Datadog vs SolarWinds: 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 SolarWinds side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, Datadog leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall 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 a free tier before you commit
SolarWinds
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
Best for you if:
- • You want comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
| At a Glance | Datadog | |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $18/host/mo, billed yearly Infrastructure Pro plan | From $15/user/mo, billed monthly Incident Response plan |
Category | Monitoring Log Management | Monitoring Cloud & Infrastructure |
Rating | 4.4/5 G2 4.4 726 reviews | 4.3/5 G2 4.3 · SourceForge 4.3 934 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | No |
Watch out for | APM requires Infrastructure Monitoring on the SAME hosts: you cannot buy APM alone. | n/a |
Choose Datadog or SolarWinds?
Choose Datadog if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want comprehensive platform
- You want great visualizations
Choose SolarWinds if
- You want comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- You want AI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
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
SolarWinds
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
SolarWinds' pricing structure is quite varied, with 'Monitoring & Observability' at $7/node/month appearing fair for comprehensive visibility.
Strengths
- Pro: Comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- Pro: AI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
- Pro: Supports diverse IT environments including on-premise, cloud, and hybrid
- Pro: Flexible deployment options (self-hosted and SaaS)
- Pro: Strong focus on operational resilience and unified visibility
Weaknesses
- Con: No free tier or trial explicitly mentioned for individual products
- Con: Requires integration and setup for full benefit across complex IT landscapes
Key features
Plans and prices: Datadog vs SolarWinds
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Datadog |
| datadoghq.com/pricing read Oct 26, 2026 |
| SolarWinds |
| solarwinds.com/pricing read Oct 30, 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 SolarWinds pricing.
Key Takeaways
Datadog
- Has a free plan
SolarWinds
- Choose if you want drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment
What the data shows
On the data below, Datadog leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.4/5 from 726 reviews for Datadog, 4.3/5 from 934 reviews for SolarWinds).
- Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Datadog $18/host/mo, billed yearly; SolarWinds $15/user/mo, billed monthly.
- Only Datadog has 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 SolarWinds compare in 2026?
On the data below, Datadog leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.4/5 from 726 reviews for Datadog, 4.3/5 from 934 reviews for SolarWinds). Entry prices are not ranked, they are charged on different bases: Datadog $18/host/mo, billed yearly; SolarWinds $15/user/mo, billed monthly. Only Datadog has a free plan.
What are Datadog and SolarWinds used for?
Datadog: Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps. SolarWinds: Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
What does Datadog cost vs SolarWinds?
Datadog's cheapest paid plan is Infrastructure Pro at $18/host/mo, billed yearly; it also has a free plan. SolarWinds's cheapest paid plan is Incident Response at $15/user/mo, billed monthly. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 30, 2026.
What's the main difference between Datadog and SolarWinds?
Datadog's main strength: comprehensive platform. SolarWinds's main strength: comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform.