AppDynamics vs Dynatrace: A comparison of application performance monitoring tools
As applications become more complex, monitoring performance becomes increasingly challenging. Poor performance can lead to user frustration and lost revenue. That's where application performance monitoring (APM) tools like AppDynamics and Dynatrace come in. These tools help DevOps teams monitor application performance and identify issues before they become critical.
Features
AppDynamics
AppDynamics is an APM tool that offers a wide range of features. It can monitor Java, .NET, Node.js, PHP, and other applications. The tool offers real-time visibility into the performance of applications, including bottlenecks, errors, and slow transactions. It also automates root cause analysis, alerts on anomalies, and offers a deep dive into code-level visibility.
Dynatrace
Dynatrace offers features similar to AppDynamics, such as real-time performance monitoring, deep code-level visibility, and automated root cause analysis. However, Dynatrace offers additional capabilities, including AI-powered automation, real user monitoring, and distributed tracing. Dynatrace's AI capabilities use machine learning algorithms to analyze large amounts of data and automatically identify issues.
Pricing
Both AppDynamics and Dynatrace offer several pricing tiers, ranging from free to enterprise-level. AppDynamics offers a free tier with basic features, along with several paid tiers that vary in the level of features and support offered. Dynatrace also offers a free tier, but with limited features. Its paid tiers come with varying levels of support, with the enterprise-level offering the most comprehensive level of support.
Here's a side-by-side comparison of the pricing tiers for each tool:
| Tier | AppDynamics | Dynatrace |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Yes (limited features) | Yes (limited features) |
| Starter | $3,600/year, 1 App Agent, 5 Server Agents, 5 Browser Agents, 1 DB Agent | Contact for pricing, 10k/month traces, 5 hosts |
| Pro | $9,600/year, 1 App Agent, 25 Server Agents, 20 Browser Agents, 5 DB Agents | Contact for pricing, 25k/month traces, 10 hosts |
| Advanced | $17,400/year, 1 App Agent, 50 Server Agents, 50 Browser Agents, 10 DB Agents | Contact for pricing, 50k/month traces, 20 hosts |
| Enterprise | Contact for pricing, unlimited agents, advanced features, 24/7 support & more | Contact for pricing, unlimited traces, unlimited hosts |
Ease of Use
Both AppDynamics and Dynatrace offer easy installation and setup. AppDynamics' dashboard is intuitive and provides an excellent overview of an application's performance. Dynatrace also provides an easy-to-use interface and offers automatic configuration to reduce setup time.
Integrations
AppDynamics and Dynatrace both offer a wide range of integrations with various platforms, including AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud. AppDynamics also integrates with various databases, such as MySQL, Oracle, and MongoDB. Dynatrace offers integrations with various popular tools, such as Jenkins, JIRA, and PagerDuty.
Conclusion
Both AppDynamics and Dynatrace are excellent APM tools. Although they share many features, Dynatrace stands out for its AI automation capabilities, real user monitoring, and distributed tracing. However, AppDynamics has an advantage in terms of pricing, with a free tier that offers basic features.
At the end of the day, the choice between the two tools comes down to individual business requirements and preferences. It's essential to assess each tool's features, ease of use, pricing, and integrations before making a decision.
References
- AppDynamics. AppDynamics Pricing. Retrieved from https://www.appdynamics.com/pricing/
- Dynatrace. Dynatrace Pricing. Retrieved from https://www.dynatrace.com/platform/pricing/
- AppDynamics vs. Dynatrace Comparison. Retrieved from https://www.gartner.com/reviews/market/application-performance-monitoring/vendor/appdynamics/compare-dynatrace