Self-host OpenObserve
updated Jul 2026deployed by usprices checked · Jul 2026Install verified on Ubuntu 26.04 · Sep 2026 · how we test
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A single Rust binary that ingests, indexes, and queries logs, metrics, traces, and frontend RUM events, with Parquet-based columnar storage for low storage cost.
Splunk / yr$1,800
Self-hosted / yr~$283
You keep$1,517/yr
Pocket the difference — spin it up on a cheap VPS in minutes.Start free on Kamatera → (opens in new tab)
Key facts
CategoryObservability
LicenseAGPL-3.0
StackRust
Min RAM512 MB
Official imageyes
Measured idle RAM238 MB
Difficulty
Our recommendation
Choose OpenObserve when you want logs, metrics, traces, and even frontend RUM in one Rust binary on a genuinely small box — 512 MB is real, not a marketing minimum. If you need SigNoz's deeper APM-style trace analysis or Grafana's dashboard ecosystem, those are the tradeoffs you're making for the smaller footprint.
Follow the OpenObserve deploy guide →What you need
- Any VPS with at least 512 MB of RAM
- A domain you control — most self-hosted setups need HTTPS in front of them
- Under an hour if you've used Docker before
Where to host itaffiliate disclosure
Hetzner Cloudrun it on
From $23.59/mo · 2 vCPU / 4 GB / 80 GB · EU + USKamaterafree trial
From $4/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 20 GB · US + EU + AsiaDigitalOceanalso works on
From $6/mo · 1 vCPU / 1 GB / 25 GB · US + EU + AsiaPaid link — we earn a commission if you shop through it.
Install
Run these commands on your server:
# OpenObserve — official single-binary Docker image
docker run -d --name openobserve -v $PWD/data:/data -p 5080:5080 -e ZO_DATA_DIR="/data" -e ZO_ROOT_USER_EMAIL="root@example.com" -e ZO_ROOT_USER_PASSWORD="Complexpass#123" public.ecr.aws/zinclabs/openobserve:latest
# → http://SERVER_IP:5080 — pick your own password: 8–128 chars with upper, lower, digit and symbol, or the server refuses to startdeploy guideHow to Deploy OpenObserve on a VPSvps picksBest VPS for self-hostingbenchmarked quarterly · re-priced monthly
What you take on
OpenObserve is refreshingly light to run, but a couple of things are worth confirming before you commit:
non-negotiableIt's AGPL-3.0. Network-copyleft terms apply if you modify and offer it as a service — fine for internal self-hosting, worth a legal look if you're redistributing.
non-negotiableIt's younger and smaller than the incumbents. Fewer integrations and community guides than Grafana or Prometheus — expect to read the docs more than search Stack Overflow.
non-negotiableSingle-binary is also a single point of failure. There's no built-in clustering story as simple as the single-node setup — plan separately if you need HA.
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