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This guide is one part of a broader picture — explore the full Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools category. Other Software products for SaaS Companies.

Other Software products for SaaS Companies.

Application Performance Monitoring (APM) for SaaS Companies
Albert Richer

Navigating the APM Landscape: Insights for SaaS Companies Looking to Optimize Performance When it comes to Application Performance Monitoring (APM) tools, market research shows that not all solutions are created equal. Analysis of thousands of customer reviews indicates that tools like Datadog and New Relic frequently rank high for their comprehensive features and user-friendly interfaces. Users often report that these platforms provide in-depth analytics, allowing for real-time performance tracking that is crucial for SaaS operations. On the flip side, some tools like AppDynamics are mentioned as being more complex, which may not justify their higher price tags for smaller companies. Why does everyone think you need to spend $$$ to get good performance monitoring? Industry reports suggest that organizations looking for budget-friendly options should consider tools like Sentry, which is lauded for its affordable pricing and effective error tracking capabilities. Navigating the APM Landscape: Insights for SaaS Companies Looking to Optimize Performance When it comes to Application Performance Monitoring (APM) tools, market research shows that not all solutions are created equal. Analysis of thousands of customer reviews indicates that tools like Datadog and New Relic frequently rank high for their comprehensive features and user-friendly interfaces.

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1
Expert Score
9.8 / 10
389
32
USER EXPERIENCE FOCUSED
END-TO-END VISIBILITY

SolarWinds Observability APM

SolarWinds Observability APM
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SolarWinds Observability is an integrated APM solution designed specifically for SaaS companies. It collects and analyzes metrics, logs, traces, and user experience data, providing comprehensive insights into application performance. This helps SaaS businesses to quickly identify, troubleshoot, and resolve performance issues, thereby improving user experience and customer satisfaction.
SolarWinds Observability is an integrated APM solution designed specifically for SaaS companies. It collects and analyzes metrics, logs, traces, and user experience data, providing comprehensive insights into application performance. This helps SaaS businesses to quickly identify, troubleshoot, and resolve performance issues, thereby improving user experience and customer satisfaction.
USER EXPERIENCE FOCUSED
END-TO-END VISIBILITY

Best for teams that are

  • Mid-market IT teams managing hybrid environments (on-prem and cloud)
  • Organizations already invested in the SolarWinds ecosystem
  • IT Ops teams needing to consolidate tool sprawl into a single view

Skip if

  • Cloud-native startups seeking cutting-edge developer-centric tools
  • Teams needing highly customizable, deep code-level instrumentation
  • Users who find complex, legacy-style interfaces overwhelming

Expert Take

Our analysis shows SolarWinds Observability APM effectively bridges the gap between legacy on-premises infrastructure and modern cloud-native applications. Research indicates their pivot to a 'Secure by Design' architecture, validated by SOC 2 and ISO 27001 certifications, offers peace of mind for regulated industries. Based on documented features, the native OpenTelemetry support ensures future-proof instrumentation while maintaining deep visibility into traditional stacks.

Pros

  • Native OpenTelemetry support for major languages
  • Unified visibility across hybrid and cloud stacks
  • Strong 'Secure by Design' compliance framework
  • Over 1,200 pre-built monitoring templates
  • Transparent public pricing for SaaS modules

Cons

  • Significant renewal price increases reported
  • Forced transition to 3-year subscription terms
  • Complex initial setup and configuration
  • Steep learning curve for new users
  • Elimination of perpetual licensing options
2
Expert Score
9.6 / 10
518
144
OPEN SOURCE FRIENDLY
ROBUST ALERTING SYSTEM

eG Enterprise APM

eG Enterprise APM
View Website
eG Enterprise APM is an all-encompassing solution specifically designed to monitor and enhance the performance of applications and support infrastructure within SaaS companies. It offers a single pane for viewing performance metrics and leverages machine learning to detect and solve issues, thereby directly addressing the need for seamless application functionality and uptime in the SaaS industry.
eG Enterprise APM is an all-encompassing solution specifically designed to monitor and enhance the performance of applications and support infrastructure within SaaS companies. It offers a single pane for viewing performance metrics and leverages machine learning to detect and solve issues, thereby directly addressing the need for seamless application functionality and uptime in the SaaS industry.
OPEN SOURCE FRIENDLY
ROBUST ALERTING SYSTEM

Best for teams that are

  • IT teams managing Citrix, VDI, or virtualized desktop infrastructures
  • Healthcare or enterprises needing converged infrastructure and app monitoring
  • Admins requiring deep visibility into user experience on virtual apps

Skip if

  • Cloud-native startups focused solely on microservices and Kubernetes
  • Users seeking a modern, developer-first UI/UX experience
  • Teams with simple web-application monitoring needs

Expert Take

Our analysis shows eG Enterprise distinguishes itself through a 'converged' monitoring approach that unifies application performance with underlying infrastructure health, supporting over 200 technologies. Research indicates its per-operating-system licensing model offers predictable costs compared to the complex consumption-based pricing of competitors like Datadog. Based on documented features, it is particularly strong in VDI and Citrix environments where it provides deep, specialized visibility often lacking in generalist APM tools.

Pros

  • Unified application and infrastructure monitoring
  • Predictable per-OS licensing model
  • Deep Citrix and VDI visibility
  • Automated root cause diagnosis
  • Supports 200+ technologies out-of-the-box

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for new users
  • Complex initial configuration process
  • Web interface can be slow
  • Historical data lost on name change
  • Overwhelming feature density for small teams
3
Expert Score
9.5 / 10
443
116
REAL-TIME INSIGHTS
AI-POWERED INSIGHTS

ManageEngine's APM for Enterprise SaaS

ManageEngine's APM for Enterprise SaaS
View Website
ManageEngine's Application Performance Management (APM) tool is specifically designed for SaaS companies to ensure optimal application performance and customer satisfaction. It provides deep monitoring, swift troubleshooting, and predictive analytics to prevent application-related issues and maintain seamless user experiences.
ManageEngine's Application Performance Management (APM) tool is specifically designed for SaaS companies to ensure optimal application performance and customer satisfaction. It provides deep monitoring, swift troubleshooting, and predictive analytics to prevent application-related issues and maintain seamless user experiences.
REAL-TIME INSIGHTS
AI-POWERED INSIGHTS

Best for teams that are

  • SMBs and mid-market IT teams seeking a budget-friendly APM solution
  • Operations teams managing a mix of legacy on-premise and cloud apps
  • IT administrators preferring perpetual licensing models over SaaS subscriptions

Skip if

  • Large enterprises requiring hyper-scale cloud observability
  • Teams needing advanced, AI-driven automated root cause analysis
  • Developers looking for a code-centric, highly programmable tool

Expert Take

Our analysis shows ManageEngine Applications Manager uniquely bridges the gap between affordable monitoring and enterprise-grade depth. Research indicates it supports over 150 technologies with deep byte-code instrumentation, a breadth often reserved for far more expensive platforms. Based on documented features, its ability to deploy on-premise while monitoring cloud workloads offers critical data sovereignty advantages for regulated industries.

Pros

  • Transparent pricing starting at $395/year
  • Monitors over 150 technologies out-of-the-box
  • Unified view for on-premise and cloud
  • Deep byte-code instrumentation for APM
  • Free edition available for small workloads

Cons

  • Mobile app lacks full desktop features
  • Steep learning curve for new users
  • UI can feel dated or complex
  • Advanced features require paid add-ons
  • Occasional delays in support response
4
Expert Score
9.5 / 10
388
51
HOLISTIC MONITORING
CLOUD-NATIVE READY

Loggly Infrastructure & APM

Loggly Infrastructure & APM
View Website
Loggly is a SaaS-based Application Performance Monitoring (APM) tool designed to empower SaaS companies. It offers comprehensive monitoring for hybrid and cloud-native IT environments, ensuring optimal application performance and system health. Its integration with SolarWinds AppOptics allows for seamless infrastructure visibility and performance insights – a critical need in the SaaS industry.
Loggly is a SaaS-based Application Performance Monitoring (APM) tool designed to empower SaaS companies. It offers comprehensive monitoring for hybrid and cloud-native IT environments, ensuring optimal application performance and system health. Its integration with SolarWinds AppOptics allows for seamless infrastructure visibility and performance insights – a critical need in the SaaS industry.
HOLISTIC MONITORING
CLOUD-NATIVE READY

Best for teams that are

  • Developers prioritizing log analysis and search over complex tracing
  • Teams needing a cost-effective, lightweight SaaS APM solution
  • Organizations looking to correlate log data directly with basic metrics

Skip if

  • Enterprises requiring deep, end-to-end distributed transaction tracing
  • Organizations requiring a strictly on-premise hosting solution
  • Teams needing advanced AI-driven root cause analysis features

Expert Take

Our analysis shows that Loggly excels at reducing the 'time to insight' for developers through its Dynamic Field Explorer, which automatically parses and summarizes log data without requiring complex pre-configuration. Research indicates it is particularly strong for teams that need a compliant (SOC 2, HIPAA), agentless solution that integrates seamlessly with the broader SolarWinds observability ecosystem. While it separates deep APM features into AppOptics, the unified experience provides a cohesive view for troubleshooting.

Pros

  • Agentless architecture simplifies ingestion setup
  • Dynamic Field Explorer automatically parses logs
  • SOC 2 Type 2 and HIPAA compliant
  • Transparent tiered pricing model
  • Integrated experience with SolarWinds AppOptics

Cons

  • Standard plans drop logs over limit
  • Short retention (15-30 days) on base plans
  • Full APM requires AppOptics integration
  • Azure integration reported as complex
  • No overage protection on Standard tier
5
Expert Score
9.4 / 10
545
107
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION
SCALABILITY CHAMPION

Datadog APM

Datadog APM
View Website
Datadog APM is a robust application performance monitoring solution designed specifically for SaaS companies. Its ability to observe, troubleshoot, and improve cloud-scale applications with all telemetry in context makes it ideal for companies operating in the high-speed, high-demand SaaS environment.
Datadog APM is a robust application performance monitoring solution designed specifically for SaaS companies. Its ability to observe, troubleshoot, and improve cloud-scale applications with all telemetry in context makes it ideal for companies operating in the high-speed, high-demand SaaS environment.
SEAMLESS INTEGRATION
SCALABILITY CHAMPION

Best for teams that are

  • Cloud-native DevOps teams managing complex distributed microservices
  • Enterprises needing unified observability across logs, metrics, and traces
  • Teams requiring broad support for over 600+ technology integrations

Skip if

  • Small startups with limited budgets due to high, unpredictable costs
  • Teams requiring strictly air-gapped, on-premise only deployments
  • Non-technical teams intimidated by a steep learning curve

Expert Take

Our analysis shows Datadog APM stands out for its ability to unify disparate telemetry data into a single, coherent view, supported by an industry-leading ecosystem of over 1,000 integrations. Research indicates that while the learning curve is steep, the depth of features—such as AI-driven 'Watchdog' alerts and continuous profiling—provides unmatched visibility for complex, cloud-native environments. It is a premium choice where the value lies in its comprehensive, all-in-one capability rather than low cost.

Pros

  • Unified platform for APM, logs, and metrics
  • Over 1,000 out-of-the-box integrations
  • Gartner Magic Quadrant Leader 2024
  • AI-powered automated root cause analysis
  • PCI Level 1 and FedRAMP compliant

Cons

  • Expensive at scale with complex billing
  • High overage fees for custom metrics
  • Steep learning curve for advanced features
  • Separate costs for logs and RUM
  • UI can be cluttered and overwhelming
6
Expert Score
9.4 / 10
541
90
PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS
CUSTOMIZABLE DASHBOARDS

Elastic APM

Elastic APM
View Website
Designed specifically for SaaS companies, Elastic APM provides OpenTelemetry-native application performance monitoring, offering end-to-end distributed tracing with metrics, logs, and data in context for hybrid cloud applications. Its robust features help in identifying and resolving performance issues quickly, improving the overall user experience.
Designed specifically for SaaS companies, Elastic APM provides OpenTelemetry-native application performance monitoring, offering end-to-end distributed tracing with metrics, logs, and data in context for hybrid cloud applications. Its robust features help in identifying and resolving performance issues quickly, improving the overall user experience.
PREDICTIVE ANALYTICS
CUSTOMIZABLE DASHBOARDS

Best for teams that are

  • Engineering teams already leveraging the ELK Stack (Elasticsearch)
  • Organizations with strict data sovereignty or on-premise requirements
  • Teams wanting open-source flexibility without vendor lock-in

Skip if

  • Teams wanting a "set-and-forget" tool without configuration overhead
  • Non-technical operations teams lacking deep engineering resources
  • Small teams unable to manage the complexity of the Elastic stack

Expert Take

Our analysis shows that Elastic APM distinguishes itself by unifying logs, metrics, and traces into a single, searchable platform powered by AI. Research indicates its 'OpenTelemetry-native' architecture allows for seamless integration without proprietary lock-in, a significant advantage over traditional competitors. Based on documented features, the inclusion of a generative AI assistant for context-aware troubleshooting and its robust security certifications (FedRAMP, HIPAA) make it a powerhouse for enterprise-grade observability.

Pros

  • Native OpenTelemetry support
  • Resource-based pricing model
  • Deep integration with Elastic Stack
  • AI-driven anomaly detection
  • FedRAMP and HIPAA certified

Cons

  • Steep learning curve for beginners
  • Complex setup for self-managed
  • Support can be slow for lower tiers
  • Consumption costs can scale unpredictably
  • Documentation can be dense

Product Comparison

Product Has Mobile App Has Free Plan Has Free Trial Integrates With Zapier Has Public API Live Chat Support SOC 2 or ISO Certified Popular Integrations Supports SSO Starting Price
1 SolarWinds Observability APM
No No Yes - 30 days No Yes Email/Ticket only Not specified AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Microsoft 365 Yes Contact for pricing
2 eG Enterprise APM
No No Contact for trial No Yes Yes Not specified Citrix, VMware, Microsoft 365 Yes Contact for pricing
3 ManageEngine's APM for Enterprise SaaS
Yes Yes Yes - 30 days No Yes Yes Not specified AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Microsoft 365 Yes $945/year
4 Loggly Infrastructure & APM
No No Yes - 14 days No Yes Email/Ticket only Not specified AWS, Azure, SolarWinds AppOptics Yes Contact for pricing
5 Datadog APM
Yes No Yes - 14 days Yes Yes Yes SOC 2 Slack, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes Yes $31/host/month
6 Elastic APM
No Yes Yes - 14 days No Yes Email/Ticket only Not specified AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes Yes Free
1

SolarWinds Observability APM

Has Mobile App
No
Has Free Plan
No
Has Free Trial
Yes - 30 days
Integrates With Zapier
No
Has Public API
Yes
Live Chat Support
Email/Ticket only
SOC 2 or ISO Certified
Not specified
Popular Integrations
AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Microsoft 365
Supports SSO
Yes
Starting Price
Contact for pricing
2

eG Enterprise APM

Has Mobile App
No
Has Free Plan
No
Has Free Trial
Contact for trial
Integrates With Zapier
No
Has Public API
Yes
Live Chat Support
Yes
SOC 2 or ISO Certified
Not specified
Popular Integrations
Citrix, VMware, Microsoft 365
Supports SSO
Yes
Starting Price
Contact for pricing
3

ManageEngine's APM for Enterprise SaaS

Has Mobile App
Yes
Has Free Plan
Yes
Has Free Trial
Yes - 30 days
Integrates With Zapier
No
Has Public API
Yes
Live Chat Support
Yes
SOC 2 or ISO Certified
Not specified
Popular Integrations
AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Microsoft 365
Supports SSO
Yes
Starting Price
$945/year
4

Loggly Infrastructure & APM

Has Mobile App
No
Has Free Plan
No
Has Free Trial
Yes - 14 days
Integrates With Zapier
No
Has Public API
Yes
Live Chat Support
Email/Ticket only
SOC 2 or ISO Certified
Not specified
Popular Integrations
AWS, Azure, SolarWinds AppOptics
Supports SSO
Yes
Starting Price
Contact for pricing
5

Datadog APM

Has Mobile App
Yes
Has Free Plan
No
Has Free Trial
Yes - 14 days
Integrates With Zapier
Yes
Has Public API
Yes
Live Chat Support
Yes
SOC 2 or ISO Certified
SOC 2
Popular Integrations
Slack, AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes
Supports SSO
Yes
Starting Price
$31/host/month
6

Elastic APM

Has Mobile App
No
Has Free Plan
Yes
Has Free Trial
Yes - 14 days
Integrates With Zapier
No
Has Public API
Yes
Live Chat Support
Email/Ticket only
SOC 2 or ISO Certified
Not specified
Popular Integrations
AWS, Azure, Google Cloud, Kubernetes
Supports SSO
Yes
Starting Price
Free

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How We Rank Products

Our Evaluation Process

The 'How We Choose' section for Application Performance Monitoring (APM) products for SaaS companies outlines a methodology centered on several key factors and criteria. Evaluations were based on an analysis of specifications, features, customer reviews, and ratings, with a particular emphasis on the unique needs of SaaS companies, such as scalability, integration capabilities, and real-time monitoring features. Specific considerations that influenced the selection process included ease of use, support services, and pricing models relevant to SaaS environments. The research and analysis approach involved comparing product specifications, analyzing extensive customer feedback, reviewing aggregated ratings, and evaluating the price-to-value ratio to determine the most effective APM solutions for SaaS providers.

Overall scores reflect relative ranking within this category, accounting for which limitations materially affect real-world use cases. Small differences in category scores can result in larger ranking separation when those differences affect the most common or highest-impact workflows.

Verification

  • Products evaluated through comprehensive research and analysis of performance metrics and user feedback.
  • Rankings based on a thorough examination of industry benchmarks and customer satisfaction ratings.
  • Selection criteria focus on key APM features critical to optimizing SaaS application performance.

Other Software products for SaaS Companies

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Score Breakdown

0.0 / 10

What This Award Means