9 Best DataDog Alternatives and Competitors in 2025

Introduction to Datadog and Its Alternatives for observability and security.

Datadog is one of the most well-known monitoring, security, and analytics platforms, catering to developers, IT operations teams, and security engineers. It provides unified observability across cloud infrastructures, applications, and logs. However, while powerful, Datadog's costs and complexity often leave teams searching for alternatives.

This article explores the best 9 Datadog alternatives and competitors available, covering their features, pricing, and how they compare to Datadog. Whether you're looking for a more cost-effective solution, an open-source option, or a tool better suited for your use case, this list has you covered.

Why Look for a Datadog Alternative?

• Datadog Pricing Complexity: Datadog’s usage-based and per host pricing model can be unpredictable and expensive as your data grows.
• Steep Learning Curve: Some users find Datadog’s interface and feature set overwhelming.
• Extra Costs for Key Features: Many essential features, such as APM, log management, and security monitoring, come at an additional price.

List of 9 Datadog Alternatives to Consider

1. LiveSession

What It Does: LiveSession helps teams understand user behavior through session replays and analytics. It’s great for product and UX teams that need clear insights into how users interact with their apps. While it's not your typical application performance monitoring platform. In the comparison, you will find out why it's a good choice to consider as your alternative to Datadog.

Features:

• Session replays to see user behavior
• Advanced filters to find specific actions
• Developer tools in session replays (error tracking, network logs, and console logs)
• Heatmaps to analyze user clicks
• Customizable dashboards and funnels
• Webhooks and Slack integration

Pricing:

• Starts at $65/month (14-day free trial available).

Comparing it to Datadog costs, LiveSession comes out much more affordable and predictable. With usage-based pricing focused on sessions recorded. Datadog on the other hand charges extra per host per month.

Reviews:

• G2 Score: 4.6/5. Users like the simple UI and affordability.

How It Compares to Datadog:

While Datadog casts a wide net over your entire infrastructure, LiveSession zooms in on what real users are doing in your app. If you’re looking to understand user behavior, optimize the user experience, and boost product engagement, LiveSession provides those laser-focused insights that Datadog doesn't offer. In short, LiveSession is your tool for deep user insights, whereas Datadog is designed for broad infrastructure monitoring.

2. Middleware

Overview: Middleware is a cloud monitoring tool for mid-sized and large companies that provides real-time insights into application performance, system health, and user experience. By integrating seamlessly with various cloud services and infrastructure, Middleware enables organizations to track key performance indicators (KPIs), detect anomalies, and troubleshoot issues before they impact end-users.

Features:

• Logs, app, and cloud monitoring
• Synthetic testing & real user monitoring (RUM)
• Live alerts and custom dashboards
• Kubernetes & AWS monitoring
• Data control to manage costs

Its key features include logs, application and cloud monitoring, as well as synthetic testing and real user monitoring (RUM). The platform provides live alerts and customizable dashboards, making it easier to track performance and troubleshoot issues in real-time. Additionally, Middleware supports Kubernetes and AWS monitoring, optimizing visibility across your cloud infrastructure.

Pricing:

• Pay-as-you-go model (e.g., $1 per 1k RUM sessions).

One notable aspect of Middleware is its pay-as-you-go pricing model, charging $1 per 1,000 RUM sessions. This approach aims to provide better cost control compared to other solutions.

Reviews:

• G2 Score: 4.5/5. Users like the features but say integrations can be tricky.

Users have reported that while the features are beneficial, integrations can be challenging. Middleware currently holds a G2 score of 4.5 out of 5, indicating general satisfaction, but there's room for improvement.

How It Compares to Datadog:

When comparing Middleware to leading datadog competitors like New Relic and AppDynamics, it offers better cost control and flexible data usage. However, it lacks the same depth in application performance monitoring and full-stack observability. For those seeking alternatives to Datadog, Middleware may be a solid choice, but it doesn't fully meet the robust needs of organizations looking for comprehensive monitoring solutions. Additionally, users may find better integrations and support with other platforms, such as Grafana and Splunk, which provide open-source observability options.

3. Sentry

Overview: Sentry is an observability platform focused on application monitoring. It helps developers track errors and improve app performance. Sentry provides real-time insights into issues that may arise in applications, allowing developers to identify and resolve errors swiftly before they impact end users.

Features

• Error tracking and session replay
• Performance monitoring
• Uptime tracking
• Custom dashboards

Its key features include error tracking, session replay, performance monitoring, and uptime tracking. Developers can create custom dashboards to visualize data, making it easier to pinpoint issues. However, while Sentry excels in error tracking, it lacks the comprehensive capabilities offered by other platforms such as Datadog.

Pricing:

• Starts at $29/month.

Pricing for Sentry starts at $29/month, which may seem reasonable for smaller teams. However, as your monitoring needs grow, costs can escalate.

Reviews:

• G2 Score: 4.5/5. Users love error tracking but find alerts hard to manage.

The G2 score for Sentry is a solid 4.5/5, with users appreciating its error tracking features. Yet, many struggle with the management of alerts, indicating a lack of ease of use that can detract from its overall value.

How It Compares to Datadog:

Sentry is best for fixing app issues, while Datadog covers broader system monitoring. Datadog provides broader system monitoring, including full-stack monitoring and machine learning capabilities. If you're looking for alternatives to Datadog, consider Sentry for its targeted features, but be aware that it may not meet all your observability needs.

4. Splunk

Overview: Splunk (now part of Cisco) focuses on security and data analytics, providing organizations with powerful tools to collect, analyze, and visualize and analyze data.

Features:

• AI-powered security alerts
• Log monitoring
• Advanced search tools

Splunk offers AI-powered security alerts, log monitoring, and advanced search tools. These features help organizations analyze data from various sources effectively. However, despite its capabilities, many users find it complex and challenging to navigate, especially compared to more user-friendly options like Datadog.

Pricing:

• Not publicly listed.

Splunk's pricing is not publicly listed, making it difficult for potential users to assess costs upfront. Unlike Datadog, which provides clear pricing based on the number of hosts, Splunk’s lack of transparency can be a drawback for businesses seeking budget-friendly solutions.

Reviews:

• G2 Score: 4.3/5. Users like its power but say it’s expensive and hard to use.

On G2, Splunk holds a score of 4.3 out of 5. Users appreciate its powerful analytics but often criticize its high cost and steep learning curve. This raises concerns for companies looking for efficient, easy-to-use security tools.

How It Compares to Datadog:

In the realm of security analytics, Splunk outshines Datadog. However, Datadog excels in monitoring and observability, delivering a more intuitive user experience. If you're exploring top alternatives to Datadog, consider that while Splunk offers robust capabilities, it may not be the best fit for those seeking simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

5. Dynatrace

Overview: Dynatrace is an enterprise-grade apm tool designed for large companies to gain deep insights into their application performance, infrastructure health, and user experience. It utilizes artificial intelligence and machine learning to automatically detect anomalies, providing real-time analytics that help organizations optimize their digital ecosystems.

Features:

• AI-powered monitoring
• Kubernetes tracking
• Automated issue detection

It offers several key features, including AI-powered monitoring, automated issue detection, and Kubernetes tracking. These capabilities provide end-to-end visibility into applications and infrastructure, making it easier for teams to identify and resolve problems. However, these advanced features come at a cost.

Pricing:

• Subscription-based with an annual commitment.

The subscription-based pricing requires an annual commitment, which can strain budgets, especially compared to alternatives like LiveSession.

Reviews:

• G2 Score: 4.5/5. Users like automation but find it pricey.

On G2, Dynatrace holds a score of 4.5/5. Users appreciate its automation capabilities but often criticize the overall pricing as being on the higher side. While it provides solid data visualization and monitoring, many find that the costs do not always justify the benefits.

How It Compares to Datadog:

When compared to Datadog, Dynatrace automates monitoring but typically costs more or is comparably high. For companies exploring top Datadog alternatives, it's essential to weigh these factors. Additionally, open-source solutions like Grafana provide a compelling alternative without the hefty price tag. In summary, while Dynatrace has powerful features, its pricing model and the competition it faces from other monitoring platforms may leave potential users searching for better value.

6. LogRocket

Overview: LogRocket is a cloud-based tool designed to help developers debug applications through session replays and performance monitoring.

Features:

• Session replays
• Performance tracking
• Error monitoring

One of its key features is session replays, which allows developers to see exactly what users experienced. This can be invaluable for troubleshooting issues. Performance tracking is another critical feature, enabling developers to monitor application speed and responsiveness. Additionally, LogRocket offers error monitoring to quickly identify and resolve bugs.

Pricing:

• Starts at $99/month.

Pricing for LogRocket starts at $99 per month, which many users find steep compared to alternatives.

Reviews:

• G2 Score: 4.6/5. Users like debugging tools but say it’s costly.

On G2, LogRocket has a score of 4.6 out of 5. While users praise its debugging capabilities, they often criticize its high cost, suggesting that the value may not match the price.

How It Compares to Datadog:
When comparing LogRocket to Datadog, it's clear that LogRocket focuses primarily on debugging. Datadog offers a more comprehensive observability platform that tracks the entire system. This includes full-system performance monitoring and error tracking, making it a solid Datadog alternative for those needing broader capabilities. However, if you're specifically looking for tools similar to LogRocket, you might explore the other tools from this list. Ultimately, while LogRocket provides valuable features for debugging, its pricing and limited scope may lead some to seek other options.

7. SigNoz

What It Does: SigNoz is an open-source alternative to Datadog.

Features:

• App performance monitoring and distributed tracing
• Kubernetes and container tracking
• Centralized logs, metrics, and traces in one platform
• open source for full data control and flexibility
• Custom dashboards for visualization

SigNoz offers essential tools for app performance monitoring, Kubernetes tracking, and unifying logs, metrics, and traces in one platform. However, while it aims to deliver a comprehensive observability platform, users may find the interface less intuitive than expected. Compared to Datadog, the query language may lack depth, making complex queries harder to execute.

Pricing:

• SigNoz starts at $199 per month, which may seem appealing for teams seeking predictable pricing.

Reviews:

• Not available on G2

Currently, SigNoz does not have reviews on G2, leaving potential users in the dark about its real-world performance. This lack of feedback raises concerns about its reliability and community support.

How It Compares to Datadog:

While SigNoz is positioned as one of the best Datadog alternatives to consider, it falls short in several areas. The open-source flexibility is a plus, but when looking for a comprehensive alternative to Datadog, teams might find that it doesn’t fully meet their needs like New Relic or Splunk. In conclusion, while SigNoz offers potential, it may not yet be a robust competitor among Datadog alternatives.

8. Grafana

Overview: Grafana is an open-source monitoring tool that provides powerful visual dashboards for monitoring performance.

Features:

• Custom dashboards to visualize metrics, logs, and traces
• Performance testing and real-time analytics
• Supports multiple data sources
• Alerting and notification integrations
• Open-source with strong community support

Grafana allows users to create custom dashboards, visualizing metrics, logs, and traces from various data sources. This flexibility is a strong point, but the technical setup can be demanding, especially for those looking to get started quickly.

Pricing:

• Free account, with a Pro plan starting at $19/month.

When it comes to pricing, Grafana offers a free version, with Pro starting at $19 per month. This pricing is based on the number of users and can be more accessible compared to Datadog, which is cloud-based and generally more costly. However, users may find Datadog easier to set up.

Reviews:

• G2 Score: 4.5/5. Users like customization but say queries are complex.

Grafana has a G2 Score of 4.5 out of 5, indicating a generally positive reception. Users appreciate the customization options but often criticize the complexity of queries, which can be a hurdle for newcomers.

How It Compares to Datadog:

Among Datadog competitors, Grafana stands out for its flexibility but falters in ease of use. Alternatives like New Relic and Signoz Cloud may offer simpler interfaces. If you're exploring the top 9 Datadog alternatives, consider your technical ability when choosing the right tool. While Grafana provides a compelling alternative, it demands more from its users, which may not suit everyone’s needs.

9. Sumo Logic

Overview: Sumo Logic specializes in log management and security tracking, providing organizations with the ability to collect, analyze, and visualize large volumes of data in real-time.

Features:

• Security analytics and threat intelligence
• Kubernetes and cloud infrastructure monitoring
• Log management with advanced query capabilities
• Anomaly detection with machine learning

Sumo Logic offers key features like security analytics and Kubernetes monitoring, which are essential for businesses looking to enhance their server security and application performance. However, while it has strengths in security, the platform falls short in user-friendliness.

Pricing:

• Free tier available (1GB/day logs), pay-as-you-go model.

When it comes to pricing, Sumo Logic does provide a free tier that allows for 1GB of logs per day, appealing to those searching for cost-effective options. However, its pay-as-you-go model can become unclear, making budgeting a challenge for teams.

Reviews:

• G2 Score: 4.3/5. Users say it has a learning curve.

Users have reported a significant learning curve, giving Sumo Logic a G2 score of 4.3 out of 5, which is decent but highlights the difficulty some face in getting started.

How It Compares to Datadog:

In comparison to Datadog, Sumo Logic is stronger in security but lacks the user-friendly interface that many seek. For those looking for Datadog alternatives, Sumo Logic offers a compelling alternative but may not be the best fit for everyone. Platforms like LiveSession also present viable options, but each has its strengths and weaknesses.

Datadog vs AppDynamics - Which Monitoring Platform to Choose?

Datadog and AppDynamics are both powerful monitoring tools, but they serve slightly different needs. Datadog is a cloud-native platform focused on real-time observability, ideal for DevOps teams needing full-stack monitoring across cloud environments. AppDynamics, on the other hand, is more enterprise-focused

Why consider switching to Datadog competitors?

Many teams look for Datadog alternatives due to cost, complexity, and feature limitations. While Datadog offers powerful monitoring, its pricing structure can quickly become expensive as data usage scales.

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