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Log Management · head to head

Datadog Logs vs Airbrake

Datadog Logs logo

Datadog Logs

Log Management

Log Management and Analytics

From
$0.1/per GB ingested per month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Airbrake logo

Airbrake

Log Management

Error Tracking and Performance Monitoring

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Airbrake has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Datadog Logs complex, multi-tiered pricing model based on ingestion, indexing, and storage; can become expensive at scale; Airbrake data retention is 30 days on every plan, including the $799 a month Business tier
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Airbrake covers Error tracking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datadog Logs and Airbrake actually diverge.

Attributes where Datadog Logs and Airbrake differ
AttributeDatadog LogsAirbrake
Starting price$0.1/per GB ingested per monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud)Web, Api
Founded20102008

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Log Management).

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 Datadog Logs

  • Log ingestion
  • Full-text search
  • Custom dashboards
  • Log-based metrics

Only in Airbrake

  • Error tracking
  • Performance monitoring
  • Deploy tracking
  • Custom notifications

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.

Datadog Logs

  • Centralised log aggregation and analysisnot Airbrake
  • Multi-source log correlation with metrics and tracesnot Airbrake
  • Root cause analysis and troubleshootingnot Airbrake
  • Security monitoring and threat detectionnot Airbrake

Airbrake

  • Error and exception monitoring for web applicationsnot Datadog Logs
  • Performance monitoring alongside error trackingnot Datadog Logs
  • Alerting a team when a deploy introduces a spike in errorsnot Datadog Logs
  • Tracking errors across multiple projects in one accountnot Datadog Logs

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

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

Airbrake

  • Data retention is 30 days on every plan, including the $799 a month Business tier
  • The entry plan at $19 a month covers 25,000 errors and 7,500 events
  • Errors beyond the plan quota are billed on demand
  • Audit logs and spike forgiveness require the Pro tier
  • The lowest tier is limited to 1 user and 1 team

Pricing, plan by plan

Datadog Logs

$0.1/per GB ingested per month

No published plan breakdown. See the Datadog Logs review.

Airbrake

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Error tracking
    • Performance monitoring
    • Deploy tracking

Which should you pick?

Choose Datadog Logs if

  • You need log ingestion.
  • You work on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud).
  • You also want full-text search.
Datadog Logs review

Choose Airbrake if

  • You need error tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want performance monitoring.
Airbrake review

Questions people ask

Is Datadog Logs or Airbrake better?
Neither clearly leads. Datadog Logs starts at $0.1/per GB ingested per month and Airbrake at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datadog Logs or Airbrake?
Airbrake has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $0.1/per GB ingested per month for Datadog Logs and Free for Airbrake.
Does Datadog Logs or Airbrake run on more platforms?
Datadog Logs runs on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud). Airbrake runs on Web, Api.
Can I use Airbrake for free?
Yes. Airbrake has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Datadog Logs starts at $0.1/per GB ingested per month.
What is Datadog Logs best used for?
Datadog Logs is most often used for centralised log aggregation and analysis, multi-source log correlation with metrics and traces, root cause analysis and troubleshooting, security monitoring and threat detection. Of those, centralised log aggregation and analysis and multi-source log correlation with metrics and traces are not what Airbrake is typically brought in for.
What can Datadog Logs do that Airbrake cannot?
Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Full-text search, Custom dashboards, Log-based metrics. Airbrake covers Error tracking, Performance monitoring, Deploy tracking, Custom notifications. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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