groundcover

What makes groundcover different

Groundcover uses eBPF (extended Berkeley Packet Filter) as its core sensing technology, enabling agentless or lightweight agent-based observability without requiring code instrumentation. This kernel-level approach captures system and network telemetry with minimal overhead, eliminating the need to modify applications or inject SDKs—a significant advantage over traditional APM tools that require extensive instrumentation.

The platform’s BYOC (Bring Your Own Cloud) architecture is another key differentiator. Rather than forcing customers into a managed SaaS model, groundcover allows organizations to deploy the backend in their own cloud accounts (AWS, GCP, Azure) or on-premises environments. This appeals to enterprises with strict data residency, compliance, or security requirements who want to avoid sending all telemetry to a third-party SaaS vendor.

Groundcover also positions itself as a cost-efficient replacement for open-source stacks (Prometheus, Grafana, Loki, Jaeger). Organizations running DIY observability are plagued by operational overhead; groundcover bundles logs, metrics, traces, and RUM into a unified platform with integrated eBPF sensing, reducing the complexity and TCO of maintaining multiple tools.

Pricing model

Groundcover uses a usage-based pricing model tied to the volume of observability data ingested (logs, metrics, traces). While exact per-unit rates are not disclosed publicly on the main website, the company offers a free tier and self-serve trial. Pricing is transparent upon signup, with no hidden per-seat licensing typical of legacy APM vendors. The cost calculator available on their website helps estimate consumption-based bills for specific workloads.

The BYOC model has a cost advantage: since you control the backend infrastructure in your own cloud account, you pay for your compute and storage directly to your cloud provider, reducing lock-in and allowing more granular cost control.

When it fits

• Kubernetes-native teams seeking unified observability for containerized microservices without heavy agent overhead
• Enterprises with strict data governance requiring on-premises or customer-controlled cloud deployments
• Organizations replacing OSS stacks (Prometheus, Grafana, Loki, Jaeger) seeking reduced operational burden
• Cost-conscious cloud users who want to replace expensive per-seat APM tools with usage-based consumption
• AI/ML teams building production AI systems requiring specialized observability for model performance and inference telemetry

When it doesn’t

• Legacy monolithic applications heavily dependent on agent-based instrumentation may require refactoring to benefit from eBPF’s full potential
• Highly regulated industries (healthcare, finance) may require compliance certifications or audit trails not yet fully documented in groundcover’s public trust center

Inclusion criteria

Groundcover meets all three inclusion criteria for alt-cloud.org:

1. Transparent pricing: Usage-based pricing model is disclosed; cost calculator and pricing page available at groundcover.com/pricing
2. Self-service signup: Free tier and trial available; playground environment at play.groundcover.com with no sales friction
3. Public SLA/status: Trust center and service status documentation available; public documentation at groundcover.com/trust-center