Updated on Jun 17 2024 to improve readability.

In this blog post, we'll compare Datadog to five alternative application performance monitoring tools to help you decide which competitor is the best Datadog alternative for you. Since we're writing this article, we'll compare Datadog to AppSignal first.

1. AppSignal

At AppSignal, we help you monitor your application by creating intuitive tools that instantly give you the insights you need to make proactive monitoring decisions. AppSignal is an all-in-one monitoring toolkit for teams and apps of all shapes and sizes, with the ability to track errors, monitor performance, manage logs, and much more, all from one simple interface.

We pride ourselves on our user-friendly interface, transparent pricing, and amazing customer service. We are developer advocates, so even if you've never heard of us before, there is a good chance you've attended an event we've sponsored or tried one of our famous stroopwafels.

• Founded: 2012
• Supports: Ruby, Elixir, Node.js, Python, Front-end Javascript
• G2 Rating: 5/5
• Plans start from: $23 per month

Core AppSignal Features

• Error Tracking: Track errors across deployments and be notified when they occur.
• Performance Monitoring: Monitor the performance of your app and gain insights into underperforming code and requests.
• Host Monitoring: Keep your hardware in check with insights into CPU, disk usage, network usage, and more.
• Anomaly Detection: Create triggers to notify you of anomalous behavior in your app, like memory spikes, high error rates, or sluggish response times.
• Uptime Monitoring: Pings are sent to your application once a minute and you get downtime alerts.
• Metric Dashboards: Visually track all your core and custom metrics with custom graphs and dashboards. AppSignal automatically creates a dashboard when detecting metrics from popular technologies like Sidekiq or MongoDB.
• Log Management: Manage all your application logs in one simple interface and move effortlessly between log lines, error reports, and performance samples.
• Simple pricing: AppSignal makes upgrading your plan easy with simple pricing and no overage fees.

Why Do Developers Use AppSignal?

AppSignal makes monitoring simple for teams of all shapes and sizes thanks to a strong set of core features, all-inclusive plans, straightforward pricing, and a relaxed upgrade policy.

AppSignal has a broad client base, including well-known brands like 37Signals (the creators of Basecamp), and offers its services for free to for-good projects like MEANS Database.

When we asked some of our customers why they switched from AppSignal to Datadog, they often referred to AppSignal's clear pricing and ease of use:

Datadog's pricing is ridiculously complex. Prepare to not really know how much you're paying, how much you owe, and why. It's the AWS of metrics. If you need an APM, I recommend AppSignal. Predictable pricing, easy to use and find the info you need.

Sergio Tapia, Developer

Customers also love how AppSignal's out-of-the-box support for popular libraries makes it easier to start monitoring core elements of your stack:

Very impressed with how quickly I got Sidekiq monitoring set up exactly the way I wanted it to.

Florian, Co-Founder @ Depfu

Pros and Cons of AppSignal

AppSignal has a 5-star rating on G2. Users looking to switch to AppSignal from Datadog may want to consider the following pros and cons.

Pros:

• Clear Pricing: AppSignal offers transparent pricing, making it easy for users to understand their costs without unexpected charges.
• Ease of Use: Users praise AppSignal for its user-friendly interface and fast setup process, enabling quick monitoring implementation.
• Out-of-the-Box Support: Built-in support for popular frameworks and libraries makes it effortless for users to monitor key elements of their stack.

Cons:

• Limited Language Support: While Datadog supports hundreds of languages, AppSignal focuses on offering amazing support for Ruby, Elixir, Node.js, Python, and frontend JavaScript applications.
• Feature Set: AppSignal integrates with a curated selection of essential services that we know our customers need, rather than aiming for an extensive ecosystem. Datadog users may find this approach limiting if they're used to Datadog's blanket approach to integrations.
• Customization: AppSignal's UI prioritizes faster issue resolution than the sandbox experience Datadog offers. Users seeking highly customizable monitoring solutions may find this approach limiting.

Datadog vs. AppSignal

Having explored the pros and cons of AppSignal, let's now compare it directly with Datadog:

2. Honeybadger

• Founded: 2012
• Supports: Ruby, Elixir, Python, Go, Front-end Javascript, PHP, Crystal, Java, Clojure, Cocoa
• G2 Rating: 4.5/5
• Plans start from: $39 per month

Core Honeybadger Features

• Error Tracking: Track errors across deployments and be notified when they occur.
• Performance Monitoring: Monitor performance for underperforming code and requests.
• Broad Software Support: With support for thirteen programming languages, Honeybadger is great for teams that need to monitor several different stacks.
• Mobile App Error Tracking: Support for Cocoa, allowing for error tracking in MacOS and iOS applications and Java for Android.

Why Do Developers Use Honeybadger?

Honeybadger is a cost-effective APM tool that supports many popular libraries. Like AppSignal, it offers free support and has features teams of all sizes need to monitor their apps. Honeybadger customers are impressed with its notifications:

It makes it easy to report and be notified of system errors for our e-commerce store. I like not only getting urgent texts but it pushing into a special Slack channel we use to manage alerts.

Sean D, G2 review

Pros and Cons of Honeybadger

Honeybadger scores 4.5/5 stars on G2. Users looking to switch to Honeybadger from Datadog may want to consider the following pros and cons.

Pros:

• Messaging Platform Integrations: Honeybadger integrates seamlessly with popular messaging platforms like Slack for instant alerts, enhancing communication and response time.
• Framework and Library Compatibility: It is compatible with a wide range of frameworks and libraries, ensuring flexibility and adaptability for different tech stacks.
• Intuitive Breadcrumb Feature: Honeybadger's intuitive breadcrumb feature makes it easier to trace error causes, facilitating quicker debugging and issue resolution.

Cons:

• Limited Alerting Channels: The reliance on popular messaging platforms like Slack for instant alerts may limit options for users who prefer to be alerted on alternative channels.
• Limited Features: Honeybadger lacks advanced features and functionalities, like host monitoring and namespaces, compared to more comprehensive monitoring solutions.
• Overage Fees: Users may incur overage fees if their usage exceeds allocated limits, leading to unexpected additional costs.

Datadog vs. Honeybadger

Now we've reviewed some pros and cons of Honeybadger, let's compare it head-on with Datadog:

3. Sentry

• Founded: 2008
• Supports: 22+ libraries and frameworks including, Ruby, Elixir, Python and Go.
• G2 Rating: 4.5/5
• Plans start from: $26 per month

Core Sentry Features

• Broad Software Support: With support for 22 programming languages, Sentry is great for teams that need to monitor several different stacks.
• Error Tracking: It helps developers fix application errors quickly.
• Performance Monitoring: For deep insights into application performance.
• Session Replay: Allowing you to replay a user session to help better understand how an error happened.

Why Do Developers Use Sentry?

Sentry supports a broad range of programming languages, making it perfect for language-agnostic, multi-stack teams. It offers a lot of features, has a user-friendly interface, and solution-focused design:

I love the details provided in every error. Sentry has made it easier to track down some of our hardest-to-find issues. It has also allowed us to find items we never would have known about.

Brandon Y, G2 Review

Pros and Cons of Sentry

Sentry scores 4.5/5 on G2. Users looking to switch to Sentry from Datadog may want to consider the following pros and cons:

Pros:

• Broad Language Support: Sentry supports a wide range of programming languages.
• Detailed Error Reporting: Clear and detailed error reporting for effective troubleshooting.
• Mobile App Monitoring: It includes support for monitoring mobile apps, ensuring full coverage across different platforms.

Cons:

• Hard Limits: Users can quickly hit error limits if a small bug occurs frequently, so they potentially miss out on capturing more relevant and urgent errors.
• Limited Feature Set: Sentry has a limited feature set and requires a business plan to access all of its features. This makes using some of Sentry's more powerful monitoring features costly.
• Steep Learning Curve: New users may find it challenging to fully utilize all Sentry features due to its complex UI and technical implementation.

Datadog vs. Sentry

Let's compare Sentry's offering directly to Datadog:

4. New Relic

• Founded: 2007
• Supports: Ruby, Python, Go, Node.js, PHP, .NET Java
• G2 Rating: 4.5/5
• Plans start from: Depends on usage e.g. 35 cents per GB of data and $49-99 per user.

Core New Relic Features

• APM Capabilities: A range of APM features, including error tracking and performance monitoring.
• Session Replay: Ability to replay sessions for end-user usage insights.
• Web Performance Monitoring: Boost SEO and benchmark your web page performance.
• SAP Monitoring: Support for customers using SAP solutions as part of their stack.
• Cloud Monitoring: New Relic supports Google Cloud, AWS, and Azure.

Why Do Developers Use New Relic?

New Relic is a great solution for hobbyists who want to take advantage of their limited freemium tier, or large enterprises with complex cloud infrastructures to monitor. Due to their high pricing, New Relic may not be the most cost-friendly solution for startups, scaleups, and SMEs.

New Relic customers find it much easier to navigate than Datadog:

Everything is in one place. The APM is exceptionally good and you can find n+1's so easily. Also you can just [go] right into problematic lines. This is way better than Datadog's APM.

Hendrik D, G2 Review

Pros and Cons of New Relic

New Relic earns a rating of 4.3/5 stars on G2. Here are the key pros and cons for users considering a switch:

Pros:

• Freemium Tier: New Relic offers a freemium monitoring tier, providing entry-level monitoring capabilities without upfront costs.
• Integration with SAP: New Relic stands out for its integration with SAP products, facilitating comprehensive monitoring for enterprise customers.
• Simple Setup: Customers commend New Relic for its straightforward setup process, enabling quick and hassle-free monitoring implementation.

Cons:

• Per User Pricing: New Relic's pricing model is based on a per-user basis, which may lead to increased costs for organizations with larger teams or multiple users accessing the platform.
• Information Overload: New Relic's comprehensive data collection can sometimes lead to information overload, making it hard for users to identify and prioritize critical insights in the noise.
• Poor Documentation: Some users have reported challenges with New Relic's documentation, finding it lacking or difficult to navigate, which could hinder the onboarding and troubleshooting process.

Datadog vs. New Relic

Now we've examined New Relic in more detail, let's see how it squares up to Datadog:

5. Scout

• Founded: 2008
• Supports: Ruby, Python, Elixir, PHP
• G2 Rating: 4.6/5
• Plans start from: $19 per month

Core Scout Features

• Performance Insights: Scout specializes in giving you insights that help you eliminate performance problems like N+1 queries.
• OpenTelemetry Agent: Scout offers an OpenTelemetry agent that supports trace, logs, and metric monitoring.
• Code Backtraces: When connected to GitHub, Scout can show you where issues are in your code.
• Time Comparisons: Scout can chart metrics against historic averages to help you compare current performance with historic performance.

Why Do Developers Use Scout?

Scout is an affordable solution for developers looking for a solid APM for pure performance monitoring insights or those already using Rollbar for error tracking. Scout customers particularly like their free support:

I love Scout's support; being able to communicate with their team just like I would do with my own.

Saul M, G2 Review

Pros and Cons of Scout

Scout scores 4.6/5 stars on G2, with developers mentioning the following pros and cons:

Pros:

• Simple Setup: Users appreciate Scout APM's straightforward and quick setup process, enabling them to start monitoring their applications with ease.
• Deep Database Insights: Scout provides comprehensive insights into database performance, allowing users to identify and address potential bottlenecks effectively.
• Quick and Friendly Support: Customers commend Scout APM's responsive and friendly support team for their timely assistance and efficient query resolution.

Cons:

• No Native Error Tracking: Scout APM relies on Rollbar for error tracking, which may introduce dependencies and potential integration challenges for users not already utilizing Rollbar.
• Limited Filtering: Some users have reported that Scout APM's filtering options are limited and not customizable, which can make it difficult to navigate and analyze data.
• Limited Integrations: Scout APM lacks many integrations with third-party tools (notably Discord, Jira, and GitLab), making it harder to integrate into your workflow.

Datadog vs. Scout

Now we've delved deeper into Scout's offering, let's compare it directly to Datadog:

How to Choose the Right APM Tool for Your Needs

We've shared insights about five Datadog competitors (including ourselves), but ultimately, the decision of which to choose is yours. When making your decision, think about the following factors:

• Feature Set: Does the APM you're considering have the features you need for your application, such as error reporting, alerts, log management, and uptime monitoring?
• Pricing: How much are you willing to spend, and what cost implications will you face as your app scales?
• Usability: Is it easy to use, and can you adapt to it within a comfortable and affordable time frame?
• Integrations: Do you work with tools that your chosen APM needs to support, like Slack, Discord or GitHub?
• Documentation: Does it have the documentation you need to start efficiently monitoring your app?

Each platform has its strengths and weaknesses, and what works best for one team may not be the ideal fit for another. We encourage you to evaluate your options carefully, trial several APMs that look to be a good fit, and choose the solution that meets your needs and goals.

We'd Love You To Consider AppSignal

Look, let's be honest, we're a little (okay maybe very) biased, but here's why we think AppSignal is a great alternative to Datadog:

• Built By Developers, For Developers: Whether you're coding solo or as part of a large team, our platform offers the essential tools you need to monitor and scale your applications effectively.
• Actionable Insights: Rather than aiming to create a full-blown monitoring sandbox, our focus is on providing developers with actionable insights without the headache of complicated setups or interfaces.

We know it's not easy to change APM, so we offer a 30-day free trial for you to get a real feel of how AppSignal can fit into your stack. Interested? Sign up now - no credit card required!

Feel free to reach out to us anytime if you have questions or want to learn more about how AppSignal can elevate your applications to the next level!