Head-to-head · Real User Monitoring
Splunk Real User Monitoring vs Grafana Faro
Splunk Real User Monitoring leads on 0 checks, Grafana Faro on 1, and 5 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 6 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreSplunk Real User Monitoring · 9.0/10
- Free planonly Grafana Faro
Splunk Real User Monitoring scores higher on our rubric for real user monitoring: 9.0 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.
Grafana Faro offers free plan; Splunk Real User Monitoring doesn't. On data retention, Splunk Real User Monitoring gives you 90+ days where Grafana Faro offers 30 days.
Splunk Real User Monitoring is the better fit for teams combining RUM with Splunk observability. Grafana Faro is the better fit for open-source-minded web RUM teams.
- Splunk Real User Monitoring fits best
Teams combining RUM with Splunk observability
- Grafana Faro fits best
Open-source-minded web RUM teams
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 | Splunk Real User Monitoring 9.0/10 Visit ↗ | Grafana Faro 8.6/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.0 | 8.6 |
| Ranking | #3 in Real User Monitoring | #6 in Real User Monitoring |
| Best for | Teams combining RUM with Splunk observability | Open-source-minded web RUM teams |
| Pricing model | Paid | Free plan + paid |
| Starting price | $14/unit usage-based | $19/mo |
| Free plan | — | ✓ (best) |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Deployment | Cloud | Cloud, Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Support | Phone, Tickets, Docs | Email, Community, Docs |
| Integrations | 200+ integrations | 6 integrations |
| Built for | Mid-market, Enterprise | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Splunk Real User Monitoring 4/5 · Grafana Faro 4/5 | ||
| Core Web Vitals | ✓ | ✓ |
| Mobile app monitoring | ✓ (best) | Not checked yet |
| Interaction tracking | ✓ | ✓ |
| Geographic breakdown | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Error correlation | ✓ | ✓ |
| Specs | ||
| Data retention | 90+ days | 30 days |
| Pricing metric | Sessions | Sessions |
| Our review | ||
| Pros |
|
|
| Cons |
|
|
| Our verdict | Splunk Real User Monitoring is a paid service for engineering and IT operations teams monitoring browser applications and native iOS and Android apps. It covers frontend performance, user sessions, Core Web Vitals, mobile performance, app… Read the review → |
Grafana Faro is an open-source JavaScript SDK for real user monitoring in browser-based applications. It is designed for developers, DevOps teams, and SREs that need frontend performance, error, interaction, session, and trace data. Faro… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Splunk Real User Monitoring — where it wins
- Monitors browser, iOS and Android application performance
- Correlates frontend interactions with Splunk APM traces
- Combines Core Web Vitals, crashes, replay and custom events
Where it doesn't
- No free plan is available
- Pricing is based on sessions rather than a flat product fee
- Its strongest fit is within the Splunk Observability Cloud ecosystem
Grafana Faro — where it wins
- Free plan includes up to 50k sessions per month
- Tracks Web Vitals, errors, interactions, geography, and sessions
- Connects frontend telemetry with Grafana and OpenTelemetry tools
Where it doesn't
- Web-focused rather than native mobile monitoring
- Free plan includes community support only
- Published retention period is 30 days
- Splunk Real User Monitoring9.0/10 · Paid
A paid RUM service for teams connecting web and mobile experience data to Splunk APM.
Visit SplunkFull verdict → - Grafana Faro8.6/10 · Free plan
A flexible web RUM SDK with free usage, Grafana integrations, and self-hosted deployment.
Visit Grafana FaroFull verdict →
Splunk Real User Monitoring vs Grafana Faro: questions
Which is better for real user monitoring, Splunk Real User Monitoring or Grafana Faro?
Splunk Real User Monitoring scores higher on our rubric for real user monitoring: 9.0 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #3 and #6.
How do Splunk Real User Monitoring and Grafana Faro compare?
Of the 6 checks we put side by side, Splunk Real User Monitoring leads on none, Grafana Faro on 1, and 5 are level. Free plan only on Grafana Faro.
Do Splunk Real User Monitoring and Grafana Faro have a free plan?
Splunk Real User Monitoring: No. Grafana Faro: Yes.
More comparisons
- Dynatrace Real User Monitoring vs Splunk Real User Monitoring
- Dynatrace Real User Monitoring vs Grafana Faro
- New Relic Browser Monitoring vs Splunk Real User Monitoring
- New Relic Browser Monitoring vs Grafana Faro
- Splunk Real User Monitoring vs Akamai mPulse
- Splunk Real User Monitoring vs Elastic Real User Monitoring
- Splunk Real User Monitoring vs Datadog Mobile RUM
- Splunk Real User Monitoring vs Embrace
All real user monitoring comparisons → · Full ranking →
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026
Last updated · How we research and update