Distinctions
SLA and KPI
The agreed standard, or its measurement?
The agreed threshold a service must meet.
A specific measured indicator used to test whether that threshold is being met.
The difference in one sentence
The SLA sets the bar; the KPI measures whether you clear it.
Why they get conflated
SLAs and KPIs are often treated as one document, while one is an agreement and the other a measurement instrument.
Why it matters
Every SLA needs KPIs to be checkable; not every KPI belongs in an SLA.
How to tell them apart
Ask whether the indicator tests a contractually agreed threshold, or is tracked purely for information.
Back to distinctionsLast reviewed: 2026-08-23