Datadog vs Prometheus: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Datadog and Prometheus side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Datadog
Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps
Best for you if:
- • You want comprehensive platform
Prometheus
Monitoring and alerting toolkit
Best for you if:
- • You want a fully free tool (Datadog requires payment)
| At a Glance | Datadog | Prometheus |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $18/host/mo, billed yearly Infrastructure Pro plan | Free 100% free |
Category | Monitoring Log Management | DevOps Monitoring |
Rating | 4.4/5 G2 4.4 726 reviews | 4.5/5 G2 4.5 61 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | APM requires Infrastructure Monitoring on the SAME hosts: you cannot buy APM alone. | Storage costs grow linearly with metric cardinality and retention period |
Choose Datadog or Prometheus?
Choose Datadog if
- You want comprehensive platform
- You want great visualizations
- You work in monitoring, not DevOps
Choose Prometheus if
- You want a fully free tool (Datadog requires payment)
- You want industry standard
- You want great for metrics
- You work in DevOps, not monitoring
In-Depth Analysis
Datadog
Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps
Datadog is the most comprehensive observability platform, infrastructure monitoring, APM, logs, RUM, security, and 750+ integrations in one place.
Watch out
APM requires Infrastructure Monitoring on the SAME hosts: you cannot buy APM alone.
Strengths
- Pro: Comprehensive platform
- Pro: Great visualizations
- Pro: 700+ integrations
Weaknesses
- Con: Complex pricing
- Con: Can be expensive
Key features
Prometheus
Monitoring and alerting toolkit
Prometheus is 100% free and open source (Apache 2.0).
Watch out
Storage costs grow linearly with metric cardinality and retention period
Strengths
- Pro: Industry standard
- Pro: Great for metrics
- Pro: Open source
Weaknesses
- Con: Long-term storage
- Con: Learning curve
Key features
Plans and prices: Datadog vs Prometheus
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Datadog |
| datadoghq.com/pricing read Oct 26, 2026 |
| Prometheus |
| prometheus.io read Oct 2, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Datadog pricing and Prometheus pricing.
Key Takeaways
Datadog
- Choose if you want cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps
Prometheus
- Choose if you want monitoring and alerting toolkit
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.4/5 from 726 reviews for Datadog, 4.5/5 from 61 reviews for Prometheus).
- Datadog starts at $18/host/mo, billed yearly; Prometheus has no public paid plan price on file.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Datadog and Prometheus compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.4/5 from 726 reviews for Datadog, 4.5/5 from 61 reviews for Prometheus). Datadog starts at $18/host/mo, billed yearly; Prometheus has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are Datadog and Prometheus used for?
Datadog: Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps. Prometheus: Monitoring and alerting toolkit.
What does Datadog cost vs Prometheus?
Datadog's cheapest paid plan is Infrastructure Pro at $18/host/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. Prometheus is free. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 26, 2026.
What's the main difference between Datadog and Prometheus?
Datadog's main strength: comprehensive platform. Prometheus's main strength: industry standard.