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Upstat vs Splunk On-Call

Complete incident management platform without Splunk ecosystem lock-in.

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Executive Snapshot

Break free from Splunk ecosystem dependency.

Splunk On-Call focuses on alert routing and on-call management, requiring teams to invest in Splunk Observability Cloud for monitoring or rely on external tools. Upstat provides complete incident operations—monitoring, incidents, automations, runbooks, and status pages—for $29–$49 per user.

You're getting a complete platform

Upstat includes native monitoring, incident coordination, status pages, and runbooks—all features Splunk On-Call lacks or requires separate Splunk products to achieve.

Capability comparison

Platform Approach

Upstat

Complete incident operations platform with native monitoring, incidents, automations, and status pages.

Splunk On-Call

Alert routing and on-call management that integrates with external monitoring tools.

Monitoring

Upstat

Built-in uptime, API, and heartbeat monitoring with automatic incident creation.

Splunk On-Call

No native monitoring—requires integration with Splunk Observability Cloud or third-party tools.

Incident Response

Upstat

Full incident workspace with Kanban views, timelines, collaboration, and runbooks.

Splunk On-Call

Alert-centric interface focused on notification routing and escalation.

On-Call Management

Upstat

Schedules, rotations, and escalations integrated directly with monitoring and incidents.

Splunk On-Call

Core strength—robust scheduling with ML-based responder recommendations.

Automations

Upstat

No-code automation workflows triggered by monitors, incidents, or schedules.

Splunk On-Call

Rules engine for alert enrichment and routing; requires external tools for broader automation.

Status Communication

Upstat

Customer-facing status pages included, automatically updated from incidents.

Splunk On-Call

No native status pages—requires external solution or custom implementation.

Ecosystem Dependency

Upstat

Standalone platform—works independently or integrates with existing tools.

Splunk On-Call

Part of Splunk ecosystem; deepest value requires Splunk Observability Cloud investment.

Pricing

Upstat

$29 / $49 per user with full platform access.

Splunk On-Call

Starting at $5-10/user/month; additional costs for Splunk Observability Cloud if needed.

Why teams are leaving Splunk On-Call

Ecosystem lock-in limits flexibility

Splunk On-Call delivers maximum value when paired with Splunk Observability Cloud. Teams not using Splunk monitoring pay for alert routing while still needing separate tools for detection, status pages, and incident documentation.

No native monitoring capabilities

Splunk On-Call requires external monitoring services to feed alerts. Teams manage multiple subscriptions for detection, alert routing, and status communication—adding complexity and cost compared to a unified platform.

Missing status pages and runbooks

Splunk On-Call lacks customer-facing status communication and operational runbook management. Teams need additional tools for stakeholder updates and documented response procedures, fragmenting the incident workflow.

Alert routing focus limits operational context

Splunk On-Call excels at routing alerts but lacks entity-based operational dashboards, service catalogs, and dependency mapping. Responders piece together context from multiple tools during critical incidents.

Learn more about Why teams are leaving Splunk On-Call

Make the migration without disruption

Teams typically move from Splunk On-Call to Upstat in 1-2 weeks. Use this sequence to protect on-call coverage while gaining native monitoring and unified incident operations.

  • 1
    Export existing on-call schedules and escalation policies from Splunk On-Call.
  • 2
    Configure matching services and schedules in Upstat with equivalent routing rules.
  • 3
    Set up native monitors in Upstat to replace external alert sources.
  • 4
    Run parallel testing to verify notification delivery and escalation paths.
  • 5
    Cut over alert routing to Upstat and decommission Splunk On-Call subscriptions.

Migration checklist

Verify schedule coverage, test escalation policies, validate monitor alerting, and confirm notification delivery so the transition is seamless.

Learn more about Make the migration without disruption

Build the executive business case

A 25-person incident team using Splunk On-Call typically spends $1.5k–$3k annually on alert routing plus $12k–$24k on external monitoring services and status page tools. Upstat's Business plan runs $14.7k annually while including native monitoring, incident coordination, automations, runbooks, and status pages.

Combine this cost comparison with the downtime impact scenario below to demonstrate to finance and procurement the value of consolidating to a unified incident operations platform.

Cost of downtime scenario

Downtime gets expensive fast—Upstat helps teams respond faster.

Incident response costs extend beyond subscription fees. Every minute a critical service is down impacts revenue, customer trust, and team morale. The scenario below models a conservative mid-market SaaS company with a 25-person on-call rotation.

Baseline: 3 customer-facing incidents per quarter (12 annually), averaging 40 minutes of impact. We use $10,000 per hour as a mid-market revenue-at-risk benchmark.

Splunk On-Call stack: Alert routing via Splunk On-Call, monitoring via third-party services, manual status updates, and siloed tooling. Typical annual cost: ~$18k in combined subscriptions, plus ~$80k in lost revenue from eight hours of downtime.

Upstat outcome: Integrated monitoring, automations, and coordination reduce resolution time by 40%—a conservative take on the 50%+ MTTR improvements we target with unified workflows. Downtime drops to 4.8 hours, protecting ~$32k in revenue while consolidating tools.

Tool costs

$18,000 → $14,000

Splunk On-Call + external monitoring vs. Upstat all-in-one platform.

Tool savings: $4,000/year

Downtime impact

$80,000 → $48,000

40% faster MTTR from unified monitoring and incident workflows.

Revenue protected: $32,000/year

Total annual savings

$36,000

Tool consolidation ($4,000) + faster incident resolution ($32,000).

* Estimates based on a 25-seat incident rotation, $10k/hour revenue at risk, and a 40% MTTR improvement aligned with internal performance benchmarks. Adjust the numbers to match your business before sharing with finance.

Frequently asked questions

Teams evaluating Splunk On-Call alternatives want to understand the total cost of ownership when Splunk ecosystem investment is required. Here are the questions we hear most often.

Do we need the full Splunk platform to use Splunk On-Call effectively?

Splunk On-Call is most valuable when integrated with Splunk Observability Cloud for monitoring and alerting. While it can accept alerts from third-party tools, the platform is designed for teams already invested in the Splunk ecosystem. Upstat provides complete monitoring and incident management in one platform without requiring ecosystem lock-in.

How does Upstat pricing compare to Splunk On-Call?

Splunk On-Call pricing typically ranges from $5-10/user/month for alert routing and on-call management. However, teams need separate monitoring services to feed alerts into Splunk On-Call. Upstat charges $29 (Teams) or $49 (Business) per user with native monitoring, incidents, automations, runbooks, and status pages included—eliminating the need for multiple subscriptions.

What features does Upstat provide that Splunk On-Call lacks?

Upstat includes native uptime, API, and heartbeat monitoring with multi-region checks, customer-facing status pages with entity-based health reporting, integrated runbooks for operational procedures, and a service catalog for dependency mapping. Splunk On-Call focuses on alert routing and on-call scheduling, requiring external tools for monitoring, status communication, and incident documentation.

Can we migrate from Splunk On-Call without losing our on-call schedules?

Yes. Teams can complete the migration in 1-2 weeks by exporting existing on-call schedules and escalation policies, recreating them in Upstat, configuring native monitors to replace external alert sources, and testing notification delivery. Upstat provides migration assistance to ensure your team maintains continuity during the transition.

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