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Log Management · head to head

Splunk Enterprise vs Dynatrace

Splunk Enterprise logo

Splunk Enterprise

Log Management

Enterprise Search, Monitoring, and Analytics

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Dynatrace logo

Dynatrace

Log Management

Application Performance Management and Observability

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

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

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Splunk Enterprise and Dynatrace differ
AttributeSplunk EnterpriseDynatrace
Starting priceOn requestFree
Pricing modelusage-basedsubscription
Free tierNoYes
Founded20032005

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Api), 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 Splunk Enterprise

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

Only in Dynatrace

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

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.

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

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Splunk Enterprise

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

Dynatrace

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

Which should you pick?

Choose Splunk Enterprise if

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

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

Questions people ask

Is Splunk Enterprise or Dynatrace better?
Neither clearly leads. Splunk Enterprise starts at On request and Dynatrace at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Splunk Enterprise or Dynatrace?
Dynatrace has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Splunk Enterprise and Free for Dynatrace.
Does Splunk Enterprise or Dynatrace 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 Splunk Enterprise best used for?
Splunk Enterprise is most often used for indexing and searching machine data and logs at enterprise scale, security information and event management via enterprise security, it service intelligence and infrastructure observability. Of those, indexing and searching machine data and logs at enterprise scale and security information and event management via enterprise security are not what Dynatrace is typically brought in for.
What can Splunk Enterprise do that Dynatrace cannot?
Splunk Enterprise covers Log aggregation, Real-time monitoring, Advanced analytics, Compliance. Dynatrace covers AI-powered analytics, APM, Infrastructure monitoring, Log analysis. Both handle API, Webhooks, REST, Web support.
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