Cost-effective observability for your Prometheus workloads
Compare the cost of your Prometheus workload on xScaler, an observability platform covering collection, storage, exploration and alerts across applications, infrastructure and AI. Keep Prometheus-compatible workflows and Grafana dashboards, with central management for telemetry collector fleets.
Measure series, sample volume and retention
Labels and changing workloads affect active series counts. Scrape intervals affect sample volume, while retention and query load influence storage and compute needs. Measure each before comparing costs.
Evaluate Prometheus workflows across the platform
Send Prometheus-compatible telemetry to xScaler, explore metrics and configure alerts. Use the same series, retention and query requirements when comparing costs, and validate the dashboards your team relies on.
- Watch active time series and high-cardinality labels
- Include collector fleet management and managed operations in your evaluation
- Keep Prometheus-compatible query workflows
- Use the calculator to model active series cost
Prometheus cost reduction options
| Option | Benefit | Tradeoff |
|---|---|---|
| Cardinality cleanup | Reduces noisy series and query load | Requires continuous governance |
| Shorter retention | Reduces retained data volume | Can weaken historical debugging |
| xScaler observability platform | Combines collection, managed storage, exploration and alerts | Requires routing remote-write data and validating existing workflows |
Common use cases
Prometheus remote write volume is growing faster than expected.
Teams need to compare the cost of longer retention and managed operations.
Teams want to retain Grafana dashboards while using xScaler exploration and alerts.
Related resources
FAQ
Why is Prometheus expensive at scale?
Active series, sample volume, retention and query load affect the resources your setup needs. Include engineering time spent on collection, storage, dashboards and alerts when calculating the total cost.
Does remote write reduce Prometheus cost?
Remote write sends metrics to a remote endpoint. Any savings depend on the receiving service's pricing, retention and query requirements, plus changes to your operating costs. You still need to manage cardinality.
Can I keep my dashboards?
Yes. xScaler supports BYO Grafana and Prometheus-compatible queries. Check existing queries and data sources during evaluation, alongside the dashboards and alerts available in xScaler.
What cardinality should I watch?
Watch labels tied to pods, containers, tenants, request paths, user IDs, and other dynamic dimensions that can multiply active series.
Compare your Prometheus workload cost
Estimate cost using your active series and any log or trace volumes, then evaluate collection, queries, dashboards and alerts on xScaler.