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Comparison · Infra & APIs

AppSignal vs Hanko

A side-by-side editorial comparison of AppSignal and Hanko — release velocity, themes, recent moves, and the top alternatives to consider.

AppSignal vs Hanko: at a glance

FeatureAppSignalHanko
SectorInfra & APIsInfra & APIs
Velocity score5.00.0
Sparks · 30d00
Top themesdistributed-tracing, apm, observability, mcpauthentication, passkeys, enterprise-sso, identity
Last editorial update1h ago3h ago
WebsiteVisit →Visit →

What is AppSignal?

AppSignal is turning distributed tracing into the default way to debug, one link at a time.

AppSignal shipped a run of tracing upgrades in two weeks: the service map left its feature flag, traces now link to host metrics and deploys, and cross-app services show by name instead of 'Unknown service'. Alongside that, OAuth tokens and the GraphQL API got tighter scoping and a cleaner log query model.

Read the full AppSignal trajectory →

What is Hanko?

Hanko maps SAML and OIDC attributes into custom claims, a step toward enterprise SSO.

Hanko is a passkey-first authentication platform, open source or cloud-hosted. October's update lets teams bring attributes from SAML and custom OIDC connections into Hanko as custom claims, configured in the Cloud Console. Earlier 2026 releases added Firebase password hash import, inactivity logouts, session transparency and stronger passcode policies.

Read the full Hanko trajectory →

AppSignal vs Hanko: editorial side-by-side

A
AppSignal
INFRA · APIS
5.0

AppSignal is turning distributed tracing into the default way to debug, one link at a time.

◆ Current state

AppSignal shipped a run of tracing upgrades in two weeks: the service map left its feature flag, traces now link to host metrics and deploys, and cross-app services show by name instead of 'Unknown service'. Alongside that, OAuth tokens and the GraphQL API got tighter scoping and a cleaner log query model.

◆ Where it's heading

The work points at connecting signals that used to live on separate pages: errors, traces, hosts, deploys and incidents. An MCP tool that lets agents count logs suggests the same connected data is being exposed to AI assistants, not just human dashboards.

◆ Prediction

Expect more agent-facing MCP capabilities built on the same trace and log data, likely starting with trace or error queries.

H
Hanko
INFRA · APIS
0.0

Hanko maps SAML and OIDC attributes into custom claims, a step toward enterprise SSO.

◆ Current state

Hanko is a passkey-first authentication platform, open source or cloud-hosted. October's update lets teams bring attributes from SAML and custom OIDC connections into Hanko as custom claims, configured in the Cloud Console. Earlier 2026 releases added Firebase password hash import, inactivity logouts, session transparency and stronger passcode policies.

◆ Where it's heading

Hanko is filling in what enterprise customers expect from an identity provider: SSO attribute mapping, session controls and migration paths from incumbents. Releases arrive monthly or less, each with a narrow feature.

◆ Prediction

More enterprise SSO features, such as directory sync or role mapping from claims, are the likely next additions; the entries do not confirm a timeline.

Alternatives to AppSignal and Hanko

Other Infra & APIs products tracked by Sparkpulse, ranked by recent ship velocity. Each card links to a full editorial trajectory and lets you pivot into a head-to-head comparison with either AppSignal or Hanko.

See all AppSignal alternatives → · See all Hanko alternatives →

Recent activity from AppSignal and Hanko

Latest ship moves from both products, interleaved chronologically. ⚡ = editorial spark.

  1. 1d agoAppSignalSee services from your other apps by name in the error trace map
  2. 6d agoAppSignalOAuth tokens only see what you granted
  3. 6d agoAppSignalJump from a trace to its host metrics and deploy
  4. 6d agoAppSignalLog severity filters now live in the log query
  5. 8d agoAppSignalLink GitHub issues to incidents
  6. 8d agoAppSignalResize the trace timeline and open traces from browser errors
  7. 1mo agoHankoHanko maps SAML and OIDC attributes to custom claims
  8. 5mo agoHankoJune 2026 Updates
  9. 6mo agoHankoApril 2026 Updates
  10. 8mo agoHankoMarch 2026 Updates
  11. 9mo agoHankoJanuary 2026 Updates
  12. 11mo agoHankoDecember 2025 Updates

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between AppSignal and Hanko?

They serve adjacent needs but don't currently overlap on shipped themes. AppSignal is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. See the at-a-glance table above for a side-by-side breakdown of velocity, recent sparks, and editorial themes.

Is AppSignal better than Hanko?

Sparkpulse doesn't pick a winner — we score release velocity, not feature parity. AppSignal is currently shipping more aggressively (velocity 5.0 vs 0.0), with 0 editorial sparks in the last 30 days against 0. For your specific use case, the alternatives sections above list other Infra & APIs products to evaluate alongside.

What are the best alternatives to AppSignal?

Top AppSignal alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "AppSignal alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/appsignal for the full list with editorial commentary on each.

What are the best alternatives to Hanko?

Top Hanko alternatives in Infra & APIs are ranked by recent ship velocity. Browse the "Hanko alternatives" section above for the current picks, or visit /alternatives/hanko for the full list with editorial commentary on each.