Helicone is $20/mo (Pro). Trough is a self-hosted alternative at $2.99/mo. Here's when each makes sense.
| Trough | Helicone | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted, your infra | Open source but requires Postgres, Clickhouse, and Docker |
| Data location | Your server, your disk | Your server (if self-hosted) |
| Free tier | 1 service, 10,000 requests/mo | Paid only |
| Pro pricing | $2.99/mo | $20/mo (Pro) |
| Dependencies | None (single binary + SQLite) | Docker, Postgres, etc. |
| Setup time | ~30 seconds | 15-30 minutes (self-host) |
| Dashboard | Built-in at /ui | Web UI |
| License | BSL 1.1 | Open source |
Trough is a single Go binary with embedded SQLite. Install it with one command, and you are running in under a minute. Your data stays on your server.
curl -fsSL https://stockyard.dev/trough/install.sh | sh
Choosing between Trough and Helicone is less about which tool is better and more about what kind of infrastructure you want to maintain. Helicone at $20/mo (Pro) handles hosting, backups, and uptime for you. Trough at $2.99/mo shifts that responsibility to you — but also shifts the control. If you already run servers, Trough adds negligible operational burden. If you do not, Helicone removes it entirely.
The operational difference is significant. Helicone requires you to trust their infrastructure, their security practices, and their business continuity. Trough requires you to run a process and keep the data directory backed up. If your server dies, restore the binary and the SQLite file to a new server. The entire recovery procedure fits in a single paragraph because there is nothing else involved.
Helicone can be self-hosted, but the experience differs significantly from Trough. Open source but requires Postgres, Clickhouse, and Docker With Trough, self-hosting means downloading one file and running it. The gap in operational complexity matters most for small teams without dedicated DevOps staff.
Switching from Helicone to Trough is straightforward for most teams. Export your data from Helicone (most services offer CSV or JSON export), then POST each record to Trough's API. A migration script that reads the export and writes to /api/ endpoints typically takes less than 50 lines of code. The reverse migration is equally simple — Trough's SQLite database is a standard file you can query with any SQLite client.
Single binary. Free to start. $2.99/mo for Pro.