Datadog vs SolarWinds: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Datadog and SolarWinds comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: Datadog is our overall pick for monitoring workflows. Pick SolarWinds if you need its specific feature set.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Datadog
Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps
Best for you if:
- • You want to try before committing
- • Cloud monitoring and security platform
- • Unified observability across infrastructure
SolarWinds
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
Best for you if:
- • Provides unified visibility and AI-powered insights for IT operations.
- • Offers solutions for monitoring, database management, incident response, and IT service management.
| At a Glance |  Datadog | |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | FreeFree tier available | $7/moMonitoring & Observability |
Best For | Monitoring | Monitoring |
Rating | 4.5/5 | 4.4/5 |
Free plan | Yes | No |
Choose Datadog or SolarWinds?
Choose Datadog if
Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps
- Comprehensive platform
- Great visualizations
- 700+ integrations
Choose SolarWinds if
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
- Comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- AI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
- Supports diverse IT environments including on-premise, cloud, and hybrid
| Feature | Datadog | SolarWinds |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Paid |
| User Rating | ★4.5/5 1,092 reviews | ★4.4/5 864 reviews |
| Categories | MonitoringLog Management | MonitoringCloud & Infrastructure |
In-Depth Analysis
Datadog
Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps
Strengths
- +Comprehensive platform
- +Great visualizations
- +700+ integrations
Weaknesses
- -Complex pricing
- -Can be expensive
Key features
Value 60/100. 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. APM Pro ($35/host) + Infra Pro ($15/host) = $50/host minimum. Most pricing pages only show the APM price
SolarWinds
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
Strengths
- +Comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- +AI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
- +Supports diverse IT environments including on-premise, cloud, and hybrid
- +Flexible deployment options (self-hosted and SaaS)
- +Strong focus on operational resilience and unified visibility
Weaknesses
- -No free tier or trial explicitly mentioned for individual products
- -Requires integration and setup for full benefit across complex IT landscapes
Key features
Value 70/100. SolarWinds' pricing structure is quite varied, with 'Monitoring & Observability' at $7/node/month appearing fair for comprehensive visibility.
Watch out: Potential for high node/database count costs
Pricing: Datadog vs SolarWinds
| Plan | Datadog | SolarWinds |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free Free | $7/node/month Monitoring & Observability |
| Tier 2 | $15 /host/month (annual) Infrastructure Pro | $142/database/month Database |
| Tier 3 | $23 /host/month (annual) Infrastructure Enterprise | $39/technician/month Service Management |
| Tier 4 | $31 /host/month (annual, with Infra) APM | N/A |
| Tier 5 | $40 /host/month (annual, with Infra) APM Enterprise | N/A |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Datadog pricing and SolarWinds pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Datadog has a free tier. SolarWinds is paid only.
Go with: Datadog
Want the highest-rated option?
Datadog: 4.5/5 (1,092 reviews). SolarWinds: 4.4/5 (864 reviews).
Go with: Datadog
Value user reviews?
Datadog: 1,092 reviews (4.5/5). SolarWinds: 864 reviews (4.4/5).
Go with: Datadog
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Datadog is freemium. SolarWinds is paid. Datadog lets you start free.
What's your use case?
Both are monitoring tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Datadog is rated higher: 4.5/5 vs 4.4/5.
Key Takeaways
Datadog
- Higher user rating: 4.5/5 vs 4.4/5
- Larger review base (1,092 reviews)
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
SolarWinds
- Choose if you want drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment
The Bottom Line
Datadog is our pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Datadog or SolarWinds better?
Datadog is rated in our evaluation. Datadog is freemium and SolarWinds is paid.
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 is freemium (free tier + paid plans). SolarWinds is a paid tool. Visit their websites for detailed pricing.