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Datadog Logs vs Elasticsearch Service

Datadog Logs logo

Datadog Logs

Software

Log Management and Analytics

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

Elasticsearch Service

Software

Managed Elasticsearch Cloud Service

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Elasticsearch Service 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 Service the 99.95 percent monthly uptime SLA applies only to the Platinum and Enterprise subscription tiers
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Elasticsearch Service covers Scalability.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Datadog Logs and Elasticsearch Service differ
AttributeDatadog LogsElasticsearch Service
Starting price$0.1/per GB ingested per monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsCloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud)Web, Api
Founded20102011

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 Datadog Logs

  • Log ingestion
  • Custom dashboards
  • Log-based metrics

Only in Elasticsearch Service

  • Scalability
  • High availability
  • Security

Both cover

  • Full-text search
  • 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 Elasticsearch Service
  • Multi-source log correlation with metrics and tracesnot Elasticsearch Service
  • Root cause analysis and troubleshootingnot Elasticsearch Service
  • Security monitoring and threat detectionnot Elasticsearch Service

Elasticsearch Service

  • Managed Elasticsearch without running the clusternot Datadog Logs
  • Log and observability data storage and searchnot Datadog Logs
  • Full-text search behind an applicationnot Datadog Logs
  • Deployments needing a specific cloud region across AWS, Azure or GCPnot 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 Service

  • The 99.95 percent monthly uptime SLA applies only to the Platinum and Enterprise subscription tiers
  • Serverless does not yet support traffic filtering, cross-project search or bring-your-own-key encryption
  • Serverless runs on AWS, GCP and Azure only, against 60 regions for the hosted option
  • Per-unit prices are not published; hosted is resource-based and serverless usage-based

Pricing, plan by plan

Datadog Logs

$0.1/per GB ingested per month

No published plan breakdown. See the Datadog Logs review.

Elasticsearch Service

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full-text search
    • Scalability
    • High availability

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 custom dashboards.
Datadog Logs review

Choose Elasticsearch Service if

  • You need scalability.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want high availability.
Elasticsearch Service review

Questions people ask

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