Log Management · head to head
Azure Monitor vs Datadog Logs
Azure Monitor
Log Management
Azure's Monitoring and Diagnostics Service
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
Datadog Logs
Log Management
Log Management and Analytics
- From
- $0.1/per GB ingested per month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Azure Monitor has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Azure Monitor billed per GB ingested across three separate log plans, Auxiliary, Basic and Analytics, so the plan chosen changes the rate as much as the volume does; Datadog Logs complex, multi-tiered pricing model based on ingestion, indexing, and storage; can become expensive at scale
- They diverge on capability: Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Azure Monitor and Datadog Logs actually diverge.
| Attribute | Azure Monitor | 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) |
Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Log Management), founded (2010).
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 Azure Monitor
- Log collection
- Metrics collection
- Alerts and notifications
Only in Datadog Logs
- Log ingestion
- Full-text search
- Log-based metrics
Both cover
- Custom dashboards
- API
- Webhooks
- REST
- Web support
- Api support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Azure Monitor
- Collecting logs and metrics from Azure resourcesnot Datadog Logs
- Alerting on metric thresholds and log queriesnot Datadog Logs
- Application performance monitoring through Application Insightsnot Datadog Logs
- Long-term log retention for compliancenot Datadog Logs
- Querying operational data with KQLnot Datadog Logs
Datadog Logs
- Centralised log aggregation and analysisnot Azure Monitor
- Multi-source log correlation with metrics and tracesnot Azure Monitor
- Root cause analysis and troubleshootingnot Azure Monitor
- Security monitoring and threat detectionnot Azure Monitor
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Azure Monitor
- Billed per GB ingested across three separate log plans, Auxiliary, Basic and Analytics, so the plan chosen changes the rate as much as the volume does
- Only the first 5 GB a month of Analytics logs is free per billing account
- Retention beyond the base period is charged per GB per month, up to 2 years interactive and 12 years long term
- Log queries and search jobs are billed per GB scanned, so investigating an incident costs money
- Alert rules are billed per time series for metrics and by execution frequency for logs
- The pricing page shows placeholders rather than rates until a region and currency are chosen
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
Azure Monitor
Free- FreeFree
- Log collection
- Metrics collection
- Alerts and notifications
Datadog Logs
$0.1/per GB ingested per monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Datadog Logs review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Azure Monitor if
- You need log collection.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want metrics collection.
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 Azure Monitor or Datadog Logs better?
- Neither clearly leads. Azure Monitor 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, Azure Monitor or Datadog Logs?
- Azure Monitor has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Azure Monitor and $0.1/per GB ingested per month for Datadog Logs.
- Does Azure Monitor or Datadog Logs run on more platforms?
- Azure Monitor runs on Web, Api. Datadog Logs runs on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud).
- Can I use Azure Monitor for free?
- Yes. Azure Monitor has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Datadog Logs starts at $0.1/per GB ingested per month.
- What is Azure Monitor best used for?
- Azure Monitor is most often used for collecting logs and metrics from azure resources, alerting on metric thresholds and log queries, application performance monitoring through application insights, long-term log retention for compliance. Of those, collecting logs and metrics from azure resources and alerting on metric thresholds and log queries are not what Datadog Logs is typically brought in for.
- What can Azure Monitor do that Datadog Logs cannot?
- Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Metrics collection, Alerts and notifications. Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Full-text search, Log-based metrics. Both handle Custom dashboards, API, Webhooks, REST.