Log Management · head to head
Sematext vs Datadog Logs
Datadog Logs
Log Management
Log Management and Analytics
- From
- $0.1/per GB ingested per month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Sematext has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Sematext the $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days; Datadog Logs complex, multi-tiered pricing model based on ingestion, indexing, and storage; can become expensive at scale
- They diverge on capability: Sematext covers Log aggregation, Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Sematext and Datadog Logs actually diverge.
| Attribute | Sematext | Datadog Logs |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $0.1/per GB ingested per month |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web, Api | Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud) |
| Founded | 2007 | 2010 |
Identical on both: pricing model (usage-based), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Log Management).
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 Sematext
- Log aggregation
- APM
- Metrics monitoring
- Anomaly detection
Only in Datadog Logs
- Log ingestion
- Full-text search
- Custom dashboards
- Log-based metrics
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.
Sematext
- Centralised log management and search across servicesnot Datadog Logs
- Infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logsnot Datadog Logs
Datadog Logs
- Centralised log aggregation and analysisnot Sematext
- Multi-source log correlation with metrics and tracesnot Sematext
- Root cause analysis and troubleshootingnot Sematext
- Security monitoring and threat detectionnot Sematext
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Sematext
- The $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days
- Ingestion and storage are billed on separate meters, at $0.10 per GB received and $0.15 per GB stored
- Retention is a plan property rather than a setting, so keeping logs longer means moving tier
- The published pricing page renders Standard and Pro figures from unresolved template placeholders, so only the Basic numbers are actually readable
Datadog Logs
- Complex, multi-tiered pricing model based on ingestion, indexing, and storage; can become expensive at scale
- Ingestion pricing of $0.10/GB can accumulate rapidly for high-volume logging environments
Pricing, plan by plan
Sematext
Free- FreeFree
- Log aggregation
- APM
- Metrics monitoring
Datadog Logs
$0.1/per GB ingested per monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Datadog Logs review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Sematext if
- You need log aggregation.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api.
- You also want apm.
Choose Datadog Logs if
- You need log ingestion.
- You work on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud).
- You also want full-text search.
Questions people ask
- Is Sematext or Datadog Logs better?
- Neither clearly leads. Sematext starts at Free and Datadog Logs at $0.1/per GB ingested per month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Sematext or Datadog Logs?
- Sematext has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Sematext and $0.1/per GB ingested per month for Datadog Logs.
- Does Sematext or Datadog Logs run on more platforms?
- Sematext runs on Web, Api. Datadog Logs runs on Cloud (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Oracle Cloud).
- Can I use Sematext for free?
- Yes. Sematext has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Datadog Logs starts at $0.1/per GB ingested per month.
- What is Sematext best used for?
- Sematext is most often used for centralised log management and search across services, infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logs. Of those, centralised log management and search across services and infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logs are not what Datadog Logs is typically brought in for.
- What can Sematext do that Datadog Logs cannot?
- Sematext covers Log aggregation, APM, Metrics monitoring, Anomaly detection. Datadog Logs covers Log ingestion, Full-text search, Custom dashboards, Log-based metrics. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.