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Head-to-head · Distributed Tracing Tools

Apache SkyWalking vs Grafana Tempo

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 4 checks side by side
Higher score Apache SkyWalking #1 in Distributed Tracing Tools 9.4/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit site
Grafana Tempo #4 in Distributed Tracing Tools 9.0/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 3 of 3 features Visit Grafana Tempo

Apache SkyWalking leads on 0 checks, Grafana Tempo on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreApache SkyWalking · 9.4/10
  • Free planboth
  • Most featuresGrafana Tempo · 3 of 3

Apache SkyWalking scores higher on our rubric for distributed tracing tools: 9.4 against 9.0 out of 10; our editors rank them #1 and #4.

Apache SkyWalking is the better fit for broad, self-hosted observability teams. Grafana Tempo is the better fit for grafana-based trace storage and analysis.

  • Apache SkyWalking fits best

    Broad, self-hosted observability teams

  • Grafana Tempo fits best

    Grafana-based trace storage and analysis

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature Apache SkyWalking 9.4/10 Visit ↗ Grafana Tempo 9.0/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.4 9.0
Ranking #1 in Distributed Tracing Tools #4 in Distributed Tracing Tools
Best for Broad, self-hosted observability teams Grafana-based trace storage and analysis
Pricing model Free Free
Starting price Free plan Free plan
Free plan ✓ ✓
Free trial — —
Deployment Self-hosted Self-hosted
Platforms Web, Windows, Linux Linux
Support Community, Docs Community, Docs
Integrations 7 integrations 11 integrations
Built for Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features Apache SkyWalking 0/3 · Grafana Tempo 3/3
OpenTelemetry support Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Service map Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Tail-based sampling Not checked yet ✓ (best)
Specs
Trace retention Not checked yet Not checked yet
Deployment model Self_hosted Self_hosted
Pricing basis Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Combines tracing, topology maps, metrics, logs, profiling, and browser monitoring.
  • Connects OpenTelemetry, Zipkin, Prometheus, Telegraf, and Zabbix telemetry.
  • Supports Docker, Kubernetes, service meshes, eBPF, and multiple storage systems.
  • OpenTelemetry, Jaeger, and Zipkin ingestion support
  • TraceQL, service graphs, and span metrics in one backend
  • Object-storage retention with monolithic or microservices deployment
Cons
  • Self-hosted deployment requires teams to operate the OAP backend and web interfaces.
  • Its broad scope may exceed the needs of teams seeking tracing only.
  • A hosted SaaS workflow is not the product's deployment model.
  • Self-managed deployment requires Linux or API-based infrastructure
  • Grafana Cloud Traces is a separate managed offering
  • Platform coverage is narrower than some distributed tracing tools
Our verdict

Apache SkyWalking is an open-source application performance monitoring and observability platform for distributed, microservices, cloud-native, and container-based applications. It is aimed at teams that want to run their own observability…

Read the review →

Grafana Tempo is an open-source distributed tracing backend for teams operating microservices and other distributed systems. It ingests trace data through OpenTelemetry, Jaeger, and Zipkin protocols, stores traces in object storage, and…

Read the review →
  1. Apache SkyWalkingDistributed Tracing Tools 9.4Free plan
  2. Grafana TempoDistributed Tracing Tools 9.0Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Apache SkyWalking — where it wins

    • Combines tracing, topology maps, metrics, logs, profiling, and browser monitoring.
    • Connects OpenTelemetry, Zipkin, Prometheus, Telegraf, and Zabbix telemetry.
    • Supports Docker, Kubernetes, service meshes, eBPF, and multiple storage systems.

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-hosted deployment requires teams to operate the OAP backend and web interfaces.
    • Its broad scope may exceed the needs of teams seeking tracing only.
    • A hosted SaaS workflow is not the product's deployment model.

  • Grafana Tempo — where it wins

    • OpenTelemetry, Jaeger, and Zipkin ingestion support
    • TraceQL, service graphs, and span metrics in one backend
    • Object-storage retention with monolithic or microservices deployment

    Where it doesn't

    • Self-managed deployment requires Linux or API-based infrastructure
    • Grafana Cloud Traces is a separate managed offering
    • Platform coverage is narrower than some distributed tracing tools

More comparisons

All distributed tracing tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update