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Dynatrace vs Splunk Enterprise

Dynatrace logo

Dynatrace

Software

Application Performance Management and Observability

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Splunk Enterprise logo

Splunk Enterprise

Software

Enterprise Search, Monitoring, and Analytics

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Dynatrace has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Dynatrace pricing is commitment based: rates require an annual platform level commitment rather than month to month purchase; Splunk Enterprise splunk Platform and Enterprise Security offerings carry no published rate and require contacting sales for a quote
  • They diverge on capability: Dynatrace covers AI-powered analytics, Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Dynatrace and Splunk Enterprise actually diverge.

Attributes where Dynatrace and Splunk Enterprise differ
AttributeDynatraceSplunk Enterprise
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionusage-based
Free tierYesNo
Founded20052003

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Api), 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 Dynatrace

  • AI-powered analytics
  • APM
  • Infrastructure monitoring
  • Log analysis

Only in Splunk Enterprise

  • Log aggregation
  • Real-time monitoring
  • Advanced analytics
  • Compliance

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

  • Full stack application performance monitoring with automatic dependency discoverynot Splunk Enterprise
  • Kubernetes and container platform observability priced per podnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Log ingest, processing and query analyticsnot Splunk Enterprise
  • Real user monitoring and session replay for web applicationsnot Splunk Enterprise

Splunk Enterprise

  • Indexing and searching machine data and logs at enterprise scalenot Dynatrace
  • Security information and event management via Enterprise Securitynot Dynatrace
  • IT service intelligence and infrastructure observabilitynot Dynatrace

Where each one falls short

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

Dynatrace

  • Pricing is commitment based: rates require an annual platform level commitment rather than month to month purchase
  • Full-Stack Monitoring is priced at $58 per month per 8 GiB of host memory, so a 64 GiB host counts as eight units
  • Infrastructure Monitoring at $29 per host per month excludes code level tracing, which requires Full-Stack
  • Session Replay doubles Real User Monitoring cost from $2.25 to $4.50 per 1,000 sessions
  • Runtime Vulnerability Analytics and Runtime Application Protection are each charged separately at $13 per month per 8 GiB host on top of monitoring

Splunk Enterprise

  • Splunk Platform and Enterprise Security offerings carry no published rate and require contacting sales for a quote
  • Four different pricing models are offered (activity, ingest, workload and entity based) and the applicable one depends on the product purchased
  • Published Observability Cloud rates start at $15 per host per month and are billed annually rather than monthly
  • Volume discounts are not published and require direct consultation with sales

Pricing, plan by plan

Dynatrace

Free
  • FreeFree
    • AI-powered analytics
    • APM
    • Infrastructure monitoring

Splunk Enterprise

On request
  • Starter$undefined/month
    • Log aggregation
    • Real-time monitoring
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Dynatrace if

  • You need ai-powered analytics.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want apm.
Dynatrace review

Choose Splunk Enterprise if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want real-time monitoring.
Splunk Enterprise review

Questions people ask

Is Dynatrace or Splunk Enterprise better?
Neither clearly leads. Dynatrace starts at Free and Splunk Enterprise at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Dynatrace or Splunk Enterprise?
Dynatrace has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Dynatrace and On request for Splunk Enterprise.
Does Dynatrace or Splunk Enterprise run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Dynatrace for free?
Yes. Dynatrace has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Splunk Enterprise starts at On request.
What is Dynatrace best used for?
Dynatrace is most often used for full stack application performance monitoring with automatic dependency discovery, kubernetes and container platform observability priced per pod, log ingest, processing and query analytics, real user monitoring and session replay for web applications. Of those, full stack application performance monitoring with automatic dependency discovery and kubernetes and container platform observability priced per pod are not what Splunk Enterprise is typically brought in for.
What can Dynatrace do that Splunk Enterprise cannot?
Dynatrace covers AI-powered analytics, APM, Infrastructure monitoring, Log analysis. Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation, Real-time monitoring, Advanced analytics, Compliance. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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