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Datadog vs Float

Datadog logo

Datadog

Software

Modern monitoring & security

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Float logo

Float

Software

Resource management for agencies and teams

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Datadog consumption-based pricing model makes costs hard to predict and can scale quickly; Float web-only platform without native desktop applications
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Float covers Resource scheduling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datadog and Float actually diverge.

Attributes where Datadog and Float differ
AttributeDatadogFloat
Starting price$15/month$6/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20102011

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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

  • Infrastructure monitoring
  • Application performance monitoring
  • Log management
  • Real user monitoring
  • Synthetic monitoring
  • Security monitoring
  • Network monitoring
  • Serverless monitoring

Only in Float

  • Resource scheduling
  • Capacity planning
  • Time tracking
  • Project planning
  • Reports
  • Asana
  • Jira
  • Teamwork

Both cover

  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Datadog

  • Infrastructure monitoringnot Float
  • Application performancenot Float
  • Security monitoringnot Float
  • Log analysisnot Float
  • Cloud monitoringnot Float

Float

  • Schedulingnot Datadog
  • Appointment bookingnot Datadog
  • Time trackingnot Datadog
  • Resource managementnot Datadog
  • Team coordinationnot Datadog

Where each one falls short

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

Datadog

  • Consumption-based pricing model makes costs hard to predict and can scale quickly
  • Add-on modules significantly increase costs: custom metrics, indexed spans, extended retention
  • No free tier for production monitoring
  • High costs for organizations with large amounts of log data or high-cardinality metrics

Float

  • Web-only platform without native desktop applications
  • No offline mode for resource planning
  • Limited reporting customization on lower-tier plans
  • No built-in payroll or invoicing features

Pricing, plan by plan

Datadog

$15/month
  • Infrastructure Monitoring$15/month
    • Host monitoring
    • Basic dashboards
  • APM$31/month
    • Application performance monitoring
    • Trace collection
  • Log Management$0.1/gb
    • Log indexing
    • Search and filter

Float

$6/month
  • Starter$6/month
    • Resource scheduling
    • Time off
    • Basic reports
  • Pro$10/month
    • Time tracking
    • Budget tracking
    • Advanced reports

Which should you pick?

Choose Datadog if

  • You need infrastructure monitoring.
  • You work on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS.
  • You also want application performance monitoring.
Datadog review

Choose Float if

  • You need resource scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want capacity planning.
Float review

Questions people ask

Is Datadog or Float better?
Neither clearly leads. Datadog starts at $15/month and Float at $6/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datadog or Float?
Datadog starts at $15/month and Float at $6/month.
Does Datadog or Float run on more platforms?
Datadog runs on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS. Float runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Datadog best used for?
Datadog is most often used for infrastructure monitoring, application performance, security monitoring, log analysis. Of those, infrastructure monitoring and application performance are not what Float is typically brought in for.
What can Datadog do that Float cannot?
Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Application performance monitoring, Log management, Real user monitoring. Float covers Resource scheduling, Capacity planning, Time tracking, Project planning. Both handle Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Datadog: How is Datadog pricing structured?

Datadog uses consumption-based pricing tied to data volume ingested, hosts monitored, and products enabled. Infrastructure Monitoring starts at $15/host/month, APM at $31/host/month, and Log Management at $0.10/GB for indexed logs.

Source
Float: What does Float pricing start at?

Float's Starter plan begins at $7 per user per month for basic resource scheduling and capacity management. The Pro plan costs $12 per user per month with advanced features like estimates and actuals tracking.

Source
Datadog: Does Datadog offer a free tier?

Datadog offers a free trial but not a permanent free tier for production monitoring. Pricing begins with paid plans only.

Source
Float: Is Float independent or backed by investors?

Float is independent and self-funded. The company is a B Corp certified since 2024 and is profitable. It has never raised venture funding and operates with a fully remote team.

Source
Datadog: What integrations does Datadog support?

Datadog offers 1000+ built-in integrations including AWS, Kubernetes, Docker, Azure, GCP, and most major cloud platforms and services.

Source
Float: What platforms does Float support?

Float is a web-based platform accessible through modern browsers. It provides visual resource management, scheduling, capacity planning, time tracking, and forecasting tools.

Source
Datadog: Can Datadog monitor Kubernetes clusters?

Yes. The Datadog Agent runs as a DaemonSet to provide real-time visibility into pods, nodes, deployments, and control-plane health across major Kubernetes distributions including EKS, AKS, GKE, OpenShift, and others.

Source
Datadog: How can I reduce Datadog costs?

Datadog bills based on indexed logs, custom metrics, and high-cardinality tags. Costs can be unpredictable and may run 2-3x estimates. Prepaying annually can secure 5-15% discounts.

Source
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