Head-to-head · Infrastructure Monitoring
Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring vs SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor
Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring leads on 1 check, SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor on 0, and 3 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 4 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.
Our verdict
- Highest scoreSplunk Infrastructure Monitoring · 9.1/10
- Free planonly Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring
- Free trialonly SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor
- Most featuresSolarWinds Server & Application Monitor · 3 of 3
Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring scores higher on our rubric for infrastructure monitoring: 9.1 against 8.9 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #6.
Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring offers free plan; SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor doesn't. On deployment model, SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor gives you Self-hosted where Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring offers Cloud.
Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring is the better fit for cloud teams needing metrics and log context. SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor is the better fit for enterprise server and application monitoring.
- Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring fits best
Cloud teams needing metrics and log context
- SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor fits best
Enterprise server and application monitoring
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Side by side
| Feature | Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring 9.1/10 Visit ↗ | SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor 8.9/10 Visit ↗ |
|---|---|---|
| At a glance | ||
| Editor score | 9.1 | 8.9 |
| Ranking | #4 in Infrastructure Monitoring | #6 in Infrastructure Monitoring |
| Best for | Cloud teams needing metrics and log context | Enterprise server and application monitoring |
| Pricing model | Free plan + paid | Paid |
| Starting price | $15/device/mo | $2,900 one-time |
| Free plan | ✓ (best) | — |
| Free trial | — | 30 days |
| Deployment | Cloud | Self-hosted |
| Platforms | Web, Linux, Windows | Web, Windows, Linux |
| Support | Docs | Docs, Community |
| Integrations | 300+ integrations | 4 integrations |
| Built for | Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise | Mid-market, Enterprise |
| Features Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring 2/3 · SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor 3/3 | ||
| VM monitoring | ✓ | ✓ |
| Service monitoring | ✓ | ✓ |
| Agentless monitoring | Not checked yet | ✓ (best) |
| Specs | ||
| Included hosts | Not checked yet | Not checked yet |
| Metrics retention | 13 months | Not checked yet |
| Deployment model | Cloud | Self-hosted |
| OS coverage | Linux and windows | Linux and windows |
| Our review | ||
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| Our verdict | Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring is a cloud-based observability service for engineering and operations teams managing cloud, hybrid, and multicloud environments. It collects and analyzes metrics from cloud services, hosts, containers,… Read the review → |
SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor (SAM) is infrastructure monitoring software for IT operations teams responsible for physical, virtual, cloud, and hybrid environments. It brings server health, application availability, performance,… Read the review → |
Strengths and trade-offs
Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring — where it wins
- Real-time dashboards with dynamic and multi-condition alerting
- Kubernetes monitoring, metrics pipelines, and custom KPI metrics
- AWS, Azure, GCP, OpenTelemetry, and contextual log integrations
Where it doesn't
- Free Edition is subject to consumption thresholds
- Paid pricing uses annual billing at $15 per host per month
- Platform access is limited to web and API
SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor — where it wins
- Monitors servers, applications, dependencies, capacity, and virtual environments
- Supports predefined and custom application templates with drill-down dashboards
- Offers agent-based and agentless collection across hybrid environments
Where it doesn't
- No free plan and a listed starting price of $2,900
- Node-based subscription licensing uses custom quotes
- Its breadth may exceed the needs of teams with narrow monitoring scopes
- Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring9.1/10 · Free plan
A metrics-first observability service with dashboards, alerts, Kubernetes monitoring, and contextual logs.
Visit SplunkFull verdict → - SolarWinds Server & Application Monitor8.9/10 · 30-day trial
A broad monitoring suite for enterprise teams managing hybrid infrastructure.
Visit SolarWindsFull verdict →
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Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update