Calculator Inputs
Example Data Table
| Scenario | Infra Hosts | APM Hosts | Logs GB | Indexed Logs M | RUM Sessions | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Startup SaaS | 10 | 8 | 120 | 10 | 25000 | Lean stack with short retention. |
| Growth Platform | 40 | 30 | 600 | 80 | 150000 | Broader visibility and larger traffic. |
| Enterprise Estate | 150 | 120 | 2500 | 400 | 900000 | Higher retention and frequent synthetic tests. |
Formula Used
Some inputs bill in blocks. Custom metrics use 100-metric blocks, API tests use 10,000-run blocks, and browser tests use 1,000-run blocks.
How to Use This Calculator
- Choose the billing mode that best matches your expected contract style.
- Select your infrastructure and APM plans.
- Enter hosts, containers, ingestion volumes, indexed events, and user-session estimates.
- Pick retention windows for logs and indexed spans.
- Add any expected negotiated discount.
- Submit the form to see the result summary above the form.
- Export the result table as CSV or PDF for reviews and approvals.
Planning Notes
Infrastructure, logs, APM, synthetic monitoring, RUM, and session replay can move independently. This calculator lets you stress-test each usage driver before you commit budget.
Container billing can be modeled monthly or hourly. Hourly mode multiplies your average concurrent containers by 730 monthly hours to estimate chargeable container-hours.
If your team already has a custom contract, replace the public assumptions with your internal rates. The structure still helps compare retention, telemetry scope, and coverage tradeoffs.
FAQs
1. What does this calculator estimate?
It estimates monthly and annual observability spend across major Datadog usage categories, including infrastructure, containers, logs, APM, synthetics, RUM, and session replay.
2. Are the prices fixed forever?
No. Public list prices and product bundles can change. Use the calculator for planning, then confirm the latest pricing or contract terms before procurement.
3. Why is there a discount field?
Many teams negotiate volume or multi-year agreements. The discount field helps translate public list pricing into a closer working budget.
4. Why model indexed logs separately?
Log ingestion and indexed retention can drive cost differently. Separating them helps you compare searchability needs against lower-cost storage approaches.
5. When should I use hourly container billing?
Use hourly modeling when your container count changes often, such as bursty workloads, autoscaling clusters, or short-lived jobs.
6. Does this calculator include every Datadog product?
No. It focuses on common observability services. You can extend the rate arrays to add products like database monitoring, security, or workflow automation.
7. Can finance teams reuse the exported files?
Yes. The CSV works well in spreadsheets, while the PDF is useful for vendor reviews, approval packs, and budget discussions.