I Examined 30+ Cloud Monitoring Instruments: Right here Are My Picks

I’ve spent the final three years writing about IT and cloud safety, speaking to DevOps groups, IT admins, and safety execs about their largest cloud complications. One factor is evident: managing cloud infrastructure with out the best cloud monitoring instruments is like flying blind.

I’ve heard tales of groups scrambling to diagnose downtime, coping with countless alerts that lead nowhere, and battling shock cloud payments. If you happen to’re right here, you’re in all probability dealing with the identical points. You want a cloud infrastructure monitoring software program that doesn’t simply flood you with information however helps you’re taking motion earlier than issues break.

So, I did what I do greatest. I researched. I additionally talked to the individuals who depend on these instruments essentially the most: cloud engineers, DevOps groups, and safety professionals. Their insights helped me separate the really helpful cloud monitoring instruments from the noise.

Whether or not you’re attempting to stop outages, optimize efficiency and prices, or strengthen safety, I’ve researched 30+ instruments to seek out one of the best cloud monitoring instruments for 2025. Right here’s what you might want to know.

5 greatest cloud monitoring instruments I like to recommend  

If you happen to individuals ask me, “What precisely do cloud monitoring instruments do?” I prefer to maintain it easy: they offer you a real-time window into your cloud setting, so that you’re not flying blind.

From my conversations with IT admins and DevOps groups, I’ve discovered that cloud monitoring is all about visibility and management. You don’t simply need uncooked information. You want insights that really provide help to take motion earlier than points spiral into full-blown outages.

What makes one of the best cloud monitoring instruments: My standards

To separate one of the best from the remainder, I targeted on key components that outline efficient, dependable, and scalable cloud monitoring. 

• Actual-time efficiency monitoring: Cloud environments are dynamic, and efficiency bottlenecks can escalate shortly. I appeared for instruments that present real-time visibility into CPU, reminiscence, community site visitors, and storage utilization throughout cloud workloads. One of the best options supply granular monitoring on the occasion, container, and Kubernetes pod ranges to detect anomalies earlier than they affect purposes.
• Clever alerting and automation: Alert fatigue is an actual downside. A superb cloud monitoring software ought to prioritize vital alerts and suppress noisy, low-priority ones. I appeared for platforms that assist AI-driven anomaly detection, threshold-based alerting, and auto-remediation capabilities, corresponding to auto-scaling sources or restarting failed cases with out guide intervention.
• Multi-cloud and hybrid cloud assist: Most companies use a number of cloud suppliers, however not all monitoring instruments can deal with that complexity. I prioritized options that natively assist AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and hybrid deployments with out requiring extreme configuration. Cross-cloud visibility, unified dashboards, and API integrations had been key components on this analysis.
• Safety and compliance monitoring: Cloud environments introduce new assault surfaces, so monitoring ought to embody safety posture evaluation, misconfiguration detection, and compliance auditing for frameworks like SOC 2, ISO 27001, HIPAA, and PCI DSS. One of the best instruments transcend primary logs and embody menace detection, id monitoring, and automatic safety coverage enforcement.
• Log administration and distributed tracing: In trendy cloud-native environments, logs and traces present vital insights. I appeared for options that assist centralized log aggregation, real-time log evaluation, and distributed tracing to pinpoint bottlenecks in microservices architectures. One of the best platforms combine with ELK Stack, OpenTelemetry, or native log companies like AWS CloudTrail.
• Ease of deployment and integration: A monitoring software ought to work out of the field with out requiring hours of setup. I prioritized options with agentless monitoring choices, easy API-based integrations, and assist for containerized workloads in Kubernetes environments. The power to combine with DevOps instruments like Terraform, Prometheus, and CI/CD pipelines was additionally a key issue.
• Price optimization and useful resource administration: Cloud payments can spiral uncontrolled with out correct monitoring. I appeared for instruments that supply value analytics, anomaly detection for surprising spikes, and useful resource right-sizing suggestions to remove wasted cloud spend. One of the best platforms present predictive insights that assist IT groups optimize resource allocation earlier than prices escalate.

With this in thoughts, I explored 30+ cloud infrastructure monitoring options and located the highest 5 that ticked off many of the packing containers. Whereas they won’t be excellent in each sense, they carry some distinctive strengths to the desk. 

The record under incorporates real consumer evaluations from the cloud infrastructure monitoring software program class. To be included on this class, an answer should:

• Monitor the efficiency of cloud-based purposes or companies.
• Visually map or show sources and cloud infrastructure.
• Establish irregular exercise or efficiency.
• Present greatest practices to make sure optimum efficiency.

*This information was pulled from G2 in 2025. Some evaluations might have been edited for readability.  

Datadog is a type of instruments that you could’t ignore when searching for cloud monitoring options, it’s all over the place, and for good purpose. It provides real-time dashboards, deep observability, and stable integrations, making it a robust selection for cloud infrastructure monitoring.

One of many largest advantages I see is how a lot visibility it provides in cloud environments. The power to deploy Datadog throughout multi-cloud and on-premise environments and get detailed insights into infrastructure, community site visitors, and software efficiency is a large plus. 

Based mostly on my analysis and actual consumer suggestions, deploying Datadog is straightforward, due to its simple agent set up and intensive pre-built integrations.

I would say one of many largest benefits is its big selection of integrations. It connects seamlessly with NGINX, Kubernetes, Docker, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and CI/CD pipelines. For incident administration and alerting, it syncs with ServiceNow, Slack, Microsoft Groups, Jira, and different instruments, so alerts and points get directed to the best individuals in actual time.

And I extremely worth how its options work collectively. The tight integration between logs, metrics, software efficiency monitoring (APM), database monitoring (DBM), profiling, real-time consumer monitoring (RUM), and Synthetics means one can simply bounce between completely different information factors with out switching instruments or piecing insights collectively manually. Whether or not you might be troubleshooting an software slowdown or investigating an infrastructure problem, the whole lot flows seamlessly, making the entire expertise way more environment friendly.

One other factor I recognize essentially the most is Datadog’s alerting system. It’s extremely versatile, permitting customers to set alerts based mostly on customized situations. If you happen to tune it proper, it makes an enormous distinction in lowering alert fatigue.

However not each software is ideal and Datadog additionally has some quirks. The most important ache level I’ve heard from customers? The price. Many have identified that it will get costly quick, particularly for rising groups or large-scale deployments. Whereas the pricing is usage-based, it shortly provides up. So, whereas it’s nice, it’s not low cost.

One other problem I’ve noticed is the overwhelming UI. Whereas it’s highly effective, it may be loads to absorb, particularly should you’re new to cloud monitoring. Navigating the interface and organising customized dashboards can really feel clunky at instances.

That being stated, Datadog stands out because the gold commonplace for cloud monitoring instruments. Would I like to recommend it? Completely, however with a caveat. If you happen to’re a big enterprise or a DevOps workforce managing a posh cloud setting, Datadog’s visibility and automation can prevent time and stop expensive outages.

However should you’re a small workforce or engaged on a decent finances, you may end up watching your monitoring prices as carefully as your cloud efficiency metrics.

What I dislike about Datadog:

• From what I noticed, it’s highly effective however not low cost. The pricing is usage-based, and should you’re monitoring a big infrastructure, the prices can skyrocket earlier than you even understand it.
• Based mostly on my analysis, whereas Datadog provides tons of knowledge, navigating the dashboard might be intimidating, particularly for brand spanking new customers. Some customization choices really feel a bit clunky.

What G2 customers dislike about Datadog: 

“Generally, the UI could be very overwhelming, particularly firstly. So many buttons and options make the platform very complicated to make use of, so the training curve is a bit onerous firstly. When you be taught to make use of it, it’s actually easy and intuitive.” 

– Datadog Overview, Diego P.

With regards to cloud monitoring options that “simply work” out of the field, LogicMonitor stands out to me. It provides automated discovery of cloud sources, pre-configured monitoring templates, and built-in integrations with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, and hybrid infrastructure.

On the identical time, if the default setup isn’t sufficient, there’s loads of room to customise. In reality, what actually units it aside for me is its flexibility. LogicMonitor provides groups the flexibility to fine-tune virtually each facet of their monitoring setup.

You possibly can customise dashboards, create customized monitoring scripts, modify alert thresholds, and combine with third-party instruments like ServiceNow, Slack, and PagerDuty. The pliability permits groups to scale and adapt LogicMonitor to their particular wants whereas nonetheless benefiting from its ease of deployment, in my view.

However customization comes with a tradeoff, each when it comes to value and complexity. From what I’ve gathered, whereas LogicMonitor makes customization doable, it doesn’t all the time make it straightforward. Organising superior customized monitoring requires time and experience, and the UI isn’t all the time intuitive.

LogicMonitor upgraded its UI in late 2023, however customers have combined emotions about it from what I discovered. Whereas some discover it an enchancment, whereas others really feel it has added pointless friction to their workflow. 

And like Datadog, value is one other issue that continuously comes up when evaluating LogicMonitor. From what I’ve gathered, it’s not essentially the most budget-friendly choice in the marketplace. After all, it replaces a number of monitoring instruments, consolidating observability right into a single platform. For bigger enterprises, this may justify the fee, however for smaller groups with easier wants, it is perhaps tough. 

Regardless of these limitations, LogicMonitor is a robust contender in case your workforce wants deep customization and is keen to put money into fine-tuning.

What I dislike about LogicMonitor:

• From my remark, the UI redesign is a combined bag. Whereas some customers discover it an enchancment, others say it provides pointless friction to workflows
• I agree that LogicMonitor is undeniably an incredible software, and that comes with a premium price ticket. Whereas the worth is there for bigger enterprises that want deep customization and hybrid monitoring, smaller groups with easier wants may discover it onerous to justify the fee

What G2 customers dislike about LogicMonitor:

“The brand new interface stinks. It is quirky. Hiding Datasources beneath LogicModules makes it harder to view the small print.

Most annoying is the navigation of the Useful resource Tree whatever the interface. If a tool is in a number of high-level teams and also you navigate backward, it doesn’t carry you to the folder construction that you simply used to navigate down.“

– LogicMonitor Overview,  Tad G. 

From what I discovered, IBM Instana has a stable popularity as a real-time observability and software efficiency monitoring software for contemporary hybrid and multicloud environments. It’s easy to deploy with a single Instana agent that routinely displays your complete tech stack. 

One other main benefit is how nicely Instana supplies real-time suggestions. In contrast to some monitoring instruments that introduce delays in surfacing points, Instana delivers on the spot visibility into latency issues, slowdowns, and repair failures. This makes troubleshooting considerably quicker as a result of groups don’t should dig by means of logs manually to pinpoint the issue.

From what I discovered, Instana excels in root trigger evaluation by routinely correlating software points with infrastructure efficiency, making it simpler to trace down the precise element or service inflicting the issue. As a substitute of simply displaying uncooked information, it maps out dependencies between companies, traces transactions throughout distributed programs, and highlights bottlenecks in actual time.

This stage of automation eliminates a lot of the guesswork, serving to DevOps groups scale back imply time to decision (MTTR) and tackle points earlier than they escalate into full-blown outages, in my opinion

With regards to UI, although, the suggestions is combined based mostly on what I discovered.  Whereas the software is straightforward to make use of, the UI might use some enhancements. Discovering particular options or configuring dashboards isn’t as clean correctly. Additionally, I believe it could possibly present deeper customization on the subject of alerts and dashboards. Not having this may be irritating for groups that require deeper customization to match particular workflows. 

One other downside I discovered is there’s an preliminary adjustment interval to rise up to hurry with Instana.  The preliminary complexity might require extra coaching or onboarding, which generally is a problem for groups that want an out-of-the-box resolution. 

 Total, I would say IBM Instana is a superb selection for real-time software efficiency monitoring.

What I dislike about IBM Instana:

• Whereas Instana is straightforward to deploy, I spotted absolutely mastering its options takes time. Superior configurations, integrations, and monitoring guidelines aren’t all the time intuitive, and groups might have additional coaching to unlock the platform’s full potential.
• Based mostly on what I heard from customers, Instana’s alerting system works nicely for primary monitoring, however it doesn’t supply sufficient granularity for fine-tuned notifications. If you happen to want extremely custom-made alert situations and thresholds, it could possibly really feel restrictive in comparison with different options.

What G2 customers dislike about IBM Instana: 

“Initial complexity may require extra time and coaching for groups to totally exploit the platform’s capabilities. Relying on the dimensions of the deployment, the fee might develop into a major issue for some customers.” 

– IBM Instana Overview, Yannick Okay. 

Site24x7 by ManageEngine was a brand new discover for me on this record. It provides an entire suite of monitoring options, from web sites, servers, and purposes to cloud infrastructure and networks, multi functional place.

I actually recognize its skill to keep watch over a number of sources concurrently. I believe it is especially helpful for smaller IT groups or organizations that want reasonably priced, all-in-one observability. It reduces software sprawl and makes it simpler to trace the whole lot from a single pane of glass. 

One other energy I noticed is how straightforward it’s to arrange and combine. The onboarding course of is fast. It helps agent-based and agentless monitoring, and as soon as deployed, it routinely discovers new sources and begins amassing information. 

Price-effectiveness can be a significant component that makes Site24x7 stand out in my view. In comparison with high-end instruments like Datadog, which may get costly quick, Site24x7 provides a way more budget-friendly different. It’s particularly interesting for startups, SMBs, and IT groups that want strong monitoring with out enterprise-level pricing. It could not have all of the superior options of extra premium options, however for many organizations, the price-to-performance ratio makes it a pretty selection.

However there are some downsides. The UI, whereas practical, feels outdated, and I believe it might use a refresh. Navigation and configuration aren’t as intuitive or user-friendly as I’d like, making some workflows take longer than crucial. Organising dashboards and fine-tuning alerts, particularly, could possibly be extra streamlined.

I additionally seen that it’s tough to get began and onerous to know, particularly when configuring superior monitoring settings. Whereas onboarding is pretty fast, getting essentially the most out of Site24x7 takes effort. As soon as the whole lot is ready up, it runs easily, however tweaking settings and discovering particular options can really feel extra sophisticated than it ought to be.

No matter these points, Site24x7 remains to be a stable selection for IT groups and companies searching for a flexible, multi-cloud monitoring resolution, particularly for these on a finances. 

What I dislike about Site24x7:

• Whereas the UI will get the job completed, it isn’t as trendy or polished. Navigation and customization could possibly be smoother, and a few workflows take longer than they need to, based mostly on my observations.
• High quality-tuning alerts and superior monitoring settings isn’t as intuitive as I’d hoped. Getting began is straightforward, however absolutely optimizing the platform takes effort and time.

What G2 customers like about Site24x7: 

“Enhancing consumer settings on Site24x7 generally is a bit cumbersome and fewer intuitive than anticipated, requiring a number of steps that could possibly be streamlined for higher usability.”

– Site24x7 Overview, Yuvraj G.

Dynatrace stands out to me for its depth, automation, and AI-driven insights. From what I discovered, it’s a powerhouse for full-stack observability, making it an incredible selection for giant enterprises that want deep visibility into complicated infrastructures.

From what I gathered, it’s straightforward to combine Dynatrace’s observability instruments with present infrastructure, making it a superb match for hybrid and multi-cloud environments. As soon as deployed, the platform supplies real-time insights into software efficiency, infrastructure well being, and safety dangers, all from a single dashboard. It additionally helps groups maintain a pulse on system availability, lowering the chance of surprising outages.

I was impressed by the extent of intelligence it brings to monitoring with its Davis AI, an AI engine, and Grail, its database for storing logs, metrics, traces, occasions, and many others. The Issues app, with AI-driven downside detection, routinely identifies efficiency points and pinpoints root causes with out requiring groups to sift by means of countless logs, making troubleshooting considerably quicker.

One other main energy is Dynatrace’s request tracing capabilities, which give deep visibility into service dependencies and transaction flows throughout cloud environments. This enables groups to seek out bottlenecks, optimize efficiency, and stop points from cascading into bigger failures.

However Dynatrace takes time to grasp. Whereas Davis AI simplifies troubleshooting in the long term, the platform’s sheer depth of options can really feel overwhelming at first, requiring coaching and a structured onboarding course of.

Additionally, the pricing construction is a bit obscure. Whereas Dynatrace provides versatile, per-hour pricing for varied options and functionalities, understanding the general value might be difficult and not using a clear grasp of your particular utilization patterns. It might make it tough to foretell bills precisely. And like LogicMonitor and Datadog, in case you have high-volume monitoring wants, the worth can shortly go up. 

Nonetheless, I would advocate Dynatrace for enterprises that want deep observability, AI-driven automation, and full-stack monitoring. 

What I dislike about Dynatrace:

• I would say Dynatrace isn’t the best software to be taught instantly so many options and settings. Whereas automation makes issues simpler over time, navigating and fine-tuning dashboards, metrics, and alerts takes effort to totally grasp.
• Based mostly on what I noticed, Dynatrace’s pricing construction generally is a bit difficult to know, particularly if you’re simply beginning out. The pliability of per-hour pricing for various options is nice, however and not using a clear understanding of utilization patterns, prices can add up quicker than anticipated. 

What G2 customers dislike about Dynatrace: 

“They know the worth they supply and cost you accordingly, it may be very tough to digest the price of the software, and it may be tough to handle your group’s consumption of licensing.”

– Dynatrace Overview, Andrew H.

If value is your main concern, or if you’re a small or medium enterprise with a fairly manageable cloud infrastructure, I would counsel going with open-source choices like Prometheus, Grafana Labs, Zabbix, or Nagios. These instruments might require extra guide setup and upkeep, however they provide comparatively good monitoring capabilities with out recurring subscription charges.

Nonetheless on the hunt? Discover our classes of monitoring software program, from software efficiency to community, to seek out the best match to your wants.