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Datadog APM vs SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor Comparison

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Datadog APM

4.0(382 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Free Trial
  • Freelancers / Consultants
  • Large Enterprises

Datadog APM provides team with visibility into the health and performance of applications across multiple clouds and on-premises environments. Datadog APM helps business get faster visibility into new application availab…

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor

4.5(194 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

  • Free Trial
  • Large Enterprises
  • Medium Business

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM) provides a powerful and budget friendly solution for network monitoring. Detect and resolve network performance issues and outages without delay. An ideal choice for both onli…

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor leads on user satisfaction with a 4.5-star rating across 194 reviews.

Datadog APM vs SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor — at a glance

FeatureDatadog APMSolarWinds Network Performance Monitor
Rating4.0 / 54.5 / 5
Reviews382194
Starting priceContact for pricingContact for pricing
Free trial Yes Yes
Free version No No
Best forFreelancers / Consultants, Large Enterprises, Medium BusinessLarge Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business
CategoryApplication Performance Monitoring (APM) ToolsNetwork Monitoring Software
PlatformsSaaS/Web/CloudSaaS/Web/Cloud
APIAvailable
Support modesBusiness Hours, OnlineOnline
CertificationsSOC 2, HIPAA, GDPR, ISO 27001SOC 2
Data residencyGlobalUS

Key differences between Datadog APM and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor

  • Target audience: Datadog APM is built for Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises, while SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor targets Large Enterprises and Medium Business.
  • User satisfaction: SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor scores higher with a 4.5-star average.
  • Deployment: Datadog APM supports SaaS/Web/Cloud; SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Datadog APM vs SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor — find the better fit before you commit.

01

Which tool fits your team best

02

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

03

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Datadog APM - Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools
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Biggest differences

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Datadog APM

Best for deep, real-time monitoring of complex multi-cloud applications.

Choose if
  • You need powerful end-to-end tracing and root cause analysis dashboards.
  • Your team requires real-time alerts to respond immediately to issues.
  • You operate complex distributed systems across cloud and on-premises environments.
Consider alternatives if
  • You are a small business with limited budget due to high pricing.
  • Your team lacks capacity to manage complex configurations and data filtering.

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor

Best for

Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business

Datadog APM typically suits Freelancers / Consultants and Large Enterprises. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor tends to fit Large Enterprises and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description

Datadog APM provides team with visibility into the health and performance of applications across multiple clouds and on-premises environments. Datadog APM helps business get faster ... Read More about Datadog APM

SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor (NPM) provides a powerful and budget friendly solution for network monitoring. Detect and resolve network performance issues and outages without ... Read More about SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor

Free Trial Availability

Spotsaas Score

What's this? ↗

9.8/10

8.2/10

User Ratings

Based on verified Spotsaas reviews

Best Company Size

200-5000 employeesLarge Enterprises
Get pricing help
Get pricing help

Where each option fits best

See where each product is strongest, which teams it fits, and what causes buyers to keep looking — before you commit.

Based on buyer reviews and verified product data collected by Spotsaas.

Strengths

Key strengths

Datadog APM

  • Datadog APM gives our team clear, actionable insights into application performance, helping us pinpoint bottlenecks and resolve issues faster—so we're always ahead of the curve.
  • With powerful end-to-end tracing and intuitive dashboards, Datadog simplifies complex performance data, enabling administrators to identify root causes of problems quickly and accurately.
  • As an analyst, I appreciate how seamlessly Datadog integrates with our existing infrastructure. It reduces setup time significantly and allows us to monitor everything from one centralized place.
Best fit

Best fit

Datadog APM

  • 200 - 5000 employees
  • SaaS, Fintech, Martech, Revtech, E-commerce, Gaming, Healthcare, Media and Entertainment, Consulting
  • DevOps Engineers, Application Developers, Software Engineers, IT Operations Managers, Site Reliability Engineers (SREs), Technical Leads, Application Performance Analysts
Watchouts

Reasons buyers look elsewhere

Datadog APM

  • Users may seek alternatives if Datadog APM's pricing becomes prohibitive, especially for smaller teams or startups needing cost-effective solutions with clearer pricing structures.
  • Organizations requiring deeper customization and flexibility in monitoring configurations might find Datadog APM restrictive and prefer more adaptable platforms.
  • Teams already invested in specific technology ecosystems (e.g., Microsoft Azure, AWS) may opt for native monitoring tools to ensure seamless integration and simplified management.

Software Demo

Demo

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Step 1 of 4

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How do Datadog APM and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor Compare on Features?

Total Features

9 Features

3 Features

Unique Features

No unique features

No unique features

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Get Quote

Compare Datadog APM and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option

      Pricing Plans

      • Not Available
      • Not Available

      Pricing Page

      Datadog APM pricing
      SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor pricing

      Other Details

      Organization Types supported

      • Small Business
      • Medium Business
      • Large Enterprises
      • Freelancers
      • Individuals
      • Small Business
      • Medium Business
      • Large Enterprises
      • Freelancers
      • Individuals

      Platforms Supported

      • Mobile - iOS
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac
      • Mobile - iOS
      • Browser Based (Cloud)
      • Mobile - Android
      • Installed - Windows
      • Installed - Mac

      Modes of support

      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online
      • 24/7 (Live rep)
      • Business Hours
      • Online

      API Support

      • Available
      • Not Available
      Get help choosing
      Get help choosing

      Security & Compliance

      Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

      SOC 2

      ✓ Yes
      ✓ Yes

      HIPAA

      ✓ Yes
      ✗ No

      GDPR

      ✓ Yes

      ISO 27001

      ✓ Yes

      Single Sign-On (SSO)

      ✓ Yes

      Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)

      ✓ Yes

      Data Encryption

      ✓ Yes

      Audit Logs

      ✓ Yes

      Data Residency

      🌐 Global
      🇺🇸 US

      Datadog APM User Reviews & Rating Comparison

      User Ratings

      Rating Distribution

      77

      62

      5

      3

      6

      145

      57

      8

      0

      0

      Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI

      Buyer sentiment

      Users appreciate Datadog APM's powerful monitoring and alerting capabilities but note challenges with pricing and complexity for smaller teams.

      What buyers like

      • Ease of troubleshooting
      • Real-time alerting
      • Integration with existing systems

      Common complaints

      • Complexity and learning curve
      • Pricing and cost scalability

      Buyer sentiment

      Buyer sentiment is very strong across 210 reviews, with consistently positive feedback.

      What buyers like

      • Powerful network monitoring
      • Budget-friendly solution
      • Quick issue resolution

      Common complaints

      • May require technical expertise
      • Limited advanced features
      • Setup can be time-consuming

      Pros and Cons

      • Powerful end-to-end tracing and intuitive dashboards for root cause analysis

      • Real-time alerts enabling immediate response to issues

      • Proactive monitoring of complex distributed systems to prevent downtime

      • High volume of data can overwhelm teams lacking proper filtering

      • Pricing can be expensive and scale quickly with usage

      • Comprehensive monitoring capabilities

      • Quick detection of network issues

      • User-friendly interface for easy navigation

      • Technical expertise may be needed for setup

      • Limited advanced features compared to competitors

      Positive Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

      Negative Reviews

      No reviews available for the product

      No reviews available for the product

      List of Customers

      Customers

      Samsung

      Samsung

      Comcast

      Comcast

      nginx

      nginx

      Accenture

      Accenture

      Nielsen

      Nielsen

      NTT

      NTT

      Media and Screenshots

      Screenshots

      Datadog APM screenshot

      3 Screenshots

      Network  Insights for Cisco

      6 Screenshots

      Videos

      video-0

      1 Videos

      video-0

      1 Videos

      Top Alternatives to Datadog APM and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor in 2026

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      Search by product name to compare pricing, fit, and buyer feedback in one view.

      Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

      Frequently asked questions

      Which is better, Datadog APM or SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor?
      SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor edges out the other on user ratings (4.5 vs 4.0). That said, the best pick depends on your use case — use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
      Do Datadog APM and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor offer a free trial?
      Yes, both Datadog APM and SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor offer a free trial.
      What is the starting price of Datadog APM vs SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor?
      Datadog APM starts at Contact for pricing. SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor starts at Contact for pricing.
      What are the top alternatives to Datadog APM?
      Top alternatives to Datadog APM include Retrace, Scout APM, New Relic APM, Nastel AutoPilot, AppDynamics.
      What are the top alternatives to SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor?
      Top alternatives to SolarWinds Network Performance Monitor include Nagios XI, Ne.Mo. Network Monitoring, PRTG Network Monitor, Spiceworks Network Monitor, Nagios Network Analyzer.

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