Dynatrace vs Splunk Observability Cloud — Pricing, Plans, and Verified Costs (2026)
Dynatrace starts at $7/mo. Splunk Observability Cloud uses custom pricing — request a quote to compare.
See price history: Dynatrace · Splunk Observability Cloud
How pricing works
These two tools don't price the same way, so the headline numbers below aren't directly comparable until you plug in your own volume.
- Dynatrace (Per Usage) — Dynatrace bills on usage — Annual commit rate-card: $7-$58/host/mo + $0.20/GB logs + $2.25/1K RUM sessions on top of a paid plan starting at $7/mo. The plan includes an allowance; anything beyond it is metered.
- Splunk Observability Cloud (Per Usage) — Splunk Observability Cloud bills purely on usage — Quote-based via sales — Entity, Ingest, or Workload pricing models. There is no fixed per-seat fee, so the monthly cost depends entirely on how much you consume.
Per-minute, per-credit and per-token rates exclude any downstream model, speech or telephony costs unless the vendor states otherwise.
Dynatrace is an enterprise observability + application security platform (Dynatrace Platform Subscription = annual minimum spend commit unlocking all platform capabilities at published rate-card). Foundation & Discovery from $7/host/mo; Infrastructure Monitoring $29/host/mo; Full-Stack Monitoring $58 per 8-GiB host/mo. Log Analytics $0.20/GB ingest + $0.0007/GiB-day retention. RUM $2.25 per 1K sessions. Larger commits unlock discounts. 15-day free trial. AI-powered root cause analysis (Davis AI) is core.
Splunk Observability Cloud is Cisco-owned enterprise observability with three quote-based pricing models: Entity (per-host, predictable), Ingest (per data volume, unlimited searches), and Workload (aligned to search patterns). Includes Infrastructure Monitoring, APM, Digital Experience Analytics, Log Observer, and IT Service Intelligence in one platform. No public list prices — all deals go through sales. 14-day free trial available. Acquired by Cisco in 2024.
All plans compared
| Tier role | Plan | Dynatrace monthly | Dynatrace annual | Splunk Observability Cloud monthly | Splunk Observability Cloud annual |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry paid | Foundation & Discovery / — | $7 | $7 | — | — |
| Mid tier | Infrastructure Monitoring / — | $29 | $29 | — | — |
| Pro / power | Full-Stack Monitoring / — | $58 | $58 | — | — |
| Enterprise | Enterprise (DPS commit) / — | Custom | Custom | — | — |
Tier names differ across vendors. Rows are aligned by tier role, not name. Full tier structures on each tool's page.
What each is best for
Dynatrace is worth it if… Dynatrace is ideal for large enterprises that want AI-powered full-stack observability + application security under a single annual commit. Best if you can absorb an annual procurement cycle and value Davis AI root-cause detection out of the box.
Splunk Observability Cloud is worth it if… Splunk Observability Cloud is ideal for large enterprises already running Splunk for security who want unified security + observability data in one platform. Best if you can absorb quote-based procurement and have Cisco as a strategic vendor.
Bottom line: Similar positioning, closer to a preference call than a strategic one.
Choose Dynatrace over Splunk Observability Cloud if…
Choose Dynatrace if…
- You want to pay only for actual usage (per usage, from $7/mo).
- You match the profile Dynatrace is built for: ideal for large enterprises that want AI-powered full-stack observability + application security under a single annual commit.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
Choose Splunk Observability Cloud if…
- You want to pay only for actual usage (per usage, a free entry tier).
- You match the profile Splunk Observability Cloud is built for: ideal for large enterprises already running Splunk for security who want unified security + observability data in one platform.
- You need a general-purpose developer & infrastructure option rather than a vertical-specific one.
At a glance
| Dynatrace | Splunk Observability Cloud | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | No | No |
| Entry price | $7/mo | Custom pricing |
| Enterprise available | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing model | Per Usage | Per Usage |
| Verification | Pricing under review | Pricing under review |
| Full pricing | View full pricing | View full pricing |
Pricing last verified September 27, 2026. Tracked daily.
Frequently asked questions
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Common questions about Dynatrace and Splunk Observability Cloud
- How much does Dynatrace cost in 2026?
- Does Dynatrace have a free plan?
- How often does Dynatrace change prices?
- What are the best Dynatrace alternatives in 2026?
- How much does Splunk Observability Cloud cost in 2026?
- Does Splunk Observability Cloud have a free plan?
- What are the best Splunk Observability Cloud alternatives in 2026?