Software · head to head
AppDynamics vs Datadog Logs
Datadog Logs
Software
Log Management and Analytics
- From
- $0.1/per GB ingested per month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only AppDynamics has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: AppDynamics appdynamics.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to Splunk's observability pricing page; the product is now sold as Splunk AppDynamics; Datadog Logs complex, multi-tiered pricing model based on ingestion, indexing, and storage; can become expensive at scale
- They diverge on capability: AppDynamics covers Application performance monitoring, Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which AppDynamics and Datadog Logs actually diverge.
| Attribute | AppDynamics | Datadog Logs |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $0.1/per GB ingested per month |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud) |
| Founded | 2008 | 2010 |
Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in AppDynamics
- Application performance monitoring
- Distributed tracing
- Real-time analytics
- Alert management
Only in Datadog Logs
- Log ingestion
- Full-text search
- Custom dashboards
- Log-based metrics
Both cover
- API
- Webhooks
- REST
- Web support
- Api support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
AppDynamics
- Application performance monitoring for Java, .NET and other enterprise application stacksnot Datadog Logs
- Business transaction tracing across distributed application tiersnot Datadog Logs
- Infrastructure monitoring priced per vCPUnot Datadog Logs
Datadog Logs
- Centralised log aggregation and analysisnot AppDynamics
- Multi-source log correlation with metrics and tracesnot AppDynamics
- Root cause analysis and troubleshootingnot AppDynamics
- Security monitoring and threat detectionnot AppDynamics
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
AppDynamics
- appdynamics.com/pricing returns a 301 redirect to Splunk's observability pricing page; the product is now sold as Splunk AppDynamics
- Infrastructure Edition starts at $6 per vCPU per month billed annually, so cost scales with core count rather than host count
- Premium Edition starts at $33 per host per month and Enterprise Edition at $50 per host per month, both billed annually
- The published figures are starting prices only, with volume pricing requiring a sales quote
Datadog Logs
- Complex, multi-tiered pricing model based on ingestion, indexing, and storage; can become expensive at scale
- Ingestion pricing of $0.10/GB can accumulate rapidly for high-volume logging environments
Pricing, plan by plan
AppDynamics
Free- FreeFree
- Application performance monitoring
- Distributed tracing
- Real-time analytics
Datadog Logs
$0.1/per GB ingested per monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Datadog Logs review.
Which should you pick?
Choose AppDynamics if
- You need application performance monitoring.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want distributed tracing.
Choose Datadog Logs if
- You need log ingestion.
- You work on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud).
- You also want full-text search.
Questions people ask
- Is AppDynamics or Datadog Logs better?
- Neither clearly leads. AppDynamics starts at Free and Datadog Logs at $0.1/per GB ingested per month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, AppDynamics or Datadog Logs?
- AppDynamics has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for AppDynamics and $0.1/per GB ingested per month for Datadog Logs.
- Does AppDynamics or Datadog Logs run on more platforms?
- AppDynamics runs on Web, Api. Datadog Logs runs on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud).
- Can I use AppDynamics for free?
- Yes. AppDynamics has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Datadog Logs starts at $0.1/per GB ingested per month.
- What is AppDynamics best used for?
- AppDynamics is most often used for application performance monitoring for java, .net and other enterprise application stacks, business transaction tracing across distributed application tiers, infrastructure monitoring priced per vcpu. Of those, application performance monitoring for java, .net and other enterprise application stacks and business transaction tracing across distributed application tiers are not what Datadog Logs is typically brought in for.
- What can AppDynamics do that Datadog Logs cannot?
- AppDynamics covers Application performance monitoring, Distributed tracing, Real-time analytics, Alert management. Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Full-text search, Custom dashboards, Log-based metrics. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.