Best DataDog alternatives in 2026

Discover the best DataDog alternatives for 2026, offering predictable pricing, simpler billing, and flexible monitoring options without vendor lock-in.

In 2026, organizations are actively seeking DataDog alternatives that address critical pain points: high and unpredictable costs, complex billing structures, and vendor lock-in. These challenges directly impact scalability, operational flexibility, and budget planning. As teams prioritize transparency and control over their observability stack, choosing the right monitoring solution has become essential for achieving both financial predictability and technical independence.

Summary: Top DataDog alternatives

1. Embrace

Embrace is a comprehensive app performance monitoring platform tailored for mobile applications. It directly addresses cost and billing pain points through clear, predictable pricing structures and a commitment to transparency. Embrace stands out with its flexible integrations and robust data access, helping organizations avoid vendor lock-in.

• Features:
  • Mobile-focused performance monitoring
  • Transparent and predictable pricing
  • Comprehensive analytics and diagnostics
  • Flexible integration options
• Pros:
  • Clear and predictable billing
  • Strong mobile analytics capabilities
  • Reduces vendor lock-in with flexible integrations
• Cons:
  • Primarily focused on mobile applications
  • Limited information on open-source options
• Pricing:
  • Transparent and predictable pricing, with details available upon request from their website.
• Best for:
  • Organizations seeking predictable costs and transparency in mobile app performance monitoring.

2. SigNoz

SigNoz is an open-source application performance monitoring (APM) tool designed to help organizations escape vendor lock-in and unpredictable expenses. Its open-source model enables self-hosting and complete control over data, contributing to more manageable and transparent costs.

• Features:
  • Open-source APM and observability
  • Self-hosted deployment options
  • Distributed tracing and metrics
  • Customizable dashboards
• Pros:
  • No vendor lock-in due to open-source model
  • Predictable and potentially lower costs
  • Full control over data and deployment
• Cons:
  • Requires self-management and infrastructure
  • May lack some advanced features of commercial tools
• Pricing:
  • Free to use as open-source; costs are limited to infrastructure and maintenance.
• Best for:
  • Teams seeking open-source, self-hosted APM with transparent and predictable costs.

3. Jaeger

Jaeger is an open-source distributed tracing system focused on monitoring and troubleshooting complex microservices environments. By being open-source, Jaeger eliminates vendor lock-in and gives organizations full authority over deployment and associated costs.

• Features:
  • Distributed tracing for microservices
  • Open-source and community-driven
  • Integration with multiple data sources
  • Scalable architecture
• Pros:
  • No licensing fees or vendor lock-in
  • Highly customizable and extensible
  • Strong community support
• Cons:
  • Requires self-hosting and technical expertise
  • Limited to tracing (not a full APM suite)
• Pricing:
  • Free and open-source; costs relate to infrastructure and operational overhead.
• Best for:
  • Organizations with in-house expertise seeking open-source tracing and full control over costs.

4. Groundcover

Groundcover delivers application performance monitoring with a strong emphasis on cost predictability and transparent billing. The platform aims to reduce billing surprises and provides actionable insights into resource usage.

• Features:
  • Predictable pricing model
  • Real-time monitoring and alerting
  • Easy deployment and integration
  • Detailed usage analytics
• Pros:
  • Transparent and predictable billing
  • Simple deployment process
  • Clear usage analytics
• Cons:
  • Less established than larger vendors
  • Feature set may be narrower than legacy solutions
• Pricing:
  • Predictable pricing, with details available on their website.
• Best for:
  • Organizations prioritizing cost transparency and ease of use in performance monitoring.

5. Coralogix

Coralogix is a log analytics and observability platform designed to simplify billing with usage-based and transparent pricing. It provides detailed monitoring and analytics, and strives to minimize vendor lock-in through flexible data export options.

• Features:
  • Usage-based pricing
  • Comprehensive log analytics
  • Flexible data export
  • Real-time observability
• Pros:
  • Transparent, usage-based billing
  • Flexible data management
  • Comprehensive analytics capabilities
• Cons:
  • May require integration effort
  • Potential learning curve for new users
• Pricing:
  • Usage-based pricing model, with clear cost breakdowns available on their website.
• Best for:
  • Teams seeking transparent, usage-based pricing for log analytics and observability.

6. New Relic

New Relic is a leading application performance monitoring solution offering detailed insights into application health. It provides a range of pricing tiers and works to enhance billing transparency, though some users may experience complexity as data volumes scale.

• Features:
  • Comprehensive APM and infrastructure monitoring
  • Customizable dashboards and alerts
  • Multiple pricing tiers
  • Extensive integrations
• Pros:
  • Robust monitoring capabilities
  • Flexible pricing options
  • Wide range of integrations
• Cons:
  • Pricing can become complex at scale
  • Potential for unpredictable costs with high data volumes
• Pricing:
  • Multiple pricing tiers, including a free plan and paid options based on usage and features.
• Best for:
  • Organizations needing a mature APM platform with flexible pricing and extensive integrations.

7. Dynatrace

Dynatrace provides full-stack observability and application performance monitoring, leveraging automation and AI-driven insights. While the platform offers advanced monitoring, its pricing structure can be intricate, and vendor lock-in may be a consideration.

• Features:
  • Full-stack observability
  • AI-driven analytics
  • Automated root cause analysis
  • Cloud-native support
• Pros:
  • Advanced automation and analytics
  • Comprehensive monitoring coverage
  • Strong cloud-native capabilities
• Cons:
  • Complex pricing structure
  • Potential vendor lock-in
• Pricing:
  • Pricing based on monitored entities and data volume, with details on their website.
• Best for:
  • Enterprises seeking advanced automation and analytics in a full-stack monitoring solution.

8. AppDynamics

AppDynamics delivers enterprise-grade application performance monitoring with deep visibility into application health and user experience. Its extensive feature set is accompanied by complex pricing and a risk of vendor lock-in.

• Features:
  • End-to-end application monitoring
  • Business transaction analytics
  • Customizable dashboards
  • Enterprise integrations
• Pros:
  • Comprehensive monitoring features
  • Strong enterprise support
  • Detailed business analytics
• Cons:
  • Complex and potentially opaque pricing
  • Vendor lock-in risk
• Pricing:
  • Tiered pricing based on the number of monitored applications and features, with details available on request.
• Best for:
  • Large organizations requiring enterprise-grade monitoring and analytics.

How to choose the best DataDog alternative for you

• Assess your technical requirements: Evaluate whether you need mobile-specific monitoring, distributed tracing, comprehensive APM, or log analytics. The feature set should match your application stack and operational needs.
• Determine your preference for deployment: Decide if you prefer a SaaS solution for ease of maintenance, or an open-source, self-hosted deployment for maximum control and customization.
• Prioritize cost management: Review each tool’s pricing model—choose predictable or usage-based pricing to avoid budget overruns, or open-source for minimal licensing fees.
• Consider integration and ecosystem compatibility: Ensure the tool integrates seamlessly with your existing technology stack, including alerting, dashboards, and data export options.
• Evaluate vendor independence: If vendor lock-in is a concern, opt for open-source solutions or platforms that offer flexible data export and integration capabilities.

How Embrace can help you

Embrace helps organizations address high and unpredictable costs, complex billing, and vendor lock-in by providing a transparent, predictable pricing model and strong mobile analytics capabilities.
Its flexible integration options significantly reduce the risk of vendor lock-in, while comprehensive diagnostics ensure deep visibility into mobile app performance.
For organizations seeking clarity and control—whether moving away from DataDog or simply optimizing their monitoring stack—Embrace offers a balanced approach between cost, transparency, and technical capability.
To see how Embrace can support your organization’s needs, request a demo.

Conclusion and recommendations

• For organizations prioritizing cost predictability and mobile analytics, Embrace offers transparent pricing and reduced vendor lock-in.
• SigNoz and Jaeger are strong choices for teams prioritizing open-source, self-hosted solutions with full control over data and deployment costs.
• Groundcover and Coralogix suit organizations seeking clear billing and easy integration, especially for log analytics and real-time monitoring.
• New Relic, Dynatrace, and AppDynamics provide mature, enterprise-grade capabilities but may involve more complex pricing and potential vendor lock-in.
• Assess your organization’s size, technical expertise, and budgetary needs to select the tool that best aligns with your operational goals.
  Embrace is recommended for those seeking transparency, mobile focus, and flexible integration in a modern monitoring solution.

Author

Laura Bolos

Laura is the Head of Digital Marketing at Embrace. She brings over 12 years of experience working at startups building developer-focused products. She’s passionate about helping engineering teams evaluate and adopt observability tools that improve both developer and end-user experience.