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Software · head to head

Datadog vs Smartsheet

Datadog logo

Datadog

Software

Modern monitoring & security

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Smartsheet logo

Smartsheet

Software

The platform for dynamic work

From
$9/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Datadog consumption-based pricing model makes costs hard to predict and can scale quickly; Smartsheet formulas lack Excel robustness; complex data manipulation hits performance limits
  • They diverge on capability: Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Smartsheet covers Grid, card, Gantt & calendar views.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Datadog and Smartsheet actually diverge.

Attributes where Datadog and Smartsheet differ
AttributeDatadogSmartsheet
Starting price$15/month$9/month
PlatformsWeb, Linux, Windows, macOSWeb, iOS, Android
Founded20102005

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Smartsheet

  • Grid, card, Gantt & calendar views
  • Automated workflows
  • Forms & data collection
  • Resource management
  • Dashboards & reporting
  • Proofing & approvals
  • Document generation
  • Integration platform

Both cover

  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • ISO27001
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Datadog

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

Smartsheet

  • Project portfolio managementnot Datadog
  • IT project managementnot Datadog
  • Marketing campaignsnot Datadog
  • Product launchesnot Datadog
  • Process automationnot 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

Smartsheet

  • Formulas lack Excel robustness; complex data manipulation hits performance limits
  • Gantt chart customization is limited with poor handling of part-time resource allocation
  • Expensive pricing compared to other project management tools; collaboration features are paid-only
  • Limited offline access and minimal mobile functionality compared to modern competitors

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

Smartsheet

$9/month
  • Pro$9/month
    • Core project management
    • Automation
    • 1-10 members
  • Business$19/month
    • Advanced automation
    • Portfolio management
    • 3+ members

Which should you pick?

Choose Datadog if

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

Choose Smartsheet if

  • You need grid, card, gantt & calendar views.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated workflows.

Questions people ask

Is Datadog or Smartsheet better?
Neither clearly leads. Datadog starts at $15/month and Smartsheet at $9/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Datadog or Smartsheet?
Datadog starts at $15/month and Smartsheet at $9/month.
Does Datadog or Smartsheet run on more platforms?
Datadog runs on Web, Linux, Windows, macOS. Smartsheet 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 Smartsheet is typically brought in for.
What can Datadog do that Smartsheet cannot?
Datadog covers Infrastructure monitoring, Application performance monitoring, Log management, Real user monitoring. Smartsheet covers Grid, card, Gantt & calendar views, Automated workflows, Forms & data collection, Resource management. Both handle Slack, SOC2, ISO27001, HIPAA.

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
Smartsheet: What is Smartsheet pricing for a construction team?

Smartsheet Pro starts at $9 per user per month (annual billing) for 1-10 members. A construction company can deploy Business plan for 18 licensed users at $19 per user plus unlimited free collaborators (subcontractors, clients) for a typical monthly cost around $576.

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
Smartsheet: Does Smartsheet work offline?

No. Smartsheet has minimal offline access and requires internet connectivity for full functionality.

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
Smartsheet: What integrations does Smartsheet support?

Smartsheet integrates with Slack, Microsoft Teams, Microsoft 365, Google Workspace, Jira, Salesforce, Dynamics 365, Tableau, Power BI, DocuSign, Box, Dropbox, plus Zapier and Make for no-code automation.

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
Smartsheet: Can I use Smartsheet formulas like Excel?

Smartsheet formulas lack the robustness of Excel. Complex nested functions or large-scale data manipulation often hit performance limits, requiring multiple helper columns.

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
Smartsheet: Does Smartsheet have a free plan?

No. Smartsheet Pro starts at $9 per user per month (annual billing). There is a free trial available, but no perpetual free plan.

Source

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