Grafana Mimir vs Prometheus
Updated June 2026 · A structured head-to-head comparison.
Scalable long-term storage for Prometheus metrics
Open-source metrics and alerting.
The verdict
Both Grafana Mimir and Prometheus are credible monitoring tools, and the right pick comes down to your priorities.
Grafana Mimir - Scalable long-term storage for Prometheus metrics
Choose Prometheus if you'd rather have a higher overall rating (4.6/5). Open-source metrics and alerting.
Grafana Mimir vs Prometheus: side by side
| Dimension | Grafana Mimir | Prometheus |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Open source | Open source |
| Best for | Sre, Platform Engineers | DevOps Teams, Developers |
| Platforms | Self Hosted, API | Self Hosted |
| Rating | 4.3/5 | 4.6/5Winner |
Grafana Mimir key facts
- Vendor
- Grafana Labs
- Pricing
- Open source - Free
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- Self Hosted, API
- Best for
- Sre, Platform Engineers
- Editor rating
- 4.3 / 5
- Founded
- 2022
- Headquarters
- New York, USA
Prometheus key facts
- Vendor
- CNCF
- Pricing
- Open source - Free
- Free tier
- Yes
- Platforms
- Self Hosted
- Best for
- DevOps Teams, Developers
- Editor rating
- 4.6 / 5
- Founded
- 2012
- Headquarters
- Open source (CNCF)
Frequently asked questions
Is Grafana Mimir better than Prometheus?
Neither is universally better - Prometheus edges ahead on overall rating, but the best choice depends on price, platforms, and your use case. See the side-by-side table above.
Is Grafana Mimir or Prometheus cheaper?
Grafana Mimir is the more affordable of the two to get started, at free. Grafana Mimir starts at free; Prometheus starts at free.
Can Grafana Mimir replace Prometheus?
Yes for most teams - both are monitoring tools with heavily overlapping features. The main trade-offs are pricing and platform support, covered in the comparison above.
Side-by-side software breakdowns and pricing changes - in your inbox monthly.