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Software · head to head

Datadog vs Shortcut

Datadog logo

Datadog

Software

Modern monitoring & security

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shortcut logo

Shortcut

Software

Project management for software teams

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Shortcut 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; Shortcut limited reporting compared to Jira
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Shortcut covers Stories & epics.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datadog and Shortcut actually diverge.

Attributes where Datadog and Shortcut differ
AttributeDatadogShortcut
Starting price$15/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, macOS, Windows, Linux
Founded20102014

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Shortcut

  • Stories & epics
  • Iterations (sprints)
  • Kanban boards
  • Roadmaps
  • Reporting
  • Docs
  • API & webhooks
  • Mobile apps

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2

What people use each for

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

Datadog

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

Shortcut

  • Sprint planningnot Datadog
  • Bug trackingnot Datadog
  • Feature developmentnot Datadog
  • Product roadmappingnot Datadog
  • Team collaborationnot 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

Shortcut

  • Limited reporting compared to Jira
  • Designed specifically for software teams, not general project management
  • Can experience slow loading times with very large projects

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

Shortcut

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Kanban boards
    • Sprints
    • Roadmaps
  • Team$8.5/user/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Advanced reports
    • WIP limits
  • Business$12/user/month
    • Unlimited workspaces
    • OKRs
    • Advanced custom fields
  • Enterprise$null/custom
    • Volume discounts
    • SSO/SCIM
    • Premier support

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 Shortcut if

  • You need stories & epics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
  • You also want iterations (sprints).
Shortcut review

Questions people ask

Is Datadog or Shortcut better?
Neither clearly leads. Datadog starts at $15/month and Shortcut at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datadog or Shortcut?
Shortcut has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $15/month for Datadog and Free for Shortcut.
Does Datadog or Shortcut run on more platforms?
Datadog runs on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS. Shortcut runs on Web, macOS, Windows, Linux.
Can I use Shortcut for free?
Yes. Shortcut 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 Shortcut is typically brought in for.
What can Datadog do that Shortcut cannot?
Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Application performance monitoring, Log management, Real user monitoring. Shortcut covers Stories & epics, Iterations (sprints), Kanban boards, Roadmaps. Both handle Slack, SOC2.

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
Shortcut: Does Shortcut have a free plan?

Yes, Shortcut offers a free plan for up to 10 users with core features like kanban boards, roadmaps, sprints, and reports. Paid plans start at $8.50 per user per month.

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
Shortcut: Does Shortcut integrate with GitHub?

Yes, Shortcut has native GitHub integration that automatically syncs pull requests and commits to stories, and includes GitLab and Bitbucket support as well.

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
Shortcut: Can I use Shortcut for non-technical projects?

Shortcut is built for software teams, though you can customize workflows for other use cases. Linear and Asana may be better suited for non-technical project management.

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
Shortcut: Does Shortcut support SSO and SCIM?

Yes, SSO and SCIM support are available on the Enterprise plan, allowing centralized identity management for large organizations.

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
Shortcut: What's the difference between Shortcut and Jira?

Shortcut is lighter and faster with less setup required, while Jira offers deeper customization and enterprise features. Shortcut works better for modern software teams wanting simplicity; Jira suits enterprises needing extensive configuration.

Source
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