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Software · head to head

Datadog Logs vs Elasticsearch

Datadog Logs logo

Datadog Logs

Software

Log Management and Analytics

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

Elasticsearch

Software

The heart of the Elastic Stack for search and analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Elasticsearch 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; Elasticsearch eventual consistency model with 1-second default refresh interval, not suitable for real-time transactional requirements
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Elasticsearch covers Full-text Search.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Datadog Logs and Elasticsearch differ
AttributeDatadog LogsElasticsearch
Starting price$0.1/per GB ingested per monthFree
Pricing modelusage-basedUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud)Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Kubernetes

Identical on both: 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
  • Custom dashboards
  • Log-based metrics
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Api support

Only in Elasticsearch

  • Full-text Search
  • Real-time Analytics
  • Distributed Architecture
  • RESTful API
  • Schema-free JSON
  • Aggregations
  • Machine Learning
  • Kibana

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Datadog Logs

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

Elasticsearch

  • Real-time applicationsnot Datadog Logs
  • Content managementnot Datadog Logs
  • User profilesnot Datadog Logs
  • Mobile backendsnot Datadog Logs
  • Cachingnot 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

Elasticsearch

  • Eventual consistency model with 1-second default refresh interval, not suitable for real-time transactional requirements
  • No support for ACID transactions or rollbacks; updates delete and re-insert documents
  • JVM-dependent architecture requires careful memory management and monitoring to prevent garbage collection issues at scale

Pricing, plan by plan

Datadog Logs

$0.1/per GB ingested per month

No published plan breakdown. See the Datadog Logs review.

Elasticsearch

Free
  • Self-ManagedFree
    • Open source
    • Self-hosted
  • Elasticsearch Cloud$16.4/month
    • Managed service
    • 14-day free trial

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 Elasticsearch if

  • You need full-text search.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Kubernetes.
  • You also want real-time analytics.
Elasticsearch review

Questions people ask

Is Datadog Logs or Elasticsearch better?
Neither clearly leads. Datadog Logs starts at $0.1/per GB ingested per month and Elasticsearch at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datadog Logs or Elasticsearch?
Elasticsearch 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 Elasticsearch.
Does Datadog Logs or Elasticsearch run on more platforms?
Datadog Logs runs on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud). Elasticsearch runs on Linux, Windows, macOS, Docker, Kubernetes.
Can I use Elasticsearch for free?
Yes. Elasticsearch 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 Elasticsearch is typically brought in for.
What can Datadog Logs do that Elasticsearch cannot?
Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Full-text search, Custom dashboards, Log-based metrics. Elasticsearch covers Full-text Search, Real-time Analytics, Distributed Architecture, RESTful API. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Elasticsearch: Is Elasticsearch free?

Yes, Elasticsearch can be deployed as free and open-source software for self-managed installations. Elastic Cloud managed service starts at $16.40 per month, with a free 14-day trial available.

Source
Elasticsearch: Can I use Elasticsearch without Kibana?

Yes, Elasticsearch is a search engine independent of Kibana. Kibana is a visualization and analytics tool that works with Elasticsearch but is optional. You can use the Elasticsearch API directly for searching.

Source
Elasticsearch: Does Elasticsearch support real-time indexing?

Elasticsearch indexes data with a refresh interval, typically 1 second. Data becomes searchable after the refresh cycle, making it near-real-time but not instantaneous. This can be configured but impacts performance.

Source
Elasticsearch: What are Elasticsearch's scaling limitations?

Elasticsearch requires careful operational management at scale, including shard balancing, heap sizing, and monitoring. Large clusters can suffer from garbage collection issues and become expensive to operate.

Source
Elasticsearch: Does Elasticsearch support transactions and rollbacks?

No, Elasticsearch does not support ACID transactions or rollbacks. Updates are expensive operations that delete and re-insert documents, making it unsuitable for transactional workloads.

Source
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