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Datadog vs Hetzner Cloud

Datadog logo

Datadog

Technology

Modern monitoring & security

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Hetzner Cloud logo

Hetzner Cloud

Cloud & Infrastructure

Affordable cloud servers in Europe

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Hetzner Cloud has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Datadog consumption-based pricing model makes costs hard to predict and can scale quickly; Hetzner Cloud cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datadog and Hetzner Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where Datadog and Hetzner Cloud differ
AttributeDatadogHetzner Cloud
Starting price$15/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, Api, Cli
CategoryTechnologyCloud & Infrastructure
Founded20101997

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Hetzner Cloud

  • Cloud servers
  • Block storage
  • Object storage
  • Load balancers
  • Networks
  • Firewalls
  • Floating IPs
  • Backups

Both cover

  • Kubernetes
  • Docker

What people use each for

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

Datadog

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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Low-cost virtual servers for development and testingnot Datadog
  • European hosting with data held in Germany or Finlandnot Datadog
  • Workloads with heavy egress, where included traffic mattersnot Datadog
  • Self-hosting applications away from the hyperscalersnot 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

Hetzner Cloud

  • Cost-Optimized plans are shown as currently unavailable
  • The shared-resource tiers are positioned for variable usage and development rather than sustained production workloads
  • Regions are limited to Germany, Finland, the United States and Singapore, so latency to other markets is a real constraint
  • The uptime guarantee is 99.9 percent, below what the large hyperscalers offer on comparable services
  • Support is 24/7 by email, without a phone channel

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

Hetzner Cloud

Free
  • CX11$3.29/month
    • 1 vCPU
    • 1GB RAM
    • 25GB SSD
  • CX21$6.59/month
    • 2 vCPU
    • 4GB RAM
    • 40GB SSD

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 Hetzner Cloud if

  • You need cloud servers.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Cli.
  • You also want block storage.
Hetzner Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is Datadog or Hetzner Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. Datadog starts at $15/month and Hetzner Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datadog or Hetzner Cloud?
Hetzner Cloud has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for Datadog and Free for Hetzner Cloud.
Does Datadog or Hetzner Cloud run on more platforms?
Datadog runs on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS. Hetzner Cloud runs on Web, Api, Cli.
Can I use Hetzner Cloud for free?
Yes. Hetzner Cloud has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Datadog starts at $15/month.
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 Hetzner Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can Datadog do that Hetzner Cloud cannot?
Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Application performance monitoring, Log management, Real user monitoring. Hetzner Cloud covers Cloud servers, Block storage, Object storage, Load balancers. Both handle Kubernetes, Docker.

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
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
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
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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