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Software · head to head

Datadog Logs vs Azure Monitor

Datadog Logs logo

Datadog Logs

Software

Log Management and Analytics

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

Azure Monitor

Software

Azure's Monitoring and Diagnostics Service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Azure Monitor 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; 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
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Azure Monitor covers Log collection.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datadog Logs and Azure Monitor actually diverge.

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

Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), 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 Datadog Logs

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

Only in Azure Monitor

  • Log collection
  • Metrics collection
  • Alerts and notifications

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.

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

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

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Datadog Logs

$0.1/per GB ingested per month

No published plan breakdown. See the Datadog Logs review.

Azure Monitor

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log collection
    • Metrics collection
    • Alerts and notifications

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 Azure Monitor if

  • You need log collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want metrics collection.
Azure Monitor review

Questions people ask

Is Datadog Logs or Azure Monitor better?
Neither clearly leads. Datadog Logs starts at $0.1/per GB ingested per month and Azure Monitor at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datadog Logs or Azure Monitor?
Azure Monitor 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 Azure Monitor.
Does Datadog Logs or Azure Monitor run on more platforms?
Datadog Logs runs on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud). Azure Monitor runs on Web, Api.
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 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 Azure Monitor is typically brought in for.
What can Datadog Logs do that Azure Monitor cannot?
Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Full-text search, Log-based metrics. Azure Monitor covers Log collection, Metrics collection, Alerts and notifications. Both handle Custom dashboards, API, Webhooks, REST.
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