Quick Overview
- 1#1: Datadog - Cloud-scale monitoring and analytics platform for infrastructure, applications, and logs.
- 2#2: Dynatrace - AI-powered observability platform for automatic full-stack monitoring and root cause analysis.
- 3#3: New Relic - Full-stack observability platform providing insights into applications, infrastructure, and user experience.
- 4#4: Splunk - Machine data platform for searching, monitoring, and analyzing IT data across infrastructure and security.
- 5#5: SolarWinds - Comprehensive network and IT infrastructure monitoring with performance management tools.
- 6#6: Zabbix - Open-source enterprise-class solution for monitoring networks, servers, cloud services, and applications.
- 7#7: Nagios - Powerful monitoring system for IT infrastructure including networks, servers, and applications.
- 8#8: PRTG Network Monitor - All-in-one network monitoring software using sensors for bandwidth, devices, and traffic analysis.
- 9#9: LogicMonitor - SaaS-based hybrid observability platform for automating IT monitoring across cloud and on-premises.
- 10#10: Prometheus - Open-source monitoring and alerting toolkit for reliability and time-series metrics collection.
We ranked these tools based on rigorous evaluation of features (covering infrastructure, applications, and beyond), consistent performance quality, user-friendliness, and value, ensuring alignment with diverse organizational needs—from enterprise scalability to cost-effective small-business solutions.
Comparison Table
IT monitoring software is critical for maintaining system health, identifying anomalies, and streamlining operations, with options ranging from all-in-one platforms to specialized tools. This comparison table explores key solutions like Datadog, Dynatrace, New Relic, Splunk, SolarWinds, and more, detailing their core features, deployment flexibility, and unique strengths. By reviewing these tools side-by-side, readers can gain actionable insights to select the right fit for their specific needs, whether for small teams or large enterprises.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Datadog Cloud-scale monitoring and analytics platform for infrastructure, applications, and logs. | enterprise | 9.4/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.2/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 2 | Dynatrace AI-powered observability platform for automatic full-stack monitoring and root cause analysis. | enterprise | 9.4/10 | 9.8/10 | 8.6/10 | 8.2/10 |
| 3 | New Relic Full-stack observability platform providing insights into applications, infrastructure, and user experience. | enterprise | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.5/10 |
| 4 | Splunk Machine data platform for searching, monitoring, and analyzing IT data across infrastructure and security. | enterprise | 8.7/10 | 9.5/10 | 7.2/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 5 | SolarWinds Comprehensive network and IT infrastructure monitoring with performance management tools. | enterprise | 8.6/10 | 9.3/10 | 7.7/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 6 | Zabbix Open-source enterprise-class solution for monitoring networks, servers, cloud services, and applications. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.4/10 | 6.7/10 | 9.6/10 |
| 7 | Nagios Powerful monitoring system for IT infrastructure including networks, servers, and applications. | enterprise | 7.4/10 | 8.2/10 | 5.1/10 | 8.7/10 |
| 8 | PRTG Network Monitor All-in-one network monitoring software using sensors for bandwidth, devices, and traffic analysis. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 | 8.0/10 | 7.7/10 |
| 9 | LogicMonitor SaaS-based hybrid observability platform for automating IT monitoring across cloud and on-premises. | enterprise | 8.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.6/10 | 7.8/10 |
| 10 | Prometheus Open-source monitoring and alerting toolkit for reliability and time-series metrics collection. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 9.2/10 | 7.5/10 | 9.8/10 |
Cloud-scale monitoring and analytics platform for infrastructure, applications, and logs.
AI-powered observability platform for automatic full-stack monitoring and root cause analysis.
Full-stack observability platform providing insights into applications, infrastructure, and user experience.
Machine data platform for searching, monitoring, and analyzing IT data across infrastructure and security.
Comprehensive network and IT infrastructure monitoring with performance management tools.
Open-source enterprise-class solution for monitoring networks, servers, cloud services, and applications.
Powerful monitoring system for IT infrastructure including networks, servers, and applications.
All-in-one network monitoring software using sensors for bandwidth, devices, and traffic analysis.
SaaS-based hybrid observability platform for automating IT monitoring across cloud and on-premises.
Open-source monitoring and alerting toolkit for reliability and time-series metrics collection.
Datadog
enterpriseCloud-scale monitoring and analytics platform for infrastructure, applications, and logs.
Watchdog: AI-powered automated root cause analysis across metrics, traces, and logs
Datadog is a comprehensive cloud-based monitoring and analytics platform designed for full-stack observability in modern IT environments. It collects, visualizes, and analyzes metrics, traces, logs, and synthetics from infrastructure, applications, and services across cloud, on-prem, and hybrid setups. With over 750 integrations, it enables real-time dashboards, alerting, and AI-powered insights to detect issues proactively and optimize performance.
Pros
- Extensive integrations with 750+ technologies for broad coverage
- Powerful unified dashboards and AI-driven Watchdog for anomaly detection
- Scalable for enterprise environments with real-time full-stack observability
Cons
- Pricing can escalate quickly with usage and add-ons
- Steep learning curve for advanced customizations
- Agent can consume noticeable resources on monitored hosts
Best For
Large enterprises and DevOps teams managing complex, multi-cloud infrastructures requiring end-to-end visibility.
Pricing
Usage-based pricing starts at $15/host/month for infrastructure monitoring; APM at $31/host/month, logs at $0.10/GB ingested; free tier for up to 5 hosts with limits.
Dynatrace
enterpriseAI-powered observability platform for automatic full-stack monitoring and root cause analysis.
Davis Causal AI for precise, automated root cause analysis across the entire observability stack
Dynatrace is a leading AI-powered observability platform that delivers full-stack monitoring across applications, infrastructure, cloud services, and user experiences in hybrid and multi-cloud environments. It automatically instruments environments with OneAgent for seamless data collection on metrics, logs, traces, and events. The platform's Davis AI engine provides proactive anomaly detection, root cause analysis, and automated remediation insights to minimize downtime.
Pros
- AI-driven Davis engine for automatic root cause analysis and anomaly detection
- Comprehensive full-stack observability with auto-instrumentation via OneAgent
- Scalable for complex enterprise environments with strong multi-cloud support
Cons
- High cost with consumption-based pricing that can escalate quickly
- Steep learning curve for advanced customization and configuration
- Resource-intensive deployment on large-scale infrastructures
Best For
Large enterprises managing complex, distributed applications and infrastructure who need AI-powered insights for proactive IT operations.
Pricing
Consumption-based pricing starts at ~$0.04/GB for logs and ~$21/host/month for full-stack; custom enterprise quotes required.
New Relic
enterpriseFull-stack observability platform providing insights into applications, infrastructure, and user experience.
Entity-centric observability unifying telemetry data for contextual, full-stack insights in one platform
New Relic is a comprehensive observability platform designed for full-stack IT monitoring, providing real-time insights into applications, infrastructure, browsers, and mobile performance. It excels in application performance management (APM), infrastructure monitoring, distributed tracing, logs, and synthetics to deliver end-to-end visibility. Leveraging AI-powered analytics via Applied Intelligence, it enables proactive issue detection, root cause analysis, and optimized digital experiences.
Pros
- Unified full-stack observability across apps, infra, and user experiences
- AI-driven insights and anomaly detection for faster troubleshooting
- Extensive integrations with 500+ technologies and customizable dashboards
Cons
- Usage-based pricing can become expensive at scale
- Steep learning curve for advanced configurations and queries
- Potential alert fatigue without proper tuning
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises requiring deep, correlated visibility in complex, hybrid cloud environments.
Pricing
Freemium with 100 GB/month free; usage-based pricing at ~$0.30/GB for data ingest, plus feature add-ons.
Splunk
enterpriseMachine data platform for searching, monitoring, and analyzing IT data across infrastructure and security.
Search Processing Language (SPL) for complex, real-time queries across petabytes of unstructured data
Splunk is a powerful data analytics platform designed for searching, monitoring, and analyzing machine-generated big data in real-time. It excels in IT monitoring by aggregating logs, metrics, and traces from diverse sources, enabling visibility into infrastructure, applications, and security events. With advanced search capabilities, dashboards, and alerting, Splunk helps organizations detect issues, perform root cause analysis, and ensure operational health.
Pros
- Exceptional scalability and handling of massive data volumes
- Rich analytics with machine learning and custom dashboards
- Comprehensive integration with IT tools and cloud environments
Cons
- Steep learning curve for SPL and advanced configurations
- High costs driven by data ingestion-based pricing
- Resource-intensive deployment requiring significant hardware
Best For
Large enterprises with complex IT environments needing deep analytics on machine data for monitoring and observability.
Pricing
Subscription-based on daily data ingestion (e.g., $1,800+/month for 1GB/day); enterprise licensing with perpetual options available.
SolarWinds
enterpriseComprehensive network and IT infrastructure monitoring with performance management tools.
PerfStack™ interactive timelines for correlating performance metrics across IT stacks
SolarWinds offers a comprehensive suite of IT monitoring and management tools, including Network Performance Monitor (NPM), Server & Application Monitor (SAM), and others, providing deep visibility into networks, servers, applications, virtualization, and cloud infrastructure. It excels in real-time monitoring, alerting, automated discovery, and performance analytics to help IT teams prevent outages and optimize operations. The Orion Platform serves as the central hub, enabling customizable dashboards and integrations for hybrid environments.
Pros
- Extensive multi-vendor device support and automated discovery
- Powerful PerfStack for cross-correlation troubleshooting
- Scalable modular architecture with strong reporting and automation
Cons
- Complex setup and steep learning curve for advanced features
- High costs due to per-module and per-device licensing
- Resource-intensive on monitoring servers
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises with complex, hybrid IT environments needing deep, customizable monitoring.
Pricing
Perpetual licenses or subscriptions; core modules like NPM start at ~$3,000/year, scaling with monitored elements and add-ons.
Zabbix
enterpriseOpen-source enterprise-class solution for monitoring networks, servers, cloud services, and applications.
Distributed proxies for secure, scalable monitoring of remote sites without VPN dependencies
Zabbix is a robust open-source IT monitoring platform that tracks the performance and availability of networks, servers, virtual machines, cloud services, and applications in real-time. It provides advanced alerting, visualization through dashboards, graphs, and network maps, along with automation capabilities for issue resolution. Designed for scalability, Zabbix supports agent-based and agentless monitoring via protocols like SNMP, IPMI, and JMX, making it ideal for enterprise environments.
Pros
- Highly customizable with extensive templates, triggers, and scripting support
- Scalable for massive environments with proxies and high-performance polling
- Broad protocol and integration support for diverse IT infrastructures
Cons
- Steep learning curve and complex initial setup requiring technical expertise
- Outdated web UI that feels clunky despite recent improvements
- Resource-intensive database and server requirements at scale
Best For
Enterprise IT teams managing large, heterogeneous infrastructures who need a free, highly customizable monitoring solution.
Pricing
Free open-source core; paid Zabbix Server Appliance and cloud SaaS plans start at around $150/month for support and managed hosting.
Nagios
enterprisePowerful monitoring system for IT infrastructure including networks, servers, and applications.
Massive ecosystem of over 5,000 plugins for monitoring custom and niche IT assets
Nagios is a widely-used open-source IT monitoring solution that tracks the availability, performance, and status of hosts, services, networks, and applications across IT infrastructures. It supports proactive alerting via email, SMS, and other channels, with extensive customization through plugins and configurations. While Nagios Core is free, the commercial Nagios XI adds a modernized UI, dashboards, and easier management.
Pros
- Highly extensible with thousands of community plugins for monitoring virtually any IT component
- Scalable for large environments with proven reliability over 20+ years
- Nagios Core is completely free and open-source
Cons
- Steep learning curve with text-file-based configuration
- Outdated web interface in Core version lacks modern visualizations
- Resource-heavy and complex for beginners or rapid deployments
Best For
Experienced IT admins in on-premises environments needing deep customization and plugin flexibility.
Pricing
Nagios Core: free and open-source; Nagios XI: starts at $1,995 one-time fee for 100 hosts (perpetual license with optional support).
PRTG Network Monitor
enterpriseAll-in-one network monitoring software using sensors for bandwidth, devices, and traffic analysis.
Sensor-based monitoring with 250+ pre-configured types for plug-and-play coverage of virtually any IT component
PRTG Network Monitor is a versatile IT monitoring solution from Paessler that tracks networks, bandwidth, servers, virtual environments, applications, and cloud services using a sensor-based architecture. With over 250 sensor types, it enables comprehensive monitoring through auto-discovery, customizable dashboards, maps, and real-time alerts via multiple channels like email, SMS, and push notifications. It supports on-premises, hosted SaaS, and clustered deployments for scalability.
Pros
- Extensive library of over 250 sensors for monitoring diverse IT assets
- Quick setup with auto-discovery and intuitive web-based interface
- Flexible alerting and reporting options with mobile app support
Cons
- Pricing model scales with sensor count, becoming expensive for large deployments
- Resource-intensive on the monitoring server in high-scale environments
- Interface feels dated compared to newer competitors
Best For
Mid-sized IT teams seeking scalable, sensor-driven monitoring for networks, servers, and applications without needing extensive custom scripting.
Pricing
Free for up to 100 sensors; perpetual licenses start at ~$1,800 for 500 sensors (plus annual maintenance); SaaS hosting from $99/month for 100 sensors.
LogicMonitor
enterpriseSaaS-based hybrid observability platform for automating IT monitoring across cloud and on-premises.
LM Envision AIOps platform for AI-powered predictive intelligence and automated root cause analysis
LogicMonitor is a SaaS-based infrastructure monitoring platform that delivers unified observability for hybrid IT environments, including servers, networks, applications, containers, and cloud services. It automates discovery, monitoring, and alerting with over 2,000 pre-built datasources and supports custom monitoring via its flexible collector architecture. Leveraging AI and machine learning through LM Envision, it provides anomaly detection, predictive analytics, and root cause analysis to proactively manage IT performance.
Pros
- Comprehensive hybrid monitoring with automated discovery and vast datasource library
- AI-driven AIOps for anomaly detection and root cause analysis
- Highly scalable for enterprises with multi-tenant support
Cons
- Steep learning curve for advanced configurations and custom datasources
- Pricing is opaque and can become expensive at scale
- Potential for alert fatigue without proper tuning
Best For
Mid-to-large enterprises managing complex hybrid IT environments that require deep observability and predictive insights.
Pricing
Custom quote-based pricing per monitored resource (devices, hosts, etc.); tiers include Essentials (~$2-5/device/month), Standard, and Enterprise, often starting at $5,000+/month for mid-sized setups.
Prometheus
specializedOpen-source monitoring and alerting toolkit for reliability and time-series metrics collection.
Multi-dimensional time-series data model with PromQL for advanced querying and alerting
Prometheus is an open-source monitoring and alerting toolkit designed for reliability and scalability in dynamic environments. It collects metrics from configured targets at given intervals, stores them in a multi-dimensional time-series database, and supports powerful querying via PromQL. Widely used in cloud-native setups like Kubernetes, it enables custom dashboards, alerting rules, and service discovery for comprehensive IT infrastructure monitoring.
Pros
- Exceptional scalability for time-series metrics with federation support
- Powerful PromQL query language for flexible analysis
- Vast ecosystem of exporters and integrations for diverse targets
Cons
- Steep learning curve for PromQL and configuration
- Lacks built-in visualization (requires Grafana or similar)
- High operational overhead for HA and long-term storage
Best For
DevOps and SRE teams managing large-scale, containerized Kubernetes environments focused on metrics-driven monitoring.
Pricing
Fully free and open-source under Apache 2.0; no paid tiers, though managed services available from vendors.
Conclusion
The reviewed IT monitoring tools showcase a clear leader in Datadog, which shines with its cloud-scale analytics and broad coverage of infrastructure, applications, and logs. Close behind are Dynatrace, known for AI-powered observability and automatic root cause analysis, and New Relic, offering strong full-stack insights including user experience—each addressing distinct needs. Together, they represent the best in modern IT oversight.
Begin your journey with Datadog today to experience efficient, data-driven monitoring and transform how you manage your infrastructure.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison