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Logging · head to head

Dynatrace Logs vs Retrace

Dynatrace Logs logo

Dynatrace Logs

Logging

Intelligent Log Analytics and Management

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Retrace logo

Retrace

Logging

Application Performance Monitoring and Logs

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Dynatrace Logs log ingest and processing is billed at $0.20 per GiB, separately from retention and from query; Retrace end of Life scheduled for March 31, 2027; the product is being discontinued
  • They diverge on capability: Dynatrace Logs covers Log analysis, Retrace covers Log management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dynatrace Logs and Retrace actually diverge.

Attributes where Dynatrace Logs and Retrace differ
AttributeDynatrace LogsRetrace
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb, .NET, Java, PHP, Node.js, Python
Founded20052012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (subscription), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Logging).

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 Dynatrace Logs

  • Log analysis
  • AI-powered insights
  • Metrics integration
  • Automated root cause

Only in Retrace

  • Log management
  • Application performance tracking
  • Error detection
  • Code profiling
  • Performance baselines

Both cover

  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

Dynatrace Logs

  • Ingesting and processing application and infrastructure logsnot Retrace
  • Querying logs alongside traces and metrics in one platformnot Retrace
  • Log driven alerting within an existing Dynatrace deploymentnot Retrace

Retrace

  • Log monitoringnot Dynatrace Logs
  • Application performancenot Dynatrace Logs
  • Security analyticsnot Dynatrace Logs
  • Troubleshootingnot Dynatrace Logs

Where each one falls short

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

Dynatrace Logs

  • Log ingest and processing is billed at $0.20 per GiB, separately from retention and from query
  • Querying logs is charged in addition to ingest, either pay per query or as bundled queries
  • Log analytics requires the same annual platform commitment as the rest of the Dynatrace platform

Retrace

  • End of Life scheduled for March 31, 2027; the product is being discontinued
  • Costs escalate quickly with per-server billing model, expensive at scale
  • User interface and dashboard criticisms; UI is outdated and difficult to use
  • Logging latency; logs can take time to appear and are not instant
  • Less mature support for Node.js, Python, and newer ecosystems
  • Reporting issues where process restarts provide only timeline without root cause data
  • Reliability concerns; monitoring has stopped collecting traces with no warning

Pricing, plan by plan

Dynatrace Logs

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log analysis
    • AI-powered insights
    • Metrics integration

Retrace

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log management
    • Application performance tracking
    • Error detection

Which should you pick?

Choose Dynatrace Logs if

  • You need log analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want ai-powered insights.
Dynatrace Logs review

Choose Retrace if

  • You need log management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, .NET, Java, PHP, Node.js, Python.
  • You also want application performance tracking.
Retrace review

Questions people ask

Is Dynatrace Logs or Retrace better?
Neither clearly leads. Dynatrace Logs starts at Free and Retrace at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dynatrace Logs or Retrace?
Dynatrace Logs starts at Free and Retrace at Free.
Does Dynatrace Logs or Retrace run on more platforms?
Dynatrace Logs runs on Web, Api. Retrace runs on Web, .NET, Java, PHP, Node.js, Python.
Can I use Dynatrace Logs for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Dynatrace Logs best used for?
Dynatrace Logs is most often used for ingesting and processing application and infrastructure logs, querying logs alongside traces and metrics in one platform, log driven alerting within an existing dynatrace deployment. Of those, ingesting and processing application and infrastructure logs and querying logs alongside traces and metrics in one platform are not what Retrace is typically brought in for.
What can Dynatrace Logs do that Retrace cannot?
Dynatrace Logs covers Log analysis, AI-powered insights, Metrics integration, Automated root cause. Retrace covers Log management, Application performance tracking, Error detection, Code profiling. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Retrace: What does Retrace monitor?

Retrace provides application performance monitoring (APM), centralized log management, error tracking, code profiling, and real user monitoring (RUM). It aggregates logs from applications and servers in one place.

Source
Retrace: What programming languages does Retrace support?

Retrace supports .NET, .NET Core, PHP, Node.js, Ruby, Python, and Java applications. Support for Node.js, Python, and newer ecosystems is noted as less mature.

Source
Retrace: Is Retrace being discontinued?

Yes. Retrace will reach End of Life on March 31, 2027. Users should plan to migrate to alternative solutions.

Source
Retrace: What databases and services does Retrace integrate with?

Retrace supports SQL Server, Oracle, PostgreSQL, MySQL, Redis, MongoDB, Elasticsearch, and cloud platforms like AWS and Azure.

Source
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