Langtrace vs Traceloop
Both are observability & tracing tools. Here is how they actually differ on price, billing model and deployment.
Langtrace
An OpenTelemetry-native open-source tracing tool from Scale3 Labs. The cloud is still free because it has never been monetised - which is either a bargain or a runway risk depending on how you read a seed round raised around 2022. The AGPL-3.0 server license is the other thing to check before you commit.
Traceloop
The company behind OpenLLMetry, acquired by ServiceNow in March 2026 to power AI Control Tower. The Apache-2.0 SDK is safe and still actively developed - the managed platform's standalone future is the open question.
| Langtrace | Traceloop | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Observability & Tracing | Observability & Tracing |
| Our rating | 3/5 | 3/5 |
| Starting price | Free (not yet monetised) | Custom |
| Billing meter | No usage metering | span |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free self-hosting | Yes, free | Yes, free |
| Best for | Teams that want OpenTelemetry-native tracing with strong vector database visibility, are comfortable with AGPL on the server, and can tolerate the possibility of a pricing model appearing later. | Teams that want vendor-neutral OpenTelemetry LLM instrumentation via OpenLLMetry, which is genuinely safe to adopt. The managed platform suits existing ServiceNow customers, or teams needing air-gapped deployment who can get contractual clarity on the roadmap. |
Our verdict on Langtrace
Langtrace is a well-built OpenTelemetry-native tracing tool with unusually good vector database instrumentation, and right now it costs nothing. Two things stop us rating it higher, and neither is about the product quality. The first is the license - the application is AGPL-3.0 while the SDKs are Apache 2.0, and that split matters. Instrumenting your app is safe; modifying the server and offering it as a service brings copyleft obligations most commercial teams will want legal review on. The second is commercial. The vendor states it is not currently charging for the cloud and will announce when it decides to monetise, and public funding data shows a roughly $5.3M seed raised around 2022. A free cloud with no revenue model and a four-year-old seed round is not a stable planning assumption. Use it, and self-host if it becomes load-bearing.
Full Langtrace review →Our verdict on Traceloop
Split this decision in two, because the SDK and the platform now carry very different risk. OpenLLMetry - the Apache-2.0 OpenTelemetry extension - is one of the safest things you can adopt in this category. It is permissively licensed, the team publicly committed it stays that way, it exports to 25+ backends including Datadog, and it remained actively maintained through the acquisition. You can instrument with it and never create a Traceloop account. The managed platform is a different question. ServiceNow acquired Traceloop in March 2026, reportedly for $60 to $80 million, and shipped the integration into AI Control Tower at Knowledge 2026 in May. The stated strategic purpose is enterprise AI governance inside ServiceNow, not an independent observability product. The site still promotes signups and nothing suggests a Helicone-style wind-down, but a standalone product whose parent bought it for a different purpose is a roadmap you do not control. Use the SDK freely. Get contractual clarity before you build on the platform.
Full Traceloop review →Frequently Asked Questions
What is the main difference between Langtrace and Traceloop?
Langtrace: Teams that want OpenTelemetry-native tracing with strong vector database visibility, are comfortable with AGPL on the server, and can tolerate the possibility of a pricing model appearing later. Traceloop: Teams that want vendor-neutral OpenTelemetry LLM instrumentation via OpenLLMetry, which is genuinely safe to adopt. The managed platform suits existing ServiceNow customers, or teams needing air-gapped deployment who can get contractual clarity on the roadmap. Both sit in Observability & Tracing, so the decision usually comes down to billing model and deployment rather than raw capability.
Which is cheaper, Langtrace or Traceloop?
It depends entirely on your workload shape, because they meter differently - Langtrace bills on no usage metering and Traceloop bills on span. Published starting prices are Free (not yet monetised) and Custom respectively, but those numbers are not comparable until you apply them to the same traffic. Use our cost calculator to model both against your own request volume and span count.
Can I self-host Langtrace or Traceloop?
Langtrace: Yes, free. Traceloop: Yes, free. Free self-hosting means no licence fee, not no cost - you still own the infrastructure, upgrades and on-call.