Open Source Error Tracking Tools (Not Bugsly)

Disclosure: this post is published by Bugsly, which is a hosted, closed-source service. Bugsly is not open source and cannot be self-hosted, so it is not in the list below; the tools listed are the real open source and self-hosted options. Facts about GlitchTip were re-read from glitchtip.com/pricing on 2026-10-30; check each project's repository for current licenses.

Why Open Source Error Tracking?

Open source error tracking tools give you full control over your data, the ability to self-host, and freedom from vendor lock-in. For teams with strict compliance requirements or those who simply prefer owning their infrastructure, open source is a compelling choice.

That said, self-hosting comes with trade-offs: you are responsible for maintenance, scaling, and upgrades. Let's look at the best options available today.

Top Open Source Error Tracking Tools

1. Sentry (Self-Hosted)

Sentry is the reference point for self-hosted error tracking. Its code is source-available (published under the Functional Source License rather than a classic open source license), and the self-hosted version gives you the full Sentry experience on your own infrastructure. It supports 100+ platforms and has the most mature SDK ecosystem in the industry.

Pros:

• Extremely broad language and framework support
• Active community with frequent updates
• Performance monitoring included
• Well-documented self-hosting guide

Cons:

• Resource-heavy: requires PostgreSQL, Redis, Kafka, ClickHouse, and more
• Complex to set up and maintain
• Self-hosted version lags behind the SaaS product
• Minimum recommended: 16GB RAM, 4 CPU cores

2. GlitchTip

GlitchTip is an open source, lightweight alternative to Sentry that is compatible with Sentry's SDKs. If you find Sentry's self-hosted setup too heavy, GlitchTip offers a simpler deployment with fewer dependencies.

Pros:

• Compatible with Sentry SDKs
• Much lighter resource requirements
• Simple Docker Compose setup
• Uptime checks included (they count toward events, per glitchtip.com/pricing, read 2026-10-30)

Cons:

• Fewer features than full Sentry
• Smaller community
• Performance transactions are counted as events, but it is a lighter product than Sentry

3. Highlight.io

Highlight.io is a full-stack monitoring platform that is fully open source. It combines error tracking, session replay, logging, and tracing in a single tool.

Pros:

• Full-stack observability in one tool
• Session replay capability
• Modern, clean interface
• Active development

Cons:

• Relatively new project
• Resource-intensive for self-hosting
• Smaller ecosystem than Sentry

4. Errbit

Errbit is one of the oldest open source error catchers. It is compatible with Airbrake's API, making migration straightforward if you are coming from Airbrake.

Pros:

• Lightweight and simple
• Airbrake API compatible
• Easy to deploy on small servers

Cons:

• Dated interface
• Limited active development
• No modern features like AI analysis or session replay

5. Exceptionless

Exceptionless is a .NET-focused open source error tracking tool, though it supports other languages too.

Pros:

• Strong .NET support
• Event-based architecture
• Real-time notifications

Cons:

• Primarily .NET focused
• Smaller community
• Limited integrations

Self-hosted error tracking tools at a glance

The table repeats what is described in the sections above; check each project's repository for current requirements and licenses before you commit.

Self-hosted error tracking: what it takes to run

Self-hosted error tracking means you run the ingestion, storage and UI yourself. Self-hosted Sentry is the most complete option and includes performance monitoring, but it depends on PostgreSQL, Redis, Kafka and ClickHouse, with a recommended minimum of 16GB RAM and 4 CPU cores. GlitchTip accepts the same Sentry SDKs and runs from a simple Docker Compose file, with a lighter feature set than Sentry. Highlight.io adds session replay, logs and tracing, at a higher resource cost.

Bugsly is a managed service, not a self-hosted one. Because it accepts the Sentry SDK, moving between self-hosted Sentry or GlitchTip and Bugsly is usually a DSN change, so you can switch later if the hosting work stops paying off.

Self-Hosted vs. Managed: The Real Cost

Before committing to self-hosting, consider the total cost. A self-hosted Sentry instance needs servers plus engineering time for maintenance (Sentry's own repository describes the self-hosted package as built for low-volume deployments and proofs-of-concept, github.com/getsentry/self-hosted, read 2026-10-30). Hosted options include GlitchTip (from $15/month for up to 100k events, glitchtip.com/pricing, read 2026-10-30) and Bugsly (Team $19/month for 2,000 issues). Because Bugsly accepts Sentry SDK events, trying it is often a DSN change, but test the features you rely on first.

For most teams under 50 engineers, a managed solution is more cost-effective when you factor in the engineering time spent on infrastructure. If compliance or data residency requirements mandate self-hosting, Sentry or GlitchTip are your best bets.

Recommendation

If you need self-hosting, start with GlitchTip for simplicity or Sentry for full features. If self-hosting is not a hard requirement, consider a managed tool like Bugsly that lets you focus on building your product instead of maintaining monitoring infrastructure.

Moving between self-hosted and managed

Because Sentry, GlitchTip and Bugsly all accept Sentry SDK traffic, switching is mostly a DSN change plus recreating alert rules. Start with Bugsly's Sentry alternative page or pricing; if you only want to read more before choosing, compare Bugsnag and Sentry or Grafana and Sentry.

Frequently asked questions

Is Bugsly open source?

No. Bugsly is a managed service and cannot be self-hosted. It accepts Sentry SDK traffic, so you can move to or from self-hosted Sentry or GlitchTip by changing the DSN.

What is the easiest self-hosted error tracker to run?

GlitchTip and Errbit are the lightest options described above. GlitchTip accepts Sentry SDKs and runs from a simple Docker Compose file.

Is self-hosted Sentry free?

The software is free to run on your own infrastructure, but you pay for the server and the engineering time to maintain it, which the cost section above estimates.

Which tool is best for session replay when self-hosting?

Highlight.io includes session replay, logs and tracing, at a higher resource cost.