Imply vs Datadog: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
Choosing between Imply and Datadog 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.
By Toolradar Team · Last updated February 28, 2026 · Methodology
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
Imply
Decouple your observability and security tools for faster, cheaper, and more open data analysis.
Best for you if:
- • Decouples observability and security data stacks for efficiency.
- • Enables faster queries and significant cost reductions without workflow changes.
Datadog
Cloud monitoring platform
Best for you if:
- • You want the higher-rated option (9.0/10 vs 0.0/10)
- • You want to try before committing
- • Cloud monitoring and security platform
- • Unified observability across infrastructure
| At a Glance |  Imply |  Datadog |
|---|---|---|
Price | Paid | Free + Paid |
Best For | Monitoring | Monitoring |
Rating | —/100 | 90/100 |
| Feature | Imply | Datadog |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| Editorial Score | — | 90 |
| Community Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Total Reviews | 0 | 0 |
| Community Upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Categories | MonitoringLog Management | MonitoringLog Management |
How Imply and Datadog Compare
Imply
Decouple your observability and security tools for faster, cheaper, and more open data analysis.
Paid
Datadog
Cloud monitoring platform
Free tier available · 90/100 score
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Datadog has a free tier. Imply is paid only.
Go with: Datadog
Want the highest-rated option?
Datadog scores 90/100. Imply is unrated.
Go with: Datadog
Value user reviews?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Go with: Datadog
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Imply is paid. Datadog is freemium. Datadog lets you start free.
What's your use case?
Both are monitoring tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Not all tools have been rated yet.
Key Takeaways
Datadog
- Higher score: 90/100 vs unrated
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Imply
The Bottom Line
Datadog (90/100) is our pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Imply or Datadog better?
Datadog scores 90/100 in our evaluation. Imply is paid and Datadog is freemium.
What are Imply and Datadog used for?
Imply: Decouple your observability and security tools for faster, cheaper, and more open data analysis.. Datadog: Cloud monitoring platform.
What does Imply cost vs Datadog?
Imply is a paid tool. Datadog is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.