Quick Overview
- 1#1: Datadog - Cloud-native monitoring and analytics platform for infrastructure, applications, logs, and security.
- 2#2: Dynatrace - AI-powered full-stack observability for automatic discovery and monitoring of cloud-native infrastructure and apps.
- 3#3: New Relic - Full-stack observability platform providing real-time insights into infrastructure, applications, and user experiences.
- 4#4: Splunk - Unified observability and security platform for monitoring IT infrastructure through data analytics and machine learning.
- 5#5: SolarWinds - Comprehensive suite for network, server, and hybrid cloud infrastructure monitoring with performance analytics.
- 6#6: LogicMonitor - SaaS platform for automated discovery, monitoring, and troubleshooting of multi-cloud and on-premises IT infrastructure.
- 7#7: AppDynamics - Application intelligence platform that monitors business performance across infrastructure and applications.
- 8#8: Zabbix - Open-source enterprise-class solution for real-time monitoring of networks, servers, virtual machines, and cloud services.
- 9#9: Nagios - Robust monitoring system for hosts, services, and IT infrastructure with customizable plugins and alerting.
- 10#10: PRTG Network Monitor - User-friendly all-in-one tool for monitoring networks, bandwidth, servers, and other IT infrastructure components.
Tools were selected based on key factors including feature scope (e.g., cloud support, AI-driven analytics), quality and reliability, ease of use for varying technical skill levels, and overall value, ensuring a balanced and practical ranking for users.
Comparison Table
IT infrastructure monitoring is vital for ensuring performance, security, and efficiency, and selecting the right software requires comparing key features and capabilities. This table breaks down tools like Datadog, Dynatrace, New Relic, Splunk, SolarWinds, and others, highlighting differences in scalability, integrations, and cost to help readers find the best match for their needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Datadog Cloud-native monitoring and analytics platform for infrastructure, applications, logs, and security. | enterprise | 9.6/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 2 | Dynatrace AI-powered full-stack observability for automatic discovery and monitoring of cloud-native infrastructure and apps. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.4/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 3 | New Relic Full-stack observability platform providing real-time insights into infrastructure, applications, and user experiences. | enterprise | 9.0/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.0/10 | 7.5/10 |
| 4 | Splunk Unified observability and security platform for monitoring IT infrastructure through data analytics and machine learning. | enterprise | 8.5/10 | 9.3/10 | 7.0/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 5 | SolarWinds Comprehensive suite for network, server, and hybrid cloud infrastructure monitoring with performance analytics. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.5/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 6 | LogicMonitor SaaS platform for automated discovery, monitoring, and troubleshooting of multi-cloud and on-premises IT infrastructure. | enterprise | 8.6/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.9/10 | 8.0/10 |
| 7 | AppDynamics Application intelligence platform that monitors business performance across infrastructure and applications. | enterprise | 8.2/10 | 8.9/10 | 7.1/10 | 7.4/10 |
| 8 | Zabbix Open-source enterprise-class solution for real-time monitoring of networks, servers, virtual machines, and cloud services. | other | 8.6/10 | 9.4/10 | 6.8/10 | 9.8/10 |
| 9 | Nagios Robust monitoring system for hosts, services, and IT infrastructure with customizable plugins and alerting. | enterprise | 7.8/10 | 9.2/10 | 5.5/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 10 | PRTG Network Monitor User-friendly all-in-one tool for monitoring networks, bandwidth, servers, and other IT infrastructure components. | enterprise | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 8.3/10 | 8.4/10 |
Cloud-native monitoring and analytics platform for infrastructure, applications, logs, and security.
AI-powered full-stack observability for automatic discovery and monitoring of cloud-native infrastructure and apps.
Full-stack observability platform providing real-time insights into infrastructure, applications, and user experiences.
Unified observability and security platform for monitoring IT infrastructure through data analytics and machine learning.
Comprehensive suite for network, server, and hybrid cloud infrastructure monitoring with performance analytics.
SaaS platform for automated discovery, monitoring, and troubleshooting of multi-cloud and on-premises IT infrastructure.
Application intelligence platform that monitors business performance across infrastructure and applications.
Open-source enterprise-class solution for real-time monitoring of networks, servers, virtual machines, and cloud services.
Robust monitoring system for hosts, services, and IT infrastructure with customizable plugins and alerting.
User-friendly all-in-one tool for monitoring networks, bandwidth, servers, and other IT infrastructure components.
Datadog
enterpriseCloud-native monitoring and analytics platform for infrastructure, applications, logs, and security.
Watchdog AI: Automatically detects anomalies, correlates issues across infrastructure/logs/APM, and suggests remediation without manual rules.
Datadog is a comprehensive cloud observability platform specializing in IT infrastructure monitoring, providing real-time metrics, logs, traces, and synthetics from servers, containers, networks, databases, and cloud services like AWS, Azure, and GCP. It unifies data into customizable dashboards, advanced alerting, and AI-powered analytics for proactive issue detection and resolution. With hundreds of integrations and scalable architecture, it supports hybrid and multi-cloud environments at enterprise scale.
Pros
- Vast ecosystem of 700+ integrations for seamless monitoring across diverse IT stacks
- Intuitive, real-time dashboards and visualizations with drag-and-drop customization
- AI-driven Watchdog for automatic anomaly detection and root cause analysis
Cons
- Pricing scales expensively with usage and host count in large environments
- Steep learning curve for advanced features and custom metrics
- Alert fatigue possible without proper tuning due to high data volume
Best For
Large enterprises and DevOps teams managing complex, multi-cloud infrastructures needing full-stack observability and real-time insights.
Pricing
Free tier for basic use; Pro at $15/host/month (billed annually); Enterprise custom pricing with advanced features like SLOs and private locations.
Dynatrace
enterpriseAI-powered full-stack observability for automatic discovery and monitoring of cloud-native infrastructure and apps.
Davis Causal AI for automated, context-aware root cause analysis without manual configuration
Dynatrace is an AI-powered observability platform that delivers full-stack monitoring for IT infrastructure, applications, microservices, and end-user experiences across hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It automatically discovers components, maps dependencies, and baselines performance using OneAgent for seamless instrumentation. The platform's Davis AI engine provides causal root cause analysis, anomaly detection, and predictive insights to minimize downtime and optimize operations.
Pros
- AI-driven Davis engine for precise root cause analysis and automation
- Comprehensive full-stack observability with auto-discovery and dependency mapping
- Scalable for enterprise-grade environments with no sampling and real-time insights
Cons
- High pricing suitable mainly for large enterprises
- Steep learning curve for advanced customization and Davis AI features
- Limited transparency in public pricing requires sales quotes
Best For
Large enterprises with complex hybrid/multi-cloud infrastructures needing AI-powered, proactive monitoring and deep analytics.
Pricing
Usage-based subscription starting at ~$0.10/hour per host or equivalent; full-stack plans from $21/user/month, with enterprise custom quotes.
New Relic
enterpriseFull-stack observability platform providing real-time insights into infrastructure, applications, and user experiences.
Entity Explorer providing a dynamic, correlated map of all infrastructure entities and their relationships for instant troubleshooting.
New Relic is a comprehensive observability platform specializing in IT infrastructure monitoring, providing real-time metrics, logs, traces, and events from servers, containers, Kubernetes clusters, cloud services, and networks. It offers customizable dashboards, advanced querying via NRQL, and AI-driven insights through New Relic AI to detect anomalies and perform root cause analysis. Designed for full-stack visibility, it correlates infrastructure performance with application and end-user experiences in hybrid and multi-cloud environments.
Pros
- Extensive integrations with 500+ technologies including AWS, Azure, Kubernetes, and Prometheus
- Powerful NRQL querying language and customizable dashboards for deep infrastructure insights
- AI-powered Applied Intelligence for proactive anomaly detection and incident management
Cons
- Usage-based pricing can escalate quickly for high-volume data ingest
- Steep learning curve for NRQL and advanced features
- Dashboard performance can lag with massive datasets
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises managing complex, hybrid cloud infrastructures requiring full-stack observability.
Pricing
Freemium tier available; paid plans are usage-based with $0.25-$0.30/GB ingested, plus Full Platform Users at $349/user/month for advanced features.
Splunk
enterpriseUnified observability and security platform for monitoring IT infrastructure through data analytics and machine learning.
Search Processing Language (SPL) enabling unparalleled flexibility in querying and analyzing unstructured machine data
Splunk is a powerful data platform specializing in collecting, indexing, and analyzing machine-generated data from IT infrastructure, including logs, metrics, and traces. It provides real-time monitoring, alerting, dashboards, and advanced analytics to detect issues, optimize performance, and ensure security across servers, networks, applications, and cloud environments. Widely used in enterprise IT operations, Splunk excels in turning vast amounts of unstructured data into actionable insights.
Pros
- Exceptional scalability and handling of massive data volumes
- Powerful Search Processing Language (SPL) for advanced querying and analytics
- Comprehensive integrations with hundreds of IT tools, clouds, and apps
Cons
- Steep learning curve due to complex SPL and configuration
- High costs based on data ingestion, which can escalate quickly
- Resource-intensive deployment requiring significant hardware or cloud resources
Best For
Large enterprises needing deep, real-time analytics on complex IT infrastructure data across hybrid environments.
Pricing
Ingestion-based pricing starting at ~$1.80/GB/month for Splunk Cloud; enterprise on-premises licenses are custom and often tens of thousands annually.
SolarWinds
enterpriseComprehensive suite for network, server, and hybrid cloud infrastructure monitoring with performance analytics.
PerfStack cross-correlation timelines for pinpointing issues across multiple data sources in a single view
SolarWinds, through its Orion Platform, offers comprehensive IT infrastructure monitoring for networks, servers, applications, virtualization, and cloud environments. It provides real-time visibility, automated discovery, alerting, and customizable dashboards to help IT teams manage performance and troubleshoot issues proactively. The modular suite allows users to scale by adding specific tools like Network Performance Monitor (NPM) or Server & Application Monitor (SAM).
Pros
- Highly customizable dashboards and reporting
- Broad coverage across network, server, app, and cloud monitoring
- Strong integration with third-party tools and active Thwack community support
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial setup
- High licensing costs that scale with monitored elements
- Dated user interface in some modules and past security incident concerns
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises requiring scalable, in-depth monitoring across hybrid IT environments.
Pricing
Perpetual licenses or subscriptions starting at ~$1,500-$4,000/year for basic modules, scaling significantly based on monitored elements and add-ons.
LogicMonitor
enterpriseSaaS platform for automated discovery, monitoring, and troubleshooting of multi-cloud and on-premises IT infrastructure.
AI-driven LM Envision platform for predictive analytics, anomaly detection, and automated root cause analysis across full-stack observability
LogicMonitor is a SaaS-based IT infrastructure monitoring platform designed for hybrid, multi-cloud, and on-premises environments, providing real-time visibility into servers, networks, applications, containers, and cloud services. It automates device discovery, monitoring, and alerting with over 2,000 pre-configured datasources and AI-driven anomaly detection to proactively identify issues. The platform emphasizes scalability, customizable dashboards, and integrations with tools like ServiceNow and Splunk for comprehensive observability.
Pros
- Extensive automated discovery and 2,000+ pre-built monitoring templates for quick setup across diverse IT environments
- Robust AI/ML-powered anomaly detection and root cause analysis for faster issue resolution
- Strong support for hybrid/multi-cloud monitoring with seamless scalability
Cons
- Pricing can be expensive for smaller teams due to per-device/resource billing model
- Steep learning curve for advanced customizations and complex configurations
- Limited options for very small-scale or free-tier deployments
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises with complex hybrid IT infrastructures needing scalable, automated monitoring without hardware management.
Pricing
Quote-based pricing starting around $20-50 per device/host per month, with minimum commitments often $2,000+/month for mid-sized setups; no public tiers.
AppDynamics
enterpriseApplication intelligence platform that monitors business performance across infrastructure and applications.
Cognition Engine for autonomous AI-driven anomaly detection and root-cause remediation across the entire stack
AppDynamics, now part of Cisco, is a full-stack observability platform focused on application performance management (APM) with robust IT infrastructure monitoring capabilities, tracking servers, containers, networks, databases, and cloud resources in real-time. It uses AI-driven analytics, including the Cognition Engine, to detect anomalies, perform root-cause analysis, and correlate infrastructure metrics with business outcomes. This makes it suitable for complex, hybrid environments where application and infra health are tightly intertwined.
Pros
- Deep full-stack visibility across apps, microservices, and infrastructure
- AI-powered proactive alerting and root-cause analysis
- Extensive integrations with cloud providers and DevOps tools
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial setup
- High cost, especially for large-scale deployments
- Resource-intensive agent deployment
Best For
Enterprise IT teams in complex hybrid/multi-cloud environments needing correlated app and infrastructure observability.
Pricing
Quote-based enterprise pricing, typically $100+ per CPU core or host/month, with tiers for production and development units.
Zabbix
otherOpen-source enterprise-class solution for real-time monitoring of networks, servers, virtual machines, and cloud services.
Distributed proxies enabling secure, scalable monitoring across global data centers without performance bottlenecks
Zabbix is an enterprise-class, open-source distributed monitoring solution that tracks the performance and availability of IT components including networks, servers, cloud services, virtual machines, and applications. It offers real-time monitoring, customizable dashboards, alerting via multiple channels, and advanced automation features like auto-discovery and predictive analytics. Designed for scalability, it supports agent-based and agentless monitoring across millions of metrics without licensing costs.
Pros
- Completely free and open-source with no usage limits
- Highly scalable for large environments with proxy support
- Extensive integrations and protocol support (SNMP, IPMI, JMX)
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial setup
- Outdated user interface compared to modern alternatives
- Requires significant configuration for advanced use
Best For
Technical teams in large enterprises needing a highly customizable, cost-free monitoring solution for complex IT infrastructures.
Pricing
Core open-source version is free; optional commercial support from Zabbix SIA starts at around $2,500/year for small setups.
Nagios
enterpriseRobust monitoring system for hosts, services, and IT infrastructure with customizable plugins and alerting.
Unparalleled plugin architecture with thousands of extensions for monitoring any device, service, or application
Nagios is a veteran open-source IT infrastructure monitoring platform that tracks hosts, services, networks, applications, and cloud resources using a plugin-based architecture. It excels in real-time alerting, performance data collection, and customizable dashboards to detect and resolve issues proactively. The commercial Nagios XI version enhances the core with a modern web UI, advanced reporting, and easier management.
Pros
- Vast ecosystem of over 5,000 community plugins for monitoring virtually any IT component
- Highly scalable and reliable for enterprise environments with proven track record since 1999
- Open-source Nagios Core eliminates licensing costs for basic deployments
Cons
- Steep learning curve with manual text-file configuration and Linux expertise required
- Outdated core UI lacks intuitive visualizations and modern UX compared to competitors
- Initial setup and maintenance demand significant time investment
Best For
Experienced sysadmins and IT teams in mid-to-large organizations needing deeply customizable, budget-friendly monitoring.
Pricing
Nagios Core is free and open-source; Nagios XI starts at $1,995 perpetual license for 7 nodes plus annual support (~20% of license cost).
PRTG Network Monitor
enterpriseUser-friendly all-in-one tool for monitoring networks, bandwidth, servers, and other IT infrastructure components.
Sensor-based monitoring with 250+ specialized sensors for granular, out-of-the-box tracking of virtually any IT component
PRTG Network Monitor is an all-in-one IT infrastructure monitoring solution that tracks networks, servers, applications, bandwidth, and cloud services using a flexible sensor-based architecture. It automatically discovers devices and offers over 250 sensor types for comprehensive monitoring of metrics like CPU, memory, traffic, and uptime. The tool provides customizable dashboards, interactive maps, real-time alerts, and detailed reporting to help IT teams maintain optimal performance and quickly resolve issues.
Pros
- Extensive library of over 250 sensor types for broad IT coverage
- Automatic device discovery and easy setup wizard
- Flexible alerting via email, SMS, push, and integrations
Cons
- Sensor-based licensing model scales costs quickly for large deployments
- Web interface feels somewhat dated compared to modern competitors
- High resource demands on the core server in very large environments
Best For
SMBs and mid-sized enterprises seeking scalable, sensor-driven monitoring for hybrid IT environments without mandatory subscriptions.
Pricing
Free for 100 sensors; paid perpetual licenses start at $1,799 for 500 sensors plus ~20% annual maintenance.
Conclusion
In the landscape of IT infrastructure monitoring, Datadog, Dynatrace, and New Relic rise as the top performers, each offering unique strengths. Datadog leads with its robust cloud-native platform, unifying infrastructure, application, logs, and security monitoring. Dynatrace impresses with AI-driven full-stack observability, while New Relic excels in real-time insights spanning infrastructure, applications, and user experiences—all strong choices, but Datadog stands out as the overall leader.
Explore Datadog today to elevate your infrastructure monitoring, leveraging its seamless integration and comprehensive capabilities to keep your systems optimized and secure.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison