Sumo Logic vs Datadog: pricing
Observability pricing · Pricing snapshot: June 2026
On headline entry cost, Datadog has a clearer fixed entry price (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)) while Sumo Logic is usage-based. Sumo Logic bills per gb / usage (Free tier; credits ~$0.15-$0.36 each (Flex)) and Datadog bills per host (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)). Both have a free tier. The real winner depends on your host count, data volume and team size. Pricing snapshot: June 2026 - verify current pricing on the vendor's site before relying on these figures.
Data as of June 2026.
Sumo Logic vs Datadog side by side
| Factor | Sumo Logic | Datadog |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Sumo Logic, Inc. | Datadog, Inc. |
| Pricing model | Credit-based (Flex): log scan/storage volume consumes credits at tiered rates; metrics and tracing priced separately | Per-host (Infra & APM) + per-GB ingested (Logs) + per-session (RUM); modular, products billed separately and stacked |
| Primary billing | Per GB / usage | Per host |
| Headline price | Free tier; credits ~$0.15-$0.36 each (Flex) | APM from $31/host/mo (annual) |
| Free tier? | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier detail | Free plan: $0/month, limited daily ingest, no credit card required. | Free plan: Infrastructure for up to 5 hosts with 1-day metric retention; 14-day free trial of the full platform. |
| Covers | Log management, Infrastructure & metrics, Distributed tracing | APM, Infrastructure & metrics, Log management, RUM, Distributed tracing, Error tracking |
Sources: Sumo Logic, Inc. pricing · Datadog, Inc. pricing.
Per-signal rates
Where the two overlap, here is the rate each charges per signal:
| Signal | Sumo Logic | Datadog |
|---|---|---|
| Log management | $0.15-$0.36 per credit; ingest free, storage/scan consume credits | $0.10/GB ingest + $1.27/M events indexed (15-day) |
| Infrastructure & metrics | Metrics priced separately (DPM) | $15/host/mo |
| Distributed tracing | Tracing priced per span/usage | Bundled in APM |
Cheaper for small vs cheaper for scale
Small / starting out: Both have a free tier, so try each. On headline cost, Datadog has a clearer fixed entry price (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)) while Sumo Logic is usage-based.
At scale: Sumo Logic (flex makes ingest free -- you pay for storage and scanning) versus Datadog (single pane of glass across infra, apm, logs, rum and more). Remember Sumo Logic bills per gb / usage and Datadog bills per host, which flips the answer depending on whether you scale by hosts, by data volume or by team size.
Verdict
On headline cost alone, Datadog has a clearer fixed entry price (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)) while Sumo Logic is usage-based. But price is only part of the story. Read each full breakdown - Sumo Logic and Datadog - and model your real workload in the cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Sumo Logic or Datadog cheaper?
On headline entry cost, Datadog has a clearer fixed entry price (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)) while Sumo Logic is usage-based. But the two use different models - Sumo Logic bills per gb / usage and Datadog bills per host - so the real winner depends on your host count, data volume and team size. Compare the per-signal table on this page. Pricing snapshot: June 2026.
Sumo Logic vs Datadog: which for a small team?
For a small team, lean to whichever has the more usable free tier and lower entry price. Sumo Logic: Free plan: $0/month, limited daily ingest, no credit card required. Datadog: Free plan: Infrastructure for up to 5 hosts with 1-day metric retention; 14-day free trial of the full platform.
Sumo Logic vs Datadog: how do the billing models differ?
Sumo Logic: Credit-based (Flex): log scan/storage volume consumes credits at tiered rates; metrics and tracing priced separately. Datadog: Per-host (Infra & APM) + per-GB ingested (Logs) + per-session (RUM); modular, products billed separately and stacked. Per-host models penalize dense Kubernetes nodes; per-GB/per-event models penalize verbose telemetry. Model your real usage before deciding. Pricing snapshot: June 2026 - verify current pricing on the vendor's site before relying on these figures.
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Last updated: 2026-06-21