Our take
Pick Axiom if app / platform teams who will stay on Personal $0 (500 GB load, 10 GB-hours query, 25 GB store, 30-day retention, no card) while they ingest a first dataset, then buy Cloud at $25/month when they want the Always Free 1 TB / 100 GB-hours / 100 GB envelope and configurable retention. Pick HyperDX if on-call / platform teams who will stay on Free $0 (3 GB/mo, 3-day retention, 1 user) or self-host while
open-source observability desk
Best for
Axiom Logs you start on Personal at $0 (no card) or Cloud at $25 + usage
HyperDX Traces you start at $0
Free plan
Axiom $0 · /month, permanent, no card. 500 GB/mo data-loading compute. 10 GB-hours/mo query compute. 25 GB storage. 30-day retention
HyperDX No free plan
Lowest paid
Axiom Storage $0.03
HyperDX Not published by the vendor
Next step up
Axiom Data loading (ingest) $0.12
HyperDX
Runs where
Axiom Local; you host it
HyperDX
Watch out
Axiom Personal is 25 GB stored and 30-day retention
HyperDX Free is 3 GB and 1 user
Last checked
Axiom 2026-10-22 · axiom.co/pricing
HyperDX 2026-10-22 · hyperdx.io/pricing
app / platform teams who will stay on Personal $0 (500 GB load, 10 GB-hours query, 25 GB store, 30-day retention, no card) while they ingest a first dataset, then buy Cloud at $25/month when they want the Always Free 1 TB / 100 GB-hours / 100 GB envelope and configurable retention.
Read the Axiom pageon-call / platform teams who will stay on Free $0 (3 GB/mo, 3-day retention, 1 user) or self-host while they open a first Demo trace, then buy Starter at $20/month when they need 50 GB/mo, 30-day retention, and unlimited users.
Read the HyperDX page