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APM Tools Comparison: 25 Best Application Monitoring Tools Worth Considering

Have you ever felt overwhelmed by data and metrics while trying to monitor your application’s performance? Choosing the right application performance monitoring tool can be challenging, but this article will help you understand various APM tools comparison, ensuring you choose the right one for your IT needs.

For an effective way to compare and choose APM tools for your IT needs, try Alerty's free APM solution. It simplifies the comparison process and helps you find the best tool for your requirements.

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Table of Contents

What Is an APM Tool?

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Application monitoring, sometimes called application performance monitoring (APM), is the process of monitoring logs and metrics to ensure that an app functions as intended. The statistics tracked generally include the following:

  • Performance
  • Availability
  • User experience

The information gathered can inform future development decisions.

An Application Performance Monitoring (APM) tool is specialized software that tracks and manages application performance. It provides real-time insights into various aspects of application performance, including:

By continuously monitoring these metrics, APM tools proactively identify and diagnose issues before they impact users, ensuring that applications run smoothly and efficiently. 

Benefits of APM Tools

  • Detect performance bottlenecks
  • Identify errors
  • Spot system failures
  • Enable quick problem resolution
  • Maintain a high-quality user experience

In addition to performance monitoring, APM tools often offer features like:

  • Error detection
  • User experience monitoring
  • Infrastructure monitoring

Data-Driven Optimization

They provide detailed analytics and reporting to help understand performance trends and root causes of issues. Integration with other systems and real-time alerting further enhance their effectiveness, enabling proactive management and application optimization. 

APM tools are essential for maintaining application reliability, improving user satisfaction, and facilitating informed decision-making based on performance data.

7 Types of APM Tools

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1. Code-level APM

Code-level APM tools provide insights into application performance by monitoring code execution in real-time. They offer features to identify performance bottlenecks at the code level:

2. Server Monitoring

Server monitoring tools focus on keeping tabs on the performance and health of the server infrastructure that hosts the application, tracking metrics to ensure optimal server performance:

  • CPU usage
  • Memory usage
  • Disk I/O
  • Network traffic

3. Cloud Monitoring

Cloud monitoring tools rely on monitoring applications and services deployed in cloud environments like:

  • AWS
  • Azure
  • Google Cloud Platform

This tool provides insights into:

  • Cloud infrastructure performance
  • Resource utilization
  • Service availability for optimal cloud-based applications and services

4. Database Performance Monitoring

Specializing in monitoring database systems supporting the application, these tools track metrics to optimize database performance, ensuring data availability and accessibility. These tools include:

  • Query execution time
  • Database connections
  • Transaction throughput

5. Network Performance Monitoring

Network performance monitoring tools monitor the performance and availability of network infrastructure connecting users to the application. They track the following:

  • Latency
  • Packet loss
  • Bandwidth utilization

These metrics help pinpoint network issues impacting application performance.

6. Container Monitoring

As containerized applications and orchestration rise, specialized tools monitor the performance and health of containerized environments, providing visibility into:

  • Container metrics
  • Resource usage
  • Orchestration events

These insights ensure the scalability and reliability of containerized applications.

7. End-User Experience Monitoring (EUEM)

EUEM tools focus on:

  • Monitoring user experience interacting with the application
  • Capturing metrics like page load times, transaction times, and user interactions

These metrics provide insights and identify areas for improvement.

Accelerate Your Development with Alerty's Free APM

Alerty is a cloud monitoring service for developers and early-stage startups. 

Key Features

Application Performance Monitoring 

  •   Supports technologies like NextJS, React, Vue, and Node.js
  •   Helps developers identify and fix issues

Database Monitoring 

  •   Monitors databases such as Supabase, PostgreSQL, and RDS
  •   Tracks key metrics like CPU usage and memory consumption

Incident Management

  •   Features quick incident management for efficient issue resolution

Real User Monitoring (RUM)

  •   Optimizes user experience by capturing real-time interactions

Universal Service Monitoring

  • Covers dependencies like Stripe API, OpenAI, and Vercel

AI-Driven Setup

  • Simplifies the setup process, making it a cost-effective solution compared to competitors

Additional Benefits

Ease of Use 

  • Designed for quick setup
  • Integrates with tools like Sentry

Ideal for Developers and Small Teams

  • Provides efficient, affordable monitoring solutions tailored for small teams and individual developers

Catch issues before they affect your users with Alerty's free APM solution today!

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Benefits of Using Application Monitoring Tools for App Monitoring

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APM tools provide real-time insights into performance metrics, allowing you to proactively identify and resolve issues before they impact users.

Identify Performance Bottlenecks and Troubleshoot Issues

APM tools help you identify performance bottlenecks and troubleshoot issues to enhance application performance. With detailed insights into the application's performance, you can focus on improving the areas causing problems and delivering a seamless user experience.

Provide Detailed Logs and Reports About App Performance

These tools offer detailed logs and reports about app performance, helping guide future improvements and updates. By understanding the application's performance at a granular level, you can make informed decisions about enhancing its features and functionalities.

Optimize Response Times and Error Rates

APM tools allow you to optimize response times and error rates, ensuring your applications function as expected and provide a positive user experience. By continually monitoring these metrics, you can ensure that your applications meet user expectations and deliver value consistently.

Monitor Your Application's Resource Needs

Using an application monitoring tool enables you to effectively monitor your application's resource needs. By analyzing resource consumption patterns, you can make informed decisions about resource allocation, ensuring optimal performance and minimizing wastage.

Quickly Address Issues

APM tools help quickly address issues, saving time and reducing maintenance costs. By identifying and resolving problems proactively, you can:

  • Prevent downtime
  • Enhance operational efficiency
  • Reduce overall maintenance expenses

Boosting Business With APM

Leveraging an APM tool to automate the monitoring process offers businesses numerous benefits, from improved app performance and user experience to optimized resource allocation and cost savings. The real-time insights and detailed reports these tools provide empower businesses to deliver high-performing applications consistently, meeting user expectations and driving business growth.

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25 Best Application Monitoring Tools Worth Considering

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1. Alerty

Alerty is a cloud monitoring service designed for developers and early-stage startups. It provides the following:

  • Application Performance Monitoring
  • Database Monitoring
  • Incident Management

Alerty supports technologies like:

  • NextJS
  • React
  • Vue
  • Node.js

It also monitors databases such as:

  • Supabase
  • PostgreSQL
  • RDS

With features like quick Incident Management and Real User Monitoring (RUM), Alerty helps optimize user experience. Alerty’s Universal Service Monitoring covers dependencies like:

  • Stripe API
  • OpenAI
  • Vercel

To simplify setup, Alerty utilizes AI and integrates with tools like Sentry. Try free APM service from Alerty today!

2. Dynatrace

Dynatrace is a popular application performance and network monitoring tool offering insights into your entire application stack. It allows you to monitor your application development environment from top to bottom and offers code-level monitoring. Dynatrace integrates with cloud services like:

  • AWS
  • Azure
  • Google Cloud
  • VMware

The platform incorporates artificial intelligence and machine learning to troubleshoot issues and offers an intuitive interface. While Dynatrace is pricier, it provides a free trial for testing its features.

3. LogicMonitor

LogicMonitor is a cloud infrastructure monitoring tool with a comprehensive application monitoring tool. It provides insights into application architecture to identify and prevent potential issues. It offers great insights into user behavior and scalable monitoring for large-scale apps. 

Hybrid and Multi-Cloud Flexibility

LogicMonitor works well with both hybrid and multi-cloud environments. Although it has a steep learning curve, it offers valuable monitoring features.

4. New Relic

New Relic is a web tracking and analytics platform with an application performance monitoring tool that supports popular cloud services like:

  • AWS
  • Azure
  • Google Cloud

New Relic continuously does the following:

  • Monitors apps for anomalies
  • Provides code performance insights
  • Offers a free version with essential features

The free version supports one user and up to 100GB of data ingestion monthly, with paid plans starting from $0.30 per GB.

5. Raygun APM

Raygun APM is a server-side performance monitoring platform for trend and real-time application and user experience data. APM features include:

  • Supported platforms such as .NET, Ruby, and Node.js
  • Proactive issues identification
  • Automated issue creation 

With Raygun APM, you can maintain a list of urgent performance concerns for efficient troubleshooting.

6. Sentry

Sentry is known for its error monitoring and crash reporting capabilities by collecting and centralizing application error data. It offers tools for debugging errors, including:

  • Stack traces
  • Logs
  • Environment variables

Sentry’s error monitoring capabilities simplify error detection and provide various tools for efficient debugging.

7. Paessler PRTG

Paessler PRTG Network Monitor is a comprehensive network monitoring and management solution with APM features. PRTG uses sensors to monitor server performance metrics and application endpoints, sending alerts for performance degradation or outages. With the ability to set threshold values, Paessler PRTG helps users stay informed about potential issues.

8. Dotcom-Monitor

Dotcom-Monitor offers multi-step web transaction monitoring for:

  • Functionality
  • Accessibility
  • Performance from worldwide and internal locations

It enables users to script end-user interactions for performance and functionality testing. With real-time reports and global monitoring capabilities, Dotcom-Monitor ensures web application performance and functionality.

9. SolarWinds AppOptics

AppOptics is a SaaS-based APM and infrastructure monitoring tool for hybrid and cloud-native IT environments. It provides visualization and troubleshooting for application bottlenecks and offers out-of-the-box plugins and integrations for monitoring:

  • Servers
  • Virtual hosts
  • Containers

With features like distributed tracing and live code profiling, AppOptics helps organizations optimize application performance.

10. Stackify Retrace

Stackify Retrace is an APM and observability platform aggregating:

  • Performance
  • Log
  • Error
  • Metric data

It offers enhanced search and drill-down capabilities into server and application logs, allowing users to create customized log queries for in-depth monitoring.

11. Cisco AppDynamics

Acquired by Cisco, AppDynamics provides an application and business monitoring platform focusing on:

  • End User Monitoring
  • Infrastructure Visibility
  • Business Performance

It allows teams to view app topology across environments through customizable dashboards and make data-driven decisions. AppDynamics’ platform includes products for:

  • Synthetic and RUM monitoring
  • Infrastructure Visibility
  • Business performance for comprehensive app monitoring

12. New Relic APM

New Relic APM offers a comprehensive dashboard for web performance monitoring to optimize application performance across stacks. New Relic supports hybrid cloud applications, servers, databases, and applications with:

  • Monitoring
  • Troubleshooting
  • Optimization features

Recent integrations with Cloudability, AWS Lambda support, and synthetic monitoring enhance New Relic’s performance monitoring capabilities. 

13. Smartbear Tools

SmartBear builds APM suites for:

  • Development
  • Testing
  • Operations teams

SmartBear emphasizes monitoring software applications and websites for efficient performance, offering:

  • API lifecycle products
  • Software testing platforms
  • Code collaboration tools

14. Prometheus

Overview

  • Captures time-series data as metrics
  • Provides insights into system behavior
  • Developed by SoundCloud in 2012
  • Focuses on monitoring and analyzing time-series data

While monitoring metrics effectively, Prometheus requires visualization tools like Grafana to create charts and graphs.

15. Javamelody

Javamelody is an open-source APM tool for monitoring applications such as:

  • Java
  • Java EE

It tracks and measures request statistics based on application usage to provide performance insights in QA and production environments.

16. Stagemonitor

Stagemonitor is an open-source APM tool for monitoring Java server applications throughout their lifecycle. 

Integration and Capabilities

  • Integrates with time-series databases such as ElasticSearch, Graphite, and InfluxDB
  • Analyzes graphed metrics
  • Interacts with Kibana for request and call stack analysis

17. Zipkin

Zipkin is an open-source APM tool for distributed tracing, capturing timing data for latency troubleshooting in service architectures. 

Features and Integration

  • Identifies error paths and call errors in distributed systems.
  • Integrates with visualization tools like Grafana and Kibana for analytics.

18. Jaeger

Jaeger is an open-source APM tool for monitoring microservices-based distributed systems. Developed at Uber and donated to CNCF, Jaeger supports Cassandra and Elasticsearch as trace storage backends. It allows users to view individual traces with filter options based on:

  • Service
  • Duration
  • Tags

19. CloudWatch

AWS CloudWatch is a monitoring and management tool for AWS components and applications on Amazon infrastructure.

Features

  • Offers free and paid monitoring options
  • Provides detailed monitoring features like custom metrics
  • Enhances insights into application performance

20. Datadog

Datadog is an observability platform for cloud services, offering application monitoring and troubleshooting capabilities. 

Features

  • Provides code-level tracing and health metrics support
  • Helps identify threats and vulnerabilities in live production
  • Offers a user-friendly interface
  • Considered a pricey tool

21. Better Stack

Better Stack is a structured log management platform based on ClickHouse. 

Features

  • Collects, analyzes, and visualizes logs in real-time
  • Supports popular languages and frameworks
  • Includes Better Stack Logs and Better Stack Uptime for comprehensive observability
  • Offers built-in incident management for efficient application monitoring

22. Sumo Logic

Sumo Logic is a cloud analytics platform providing enterprises full-stack application monitoring and observability.

Features

  • Automatically discovers new computing resources
  • Visualizes app components and dependencies
  • Provides efficient monitoring
  • Includes anomaly detection capabilities
  • Tracks user interactions and alerts users to anomalies

23. Azure App Insights

Microsoft Azure Monitor includes Application Insights for collecting, analyzing, and evaluating telemetry data from Azure and on-premise environments. 

Azure App Insights enhances application monitoring capabilities with features like:

  • Performance issue detection
  • Issue diagnosis with analytics insights
  • User behavior observation
  • Support for various app types

24. Splunk APM

Splunk APM offers application performance monitoring and troubleshooting for cloud-native microservice-based apps. 

Features

  • Full-fidelity tracing
  • AI root cause analysis
  • Support for open, vendor-neutral instrumentation through OpenTelemetry
  • Provides comprehensive insights into application performance

25. Splunk APM

Splunk APM is an application performance monitoring and troubleshooting solution for cloud-native microservice-based apps.

Capabilities

  • Supported by OpenTelemetry
  • Full-fidelity tracing
  • AI root cause analysis
  • Effective application performance optimization

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What Should You Consider When Choosing an APM Tool?

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Supported Platforms & Technologies

When choosing an application monitoring tool, ensuring it is compatible with your app’s technology stack is critical. This includes:

  • Programming languages
  • Frameworks
  • Deployment environments (like on-premises, cloud, or hybrid)

If your app uses various technologies, ensure the tool can handle all of them seamlessly.

Monitoring Capabilities

Check for performance, availability, error tracking, and more. Evaluating the tool’s ability to monitor various aspects of your application is essential. Look for features like:

  • Performance monitoring to track how well your app performs
  • Availability monitoring to ensure your app is up and running
  • Error detection to identify and log errors
  • Logging to record detailed logs of application activity
  • User experience monitoring to observe how users interact with your app and identify any usability issues

Scalability & Performance

Consider whether the tool can handle the scale of your application, especially if you have high traffic or large-scale operations. It should efficiently process the volume of data generated and scale as your app grows.

Smooth Deployment & Use

Select a tool that is easy to deploy and configure. For example, Alerty uses AI to help with setup, making it easy to start monitoring your apps in no time. It should have a straightforward installation process and a user-friendly interface. A tool that’s easy to set up and use will save time and reduce your team's learning curve.

Customization & Flexibility

The tool should offer customization options, such as defining custom metrics, alerts, and dashboards. It should also support integrations with other tools and systems in your environment, allowing for a tailored monitoring experience.

Alerts & Notifications

Evaluate the tool’s alerting system. It should let you set custom alert thresholds and provide notifications through various channels. Ensure it can integrate with incident management systems to streamline issue resolution.

Data Storage & Retention

Consider data storage policies and costs. Look into how the tool handles data storage and retention. Consider the data retention policies, associated costs, and long-term analysis and reporting options. Ensure it adheres to data privacy and security regulations.

Cost & Licensing Model

Understand the tool's cost structure, including:

  • Any upfront fees
  • Subscription costs
  • Charges for additional features. 

Ensure the transparent pricing model aligns with your budget and expected usage.

Support & Documentation

Assess the quality of support and documentation provided by the vendor. Look for comprehensive documentation, tutorials, and access to support channels. A well-supported tool will help you resolve issues faster and get the most out of its features.

Security

Ensure the tool has robust security features. Security is crucial, especially for applications handling sensitive data. Ensure the tool has robust security features, such as:

  • Data Encryption: Protects your data in transit and at rest.
  • Industry-Standard Compliance: Meets regulatory requirements.
  • Role-Based Access Control: Restricts access based on user roles.
  • User Authentication: Ensures that only authorized users can access the system.
  • Audit Trails: Keeps a record of access and changes for security monitoring.

With data breaches becoming more costly and the massive amount of data generated daily, ensuring robust security measures is essential.

Related Reading

Catch Issues Before They Affect Your Users With Alerty's Free APM Solution

Alerty is a cloud monitoring service tailored for developers and early-stage startups, offering a range of monitoring tools to optimize application performance. From application performance monitoring (APM) to database monitoring and incident management, Alerty provides a comprehensive solution to help developers identify and fix issues efficiently. 

Broad Technology Compatibility

Alerty notably supports various technologies, including NextJS, React, Vue, and Node.js. By catering to a wide array of frameworks and libraries, Alerty ensures that developers can seamlessly integrate its monitoring tools into their existing tech stack.

Database Monitoring and Incident Management

Alerty also supports database monitoring for popular databases like Supabase, PostgreSQL, and RDS. The monitoring tools track crucial metrics like CPU usage and memory consumption, providing developers with insightful data to improve application performance. 

Accelerated Incident Resolution

Alerty features quick incident management, enabling quick resolution of issues to minimize downtime and optimizethe user experience. By streamlining incident management processes, Alerty ensures that developers can maintain high application performance levels without getting bogged down by technical issues.

Real User Monitoring (RUM) and Universal Service Monitoring

Another standout feature of Alerty is its Real User Monitoring (RUM) capabilities. RUM allows developers to gain insights into how real users interact with their applications, helping them identify performance bottlenecks and optimize user experience. 

Comprehensive Dependency Monitoring

Alerty also offers Universal Service Monitoring, which covers dependencies like the Stripe API, OpenAI, and Vercel. By monitoring these dependencies, developers can ensure that their applications function seamlessly and efficiently, even when relying on third-party services.

AI-Driven Simplified Setup and Cost-Effectiveness

Alerty leverages artificial intelligence (AI) to simplify the monitoring setup process. By automating specific tasks and providing intuitive interfaces, Alerty ensures developers can quickly set up monitoring tools without significant time or effort. 

Budget-Friendly APM Solution

Alerty is a more cost-effective solution than other competitors in the market. By offering a robust set of monitoring tools at an affordable price, Alerty makes APM accessible to developers and small teams with limited budgets.

Integration with Third-Party Tools

Alerty integrates with third-party tools like Sentry, enhancing its appeal to developers. By integrating with tools developers already use, Alerty ensures monitoring becomes an essential part of the development workflow. 

Try Alerty's free APM today to efficiently monitor your applications without compromising quality. Ensure top performance and catch issues before they impact your users.

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