitment tier, so confirm the retention upgrade path during procurement. There are no per-user fees, which eliminates a common hidden cost in observability tooling.
Cost Estimates by Team Size
Since Observe prices by data volume rather than seats, cost scales with your infrastructure footprint, not headcount. Here are realistic estimates based on typical ingestion volumes.
| Team Size | Estimated Daily Ingestion | Monthly Log Cost ($0.49/GB) | Monthly Metric Cost ($0.01/GB) | Estimated Monthly Total |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo developer (1) | ~5 GB logs, ~2 GB metrics | ~$73.50 | ~$0.60 | ~$74 |
| Small team (5) | ~50 GB logs, ~20 GB metrics | ~$735 | ~$6 | ~$741 |
| Mid-size team (20) | ~200 GB logs, ~80 GB metrics | ~$2,940 | ~$24 | ~$2,964 |
These estimates assume 30 days of ingestion at the listed per-GB rates. Actual costs will vary based on trace volume, data compression, and whether any ingested data qualifies for the $0.00/GB tier. The unlimited users policy means adding engineers to the platform costs nothing extra, which is a significant advantage as teams grow.
How Observe Pricing Compares
Observe publishes starting rates by telemetry type and bases its subscription pricing on a committed volume of uncompressed telemetry data ingested. Its listed starting rates are $0.49/GiB for logs, $0.008/DPM for metrics, and $0.59/GiB for traces. Compute is included, and these listed offerings include unlimited users; logs and traces list 30-day retention, while metrics lists 13-month retention.
Observe also lists retention at $0.01/GiB per month. Volume pricing and discounts are available; multi-year and volume-based discounts require a custom quote tied to the use case and data volume. Buyers should confirm the committed ingestion volume, applicable volume discount, retention needs, and the telemetry mix before estimating total cost.
The supplied pricing evidence does not provide current, like-for-like pricing details for Datadog, New Relic, or Elastic Observability, so a direct starting-price comparison is not reliable here. For Observe specifically, its published model is designed around committed ingestion volume rather than a stated per-host or per-user charge.