Last updated: March 2026
TraceKit vs Uptrace: Developer-First APM vs Budget Open-Source Observability
Uptrace is an open-source APM built on ClickHouse with traces, metrics, and logs. Its Cloud plan starts at $30/month -- making it one of the most affordable managed options. TraceKit matches that price point while adding live code monitoring, session replay, and frontend observability.
Pricing and feature information is based on publicly available data as of March 2026. Check Uptrace's website for the latest.
Why developers choose TraceKit
Live Code Monitoring
Set live breakpoints in production to inspect variable state. Uptrace shows traces and metrics, but cannot help you debug application logic interactively.
Frontend Observability Built In
Browser error tracking, session replay linked to traces, source maps, and release tracking. Uptrace focuses on backend traces, metrics, and logs -- frontend monitoring requires additional tooling.
Same Price, More Features
At $29/month vs Uptrace Cloud's $30/month, TraceKit includes frontend observability, session replay, and live code monitoring that Uptrace does not offer. Near-identical price, broader coverage.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | TraceKit | Uptrace |
|---|---|---|
| Tracing | ||
| Distributed Tracing | Yes | Yes |
| Auto-Instrumentation | Yes (OpenTelemetry) | Yes (OpenTelemetry) |
| Trace Visualization | Waterfall + Flamegraph | Waterfall |
| Monitoring | ||
| Live Code Monitoring | Yes -- breakpoints without redeploy | No |
| Log Management | No | Yes |
| Custom Metrics | Yes | Yes |
| Alerting | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Dashboards | Yes | Yes (basic) |
| Frontend Observability | ||
| Session Replay | Yes (linked to traces) | No |
| Source Maps | Yes (debug ID + upload CLI) | No |
| Browser-to-Backend Traces | Yes (W3C traceparent) | Partial |
| Platform | ||
| Setup Time | Under 5 minutes | 15-30 min (self-hosted) or minutes (Cloud) |
| Open Source | No | Yes (BSL) |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing Model | $29/month flat | Free (self-hosted) or from $30/month (Cloud) |
Pricing Comparison
TraceKit
$29/month
Flat monthly
One price includes distributed tracing, live code monitoring, custom metrics, dashboards, alerts, and security scanning. No usage-based overages.
None. What you see is what you pay.
Uptrace
Free (self-hosted, ClickHouse infra required), Cloud from $30/month
Self-hosted (open source) or Uptrace Cloud
Uptrace Community is open-source and free to self-host. Like SigNoz, it runs on ClickHouse. Uptrace Cloud starts at $30/month with usage-based pricing, making it one of the most affordable managed APM options.
Self-hosted: ClickHouse infrastructure and operational overhead. Cloud: usage-based charges above the base tier. Smaller ecosystem means fewer integrations and community resources.
Pricing considerations with Uptrace
- Self-hosted requires ClickHouse infrastructure -- adding cost and operational burden on top of free software
- Cloud pricing is usage-based above the base tier, so costs grow with data volume
- Smallest community of open-source APMs means fewer resources for troubleshooting
- Limited ecosystem integrations compared to larger competitors
Setup Comparison
See how TraceKit's setup compares to Uptrace:
// Uptrace: Deploy with Docker Compose (ClickHouse + collector)
// git clone https://github.com/uptrace/uptrace.git
// docker-compose up -d
// // Configure DSN, manage ClickHouse, set retention...
// TraceKit: One-line SDK setup, zero infrastructure
tracekit.Init("tk_your_key")When to choose Uptrace
We believe in honesty. Uptrace is a great product, and there are situations where it is the better choice.
- You want the most affordable managed APM option and do not need frontend monitoring
- You prefer open-source with self-hosted control over your observability data
- You want a simple, focused APM without the complexity of larger platforms
- You need log management integrated with traces and metrics
Frequently Asked Questions
Both are approximately $29-30/month for managed plans. TraceKit includes frontend observability (session replay, source maps, browser error tracking) and live code monitoring. Uptrace includes log management and an open-source self-hosted option. Choose based on whether you need frontend monitoring or log management.
Uptrace is a budget-friendly alternative for basic observability needs. It lacks the breadth of Datadog's 700+ integrations and enterprise features, but covers traces, metrics, and logs at a fraction of the price. TraceKit offers a similar budget-friendly alternative with stronger frontend observability.
Yes. Uptrace Community Edition is open-source and can be self-hosted. It runs on ClickHouse, so you will need to provision and manage a ClickHouse cluster for production use.
Yes. Both support OpenTelemetry natively. Migration is a configuration change -- update your OTLP exporter endpoint. Your instrumentation carries over without code changes.
No. Uptrace focuses on backend traces, metrics, and logs. For session replay, browser error tracking, and source map support, you need a separate tool -- or TraceKit, which includes all of these at $29/month.
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