Last updated: March 2026
TraceKit vs Lightstep
Lightstep, now part of ServiceNow Cloud Observability, was co-created by OpenTelemetry founders. TraceKit delivers developer-first APM at a flat $29/month -- predictable pricing for teams that want powerful observability without enterprise complexity.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | TraceKit | Lightstep |
|---|---|---|
| Tracing | ||
| Distributed Tracing | Yes (core feature) | |
| Change Intelligence | Yes (core feature) | |
| Monitoring | ||
| Live Code Monitoring | Yes -- breakpoints without redeploy | |
| Anomaly Detection | Yes (auto-detect + RCA) | |
| Frontend Observability | ||
| Session Replay | Yes (linked to traces) | |
| Source Maps | Yes (debug ID + upload CLI) | |
| Platform | ||
| Setup Time | Under 5 minutes | 15-30 minutes |
| Pricing | ||
| Pricing Model | $29/month flat | Custom (ServiceNow sales) |
| Pricing Transparency | Public, flat rate | Contact sales required |
Pricing Comparison
TraceKit
$29/month
Flat monthly
One price includes distributed tracing, error tracking, live code monitoring, session replay, custom metrics, dashboards, and alerts.
Hidden costs: None. What you see is what you pay.
Lightstep
Contact ServiceNow sales (no public pricing)
Enterprise custom pricing
Since the ServiceNow acquisition, pricing is custom. ServiceNow Cloud Observability is sold through enterprise sales.
Hidden costs: Enterprise procurement adds time and complexity. Pricing is opaque until you engage with sales.
Pricing pain points with Lightstep
- No public pricing -- you must contact ServiceNow sales
- Enterprise procurement adds weeks or months before you can start
- Post-acquisition focus on enterprise means less developer experience focus
Why teams switch to TraceKit
Transparent Pricing, Instant Start
$29/month flat -- sign up and start in 5 minutes. Lightstep requires contacting ServiceNow sales.
Live Code Monitoring
Set live breakpoints in production code. Lightstep provides excellent trace analysis but no interactive debugging.
Developer-First, Not Enterprise-First
TraceKit is built for indie developers and small teams.
Common Lightstep pain points
Enterprise Focus Post-Acquisition
Product has shifted toward enterprise customers since ServiceNow acquired Lightstep.
Opaque Pricing
No public pricing. Requires engaging with ServiceNow sales.
When Lightstep might be a better fit
- You are already a ServiceNow customer
- You need change intelligence for deployment correlation
- Enterprise SLO management and compliance reporting are requirements
Frequently Asked Questions
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Pricing and feature information is based on publicly available data as of March 2026. Lightstep is now part of ServiceNow Cloud Observability.