Understanding Datadog pricing

Datadog offers tiered pricing for its monitoring and analytics platform:

Plan	Price	Key Features
Free Trial	$0 for 14 days	Core features
Pro	$15/host/month	Real-time tracking, custom dashboards
Enterprise	Custom quote	Advanced tools, longer log storage

Main pricing factors:

Number of hosts monitored
Data volume (logs, metrics)
Feature usage (APM, synthetic monitoring)

Cost reduction tips:

Review usage patterns
Use tags effectively
Adjust data retention
Leverage committed use discounts

Datadog's pricing model is generally more transparent than competitors like Splunk or New Relic. The platform offers flexibility for businesses of all sizes, with options to scale as needs grow.

How Datadog Prices Its Services

Datadog uses a tiered pricing model. Each tier offers different features and resources. Higher tiers cost more but provide more functions and can handle more data.

Here's how Datadog billing works:

Billing starts on the 1st of each month (UTC)
First month is prorated based on sign-up date
Hosts and custom metrics are billed hourly
Host count is based on the 99th percentile of usage
Custom metric count is based on average usage

Only users with Admin Role can access billing pages.

Middleware takes a different approach:

Aspect	Datadog	Middleware
Pricing model	Tiered structure	Pay for what you use
Feature access	Varies by tier	Full access to all features
Billing basis	Hosts, custom metrics	Data sent and allocation
Flexibility	Limited by tier	High

Middleware charges:

Per host for APM and Infrastructure monitoring
Based on processed data for Logs
Per database fee for database monitoring

This method lets you pay only for what you need.

Datadog's Pricing Plans

Datadog offers three main pricing plans: Free Trial, Pro, and Enterprise. Each plan meets different needs and budgets.

Free Trial

Datadog provides a 14-day free trial with core features at no cost. This trial is good for small teams or individuals who want to test Datadog before buying.

Pro Plan

The Pro plan costs $15 per host, per month. It includes:

Real-time performance tracking
Custom dashboards
Integrations with over 600 services

The price changes based on use, making it fit for teams of all sizes.

Enterprise Plan

The Enterprise plan is for large organizations. It offers:

Feature	Description
Advanced tools	More complex features
Longer log storage	Keep logs for extended periods
Better support	Get more help when needed
Admin controls	Manage users and access easily
Higher data limits	Handle more information

This plan needs a custom quote, fitting businesses with special needs.

Datadog's plans aim to work for different business sizes and types. The free trial and various paid options make Datadog available to many users.

Main Parts of Datadog Pricing

Datadog uses a tiered pricing model. Each tier offers different features and can handle more data. Here's a breakdown of the main pricing parts:

Infrastructure Monitoring Costs

This is based on how many hosts you monitor. A host can be a server, virtual machine, or other OS instance.

Hosts	Price
Up to 5	Free
6 or more	$15 per host per month

You can get discounts if you use more than 600 hosts per month.

APM Costs

APM pricing depends on the number of spans (pieces of data) you collect and index.

Feature	Price
Basic APM	$31 per host per month

This includes tracing and real-time analytics. Pro and Enterprise tiers have more features.

Log Management Costs

You pay based on how many logs you collect and how long you keep them.

Logs	Price
Per million events	$1.27

Keeping logs for longer costs more. Make sure to match your settings with what your company needs.

Synthetic Monitoring Costs

This is based on how many tests you run and how often.

Tests	Price
Per 10,000 test runs	$5 per month

You can get discounts if you run more tests.

Custom Metrics Costs

You pay for the number of custom metrics you use. Adding tags and different ways to group data can change the cost.

Datadog starts you with a set number of custom metrics per hour. If you need more, you'll pay extra, but there are discounts for higher volumes.

Detailed Look at Pricing Factors

Datadog's pricing depends on several key factors. Let's break them down:

Host-based Pricing

Datadog charges based on the number of hosts you monitor:

Hosts	Price
Up to 5	Free
6 or more	$15 per host per month

Discounts apply for over 600 hosts per month.

Container Monitoring Costs

Costs depend on the number of containers monitored. This helps you:

Track container performance
Find bottlenecks
Improve resource use

Serverless Monitoring Costs

Pricing is based on the number of serverless functions monitored. This allows you to:

Check function performance
Spot issues
Use resources better

IoT Device Monitoring Costs

Costs relate to the number of IoT devices you track. This lets you:

Watch device performance
Find problems
Make the most of your resources

Log Retention and Ingestion Costs

Prices depend on how many logs you collect and keep. With this, you can:

Keep an eye on log volume
Find slow spots
Use your resources wisely

APM and Tracing Costs

Costs are tied to the number of spans (data pieces) collected and indexed. This helps you:

Monitor app performance
Spot bottlenecks
Improve resource allocation

Custom Metrics and Tagging Costs

Pricing is based on the number of custom metrics and tags you use. This allows you to:

Track specific metrics
Find issues
Use resources more effectively

Datadog Product Allotments

Datadog offers different products with specific features and limits. Understanding these limits helps you manage costs and get the most from Datadog.

Using the Allotments Calculator

Datadog's Allotments Calculator helps you estimate monthly and hourly limits for each product feature. This tool:

Shows total limits by product
Helps with planning and budgeting
Gives accurate estimates based on your needs

Features in Each Plan

Each Datadog plan has different features and default amounts. Here's a simple breakdown:

Plan	Main Features	Default Amounts
Free	Basic monitoring and logs	5 hosts, 1-day logs, 1000 APM spans
Pro	More monitoring, logs, and metrics	500 hosts, 15-day logs, 10,000 APM spans, 100 custom metrics
Enterprise	Full monitoring suite	Custom limits, 500 custom metrics, 1000 synthetic tests

For a full list of features and amounts, check Datadog's official website.

How Billing and Usage Work

Datadog uses a tiered pricing system. Each tier offers different features and resources. Higher tiers cost more but provide more functions and can handle more data.

Billing Cycle

Aspect	Details
Start date	1st of each month (UTC)
First month	Prorated based on sign-up date
Metering	Hosts and custom metrics billed hourly
Host count	Based on 99th percentile of usage
Custom metric count	Based on average usage

Only users with Admin Role can see billing pages.

Metered Usage

Datadog tracks usage every hour. At the end of the month, it calculates:

Hosts: Highest count of the lower 99% of usage
Custom metrics: Average number of metric hours

Payment Options

Datadog offers two main payment choices:

Option	Description
Annual commitment	Lower rate, paid upfront
On-demand pricing	Pay as you go, higher rate

On-demand pricing helps when you go over your limits, but it costs more than annual plans.

Ways to Reduce Costs

Here are some ways to lower your Datadog expenses without losing key features:

Checking Usage Patterns

Look at how you use Datadog to find areas where you can cut costs:

Review your billing and usage data
See how your resources are being used
Find ways to:
- Adjust resource sizes
- Change data storage settings
- Improve custom metrics

Using Tags Effectively

Tags help organize resources and cut costs:

Tag Use	Benefit
Group by function	Easily spot unused resources
Sort by environment	Identify non-essential items
Categorize by importance	Turn off or adjust less critical resources

Adjusting Data Retention Settings

Change how long you keep data to save money:

Action	Result
Review current settings	Understand current data storage
Adjust retention periods	Keep only necessary data
Match settings to needs	Reduce storage costs

Using Committed Use Discounts

If you know how much you'll use Datadog, you can save money:

Discount Type	How It Works
Committed use	Agree to use a set amount
Volume-based	Pay less for using more

To get these discounts:

Check your usual usage
Pick a commitment level
Contact Datadog sales

Complex Pricing Scenarios

Datadog's pricing can get tricky when you use it for multiple groups, move lots of data, or add extra features. Let's break down these situations to help you manage costs better.

Billing Across Multiple Organizations

When you use Datadog for different groups in your company:

Each group has its own bill and plan
You'll need to keep track of several bills
Datadog offers a main dashboard to manage all bills in one place

Data Transfer Costs

Moving data can cost a lot, especially if you use a lot. Datadog charges based on how much data you:

Send in
Process
Store

To keep costs down:

Change how long you keep data
Use data squeezing (compression)
Use Datadog's tools to handle data better

Add-ons and Integrations Costs

Datadog has extra tools you can add to make it work better. These can help but also cost more.

Consideration	Action
Value	Check if the extra tool is worth the cost
Need	Only use tools that your business really needs
Budget	Include the cost of extras when planning your spending

Datadog vs. Competitor Pricing

Datadog's pricing is often compared to other companies like Splunk and New Relic. Each company has its own way of charging, but Datadog's prices are clear and easy to guess.

Other companies can have hard-to-understand pricing:

Splunk charges based on how much data you use
New Relic charges by how many people use it

These can lead to surprise costs.

Datadog charges based on:

Number of hosts
Number of containers
Number of custom metrics

This makes it easier to know what you'll pay.

Here's how Datadog compares to others:

Company	How They Charge	What They're Good At
Splunk	Amount of data used	Good at analyzing data
New Relic	Number of users	Good at checking how apps work
Datadog	Hosts, containers, custom metrics	Easy to use, works for big and small companies

Datadog also offers:

A free trial
A free plan

This lets you try it before you buy.

When picking between Datadog and others, think about:

What your company needs
How much you can spend
What features you want

Fixing Billing Problems

Here's how to handle common billing issues with Datadog:

Wrong Billing Info

If your billing details are wrong:

Go to the Billing section
Click Update Billing Information
Enter the right details

Surprise Charges

If you see charges you didn't expect:

Check your usage patterns
Look at your Datadog usage reports
Contact Datadog support if you're still unsure

Can't Find Invoices or Receipts

To get your invoices or receipts:

Go to the Billing section
Click Invoices
Pick the invoice or receipt you need

Getting Help from Datadog

If you need help with billing:

How to Contact	Details
Through Datadog	Use the support option in your account
Email	Send a message to support@datadog.com

Datadog's support team can help you fix issues quickly.

Wrap-up

Datadog's pricing can be hard to understand, but knowing how it works helps you save money and use it well. Here's what to remember:

Key Point	What to Do
Check your usage	Look at how you use Datadog often
Change data settings	Keep only the data you need
Use discounts	Ask about savings for long-term use
Use plan features	Make the most of what's in your plan

To keep costs down:

Look at your usage reports regularly
Change how long you keep data
Use Datadog's tools to handle data better

By doing these things, you can cut costs without losing the benefits of Datadog. Remember, keeping an eye on your costs is something you need to do all the time.

Datadog offers different plans with various features. Make sure you know what's in your plan and use all the tools you're paying for. This helps you get the most for your money.

FAQs

How does Datadog charge for logs?

Datadog charges for logs based on:

Factor	Charge
Total gigabytes sent	Per GB submitted
Indexed log events	Per million events

The rate depends on how long you keep your logs.

How to calculate Datadog costs?

Datadog figures out costs by:

Item	Calculation Method
Functions	Average of hourly functions recorded
Serverless APM	Sum of AWS Lambda calls linked to APM spans

Pro and Enterprise plans give you five custom metrics for each function you pay for.

What is the pricing policy of Datadog?

Datadog's pricing works like this:

Item	How It's Charged
Containers	Monthly, based on hours monitored
Custom metrics	Monthly average of unique metrics per hour

A custom metric is one unique mix of metric name, host ID, and tags.

How to calculate Datadog cost?

To figure out your Datadog cost:

Look at your average hourly functions
Add up your AWS Lambda calls for APM
Check your plan's included custom metrics

Remember, Pro and Enterprise plans include five custom metrics per function.

Is Datadog free for personal use?

Datadog offers three plans:

Plan	Features
Free	Up to 5 hosts, 1-day metric storage
Pro	More features, paid
Enterprise	Most features, paid

The Free plan lets you try core features at no cost.