SolarWinds vs Datadog: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between SolarWinds 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.
Bottom line: Datadog wins this matchup. SolarWinds is our overall Monitoring pick. Hookdeck is our free Monitoring pick. 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:
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
- • You want aI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
Datadog
Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
- • You want comprehensive platform
- • You want great visualizations
| At a Glance | Datadog | |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | $7/moMonitoring & Observability | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Monitoring | Monitoring |
Rating | 4.3/5G2 4.3 · SourceForge 4.3 | 4.4/5G2 4.4 |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | APM requires Infrastructure Monitoring on the SAME hosts: you cannot buy APM alone. Most pricing pages only show the APM price |
Choose SolarWinds or Datadog?
Choose SolarWinds if
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
- You want comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- You want aI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
Choose Datadog if
Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want comprehensive platform
- You want great visualizations
| Feature | SolarWinds | Datadog |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★4.3/5 934 reviews | ★4.4/5 726 reviews |
| Categories | MonitoringCloud & Infrastructure | MonitoringLog Management |
In-Depth Analysis
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
- +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
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. Most pricing pages only show the APM price
Strengths
- +Comprehensive platform
- +Great visualizations
- +700+ integrations
Weaknesses
- -Complex pricing
- -Can be expensive
Key features
Pricing: SolarWinds vs Datadog
| Plan | SolarWinds | Datadog |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $7/node/month Monitoring & Observability | Free Free |
| Tier 2 | $142/database/month Database | $15 /host/month (annual) Infrastructure Pro |
| Tier 3 | $39/technician/month Service Management | $23 /host/month (annual) Infrastructure Enterprise |
| Tier 4 | N/A | $31 /host/month (annual, with Infra) APM |
| Tier 5 | N/A | $40 /host/month (annual, with Infra) APM Enterprise |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on SolarWinds pricing and Datadog 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?
SolarWinds: 4.3/5 (934 reviews). Datadog: 4.4/5 (726 reviews).
Go with: Datadog
Value user reviews?
SolarWinds: 934 reviews (4.3/5). Datadog: 726 reviews (4.4/5).
Go with: SolarWinds
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
SolarWinds 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?
Datadog is rated higher: 4.4/5 vs 4.3/5.
Key Takeaways
Datadog
- Higher user rating: 4.4/5 vs 4.3/5
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
SolarWinds
- Larger review base (934 reviews)
The Bottom Line
Datadog wins this matchup. SolarWinds is our overall Monitoring pick. Hookdeck is our free Monitoring pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SolarWinds or Datadog better?
Datadog is rated in our evaluation. SolarWinds is paid and Datadog is freemium.
What are SolarWinds and Datadog used for?
SolarWinds: Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.. Datadog: Cloud monitoring, security, and AI investigations for DevOps.
What does SolarWinds cost vs Datadog?
SolarWinds is a paid tool. Datadog is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.