StatsD vs Telegraf
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A Node.js daemon that collects counters and timers over UDP/TCP and forwards summaries to backends like Graphi
Open source · MIT
An agent that collects, processes, and sends metrics, logs, and other data to storage or monitoring tools.
The short answer
Choose StatsD if you need…
- Developers who want to track counters and timings from their applications
- Teams already using Graphite or a similar time-series backend
- Operators who want a lightweight, Node.js-based metrics relay
- Anyone who needs to run a metrics daemon on a server they control
Choose Telegraf if you need…
- Engineers setting up server or system monitoring
- Teams sending metrics into InfluxDB or another time-series store
- People collecting data from industrial devices over OPC UA or Modbus
- Anyone who wants one agent to handle many data sources through plugins
Side-by-side
| StatsD | Telegraf | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Other | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 18.1k | 17.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | See the README |
| Main language | JavaScript | Go |
| Last code update | 18 months ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
StatsD
StatsD is a small network service that listens for simple numeric measurements, such as counts and timings, sent by your applications over UDP or TCP. It groups these values into named buckets, aggregates them over a flush interval (10 seconds by default), and sends the results to one or more backend services such as Graphite for storage and charting. It is typically used to keep track of how software is behaving in production.
Telegraf
Telegraf is a background agent that gathers data from many sources, such as system stats, log files, message queues, and industrial devices, then processes it and writes it to destinations like databases. You configure it with a TOML file that lists which plugins to use. The README describes it as shipping as a standalone binary with no external dependencies.
Best for
StatsD
- Developers who want to track counters and timings from their applications
- Teams already using Graphite or a similar time-series backend
- Operators who want a lightweight, Node.js-based metrics relay
- Anyone who needs to run a metrics daemon on a server they control
Telegraf
- Engineers setting up server or system monitoring
- Teams sending metrics into InfluxDB or another time-series store
- People collecting data from industrial devices over OPC UA or Modbus
- Anyone who wants one agent to handle many data sources through plugins
Strengths
StatsD
- Simple line protocol: metrics are sent as name:value|type text
- Works over UDP or TCP and can forward to pluggable backends
- MIT licensed with a long history, originally written at Etsy
Telegraf
- Large plugin library covering system monitoring, messaging, and devices
- Compiles to a standalone static binary per the README
- Uses TOML configuration, which the README describes as unambiguous
Not ideal for
StatsD
- Users who need a fully hosted monitoring service, since this README covers only the self-run daemon
- Projects that need metric types or features not described in the README, since the README is truncated and only documents basic usage
- Environments that cannot run Node.js, since the README states it runs on the Node.js platform
Telegraf
- People who only need a simple hosted dashboard with no setup, since Telegraf is a collector that needs a destination
- Non-technical users, because configuration is done by editing TOML files
- Teams needing a specific plugin not in the 300+ set, which would require writing code
Trade-offs
StatsD
- The README is truncated, so details on backends, metric types and configuration must be read in the linked docs
- Uses a flush interval and aggregation model that you need to understand before reading results
- Testing notes warn that live-server tests can occasionally reach a stuck state
Telegraf
- Setup requires editing configuration files and understanding plugin options
- The README does not describe resource usage or performance limits
- Latest release listed here has no binaries attached, so you may need the install guide for builds
Getting started
StatsD
Clone the project
git clone https://github.com/statsd/statsd.gitStart the daemon with a config file
node stats.js /path/to/configTelegraf
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/influxdata/telegrafFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between StatsD and Telegraf?
StatsD: A Node.js daemon that collects counters and timers over UDP/TCP and forwards summaries to backends like Graphi. Telegraf: An agent that collects, processes, and sends metrics, logs, and other data to storage or monitoring tools. StatsD suits developers who want to track counters and timings from their applications, while Telegraf suits engineers setting up server or system monitoring.
Are StatsD and Telegraf free?
StatsD: Free and open source. Telegraf: Free and open source.
Is StatsD or Telegraf more popular?
StatsD has more GitHub stars (18.1k) than Telegraf (17.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.