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Software · head to head

Datadog vs Jenkins

Datadog logo

Datadog

Software

Modern monitoring & security

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Jenkins logo

Jenkins

Software

The leading open source automation server

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Jenkins 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; Jenkins described by the vendor as the leading open source automation server and a community-driven project, with no commercial edition or license fee
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Jenkins covers Continuous integration.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datadog and Jenkins actually diverge.

Attributes where Datadog and Jenkins differ
AttributeDatadogJenkins
Starting price$15/monthFree
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Windows, macOSLinux, Windows, Macos, Docker
Founded20102011

Identical on both: 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 Jenkins

  • Continuous integration
  • Continuous delivery
  • Pipeline as code
  • Distributed builds
  • Plugin ecosystem
  • REST API
  • CLI tools
  • Build triggers

Both cover

  • AWS
  • Azure
  • Kubernetes
  • Docker
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Datadog

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

Jenkins

  • CI/CD pipelinesnot Datadog
  • Automated testingnot Datadog
  • Build automationnot Datadog
  • Deployment automationnot Datadog
  • Infrastructure as codenot 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

Jenkins

  • Described by the vendor as the leading open source automation server and a community-driven project, with no commercial edition or license fee

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

Jenkins

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Unlimited builds
    • 1000+ plugins
    • Self-hosted
  • CloudBees CI$undefined/month
    • Enterprise features
    • High availability
    • Role-based access

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 Jenkins if

  • You need continuous integration.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
  • You also want continuous delivery.
Jenkins review

Questions people ask

Is Datadog or Jenkins better?
Neither clearly leads. Datadog starts at $15/month and Jenkins at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datadog or Jenkins?
Jenkins has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for Datadog and Free for Jenkins.
Does Datadog or Jenkins run on more platforms?
Datadog runs on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS. Jenkins runs on Linux, Windows, Macos, Docker.
Can I use Jenkins for free?
Yes. Jenkins 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 Jenkins is typically brought in for.
What can Datadog do that Jenkins cannot?
Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Application performance monitoring, Log management, Real user monitoring. Jenkins covers Continuous integration, Continuous delivery, Pipeline as code, Distributed builds. Both handle AWS, Azure, 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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