Timber vs Datadog: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
Choosing between Timber 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:
Timber
Build ultra-fast, reliable observability pipelines to collect, transform, and route all your data.
Best for you if:
- • You need something completely free
- • Collect, transform, and route logs and metrics with a single tool.
- • Ultra-fast and reliable, built in Rust for high performance and memory efficiency.
Datadog
Cloud monitoring platform
Best for you if:
- • You want the higher-rated option (9.0/10 vs 0.0/10)
- • Cloud monitoring and security platform
- • Unified observability across infrastructure
| At a Glance |  Timber |  Datadog |
|---|---|---|
Price | Free | Free + Paid |
Best For | Monitoring | Monitoring |
Rating | —/100 | 90/100 |
| Feature | Timber | Datadog |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Free | 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 Timber and Datadog Compare
Timber
Build ultra-fast, reliable observability pipelines to collect, transform, and route all your data.
Free
Datadog
Cloud monitoring platform
Free tier available · 90/100 score
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Timber is free. Datadog is freemium.
Go with: Timber
Want the highest-rated option?
Datadog scores 90/100. Timber 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?
Timber is free. Datadog is freemium. Go with Timber if free matters most.
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
Timber
- Completely free
The Bottom Line
Datadog (90/100) is our pick. That said, Timber is free — hard to beat on price.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Timber or Datadog better?
Datadog scores 90/100 in our evaluation. Timber is free and Datadog is freemium.
What are Timber and Datadog used for?
Timber: Build ultra-fast, reliable observability pipelines to collect, transform, and route all your data.. Datadog: Cloud monitoring platform.
What does Timber cost vs Datadog?
Timber is completely free. Datadog is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.