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SolarWinds AppOptics vs Splunk AppDynamics comparison

SolarWinds and Splunk are both solutions in the Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability category. SolarWinds is ranked #56, while Splunk is ranked #3 with an average rating of 8.2. SolarWinds holds a 0.4% mindshare in APM, compared to Splunk’s 4.1% mindshare. Additionally, 80% of SolarWinds users are willing to recommend the solution, compared to 91% of Splunk users who would recommend it.
SolarWinds AppOptics
Read 9 SolarWinds AppOptics reviews
  • 1,069 Views
  • 641 Comparison Views
80% willing to recommend
Splunk AppDynamics
Read 253 Splunk AppDynamics reviews
  • 12,143 Views
  • 9,472 Comparison Views
91% willing to recommend
 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

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Executive SummaryUpdated on Aug 17, 2025

Splunk AppDynamics and SolarWinds AppOptics compete in the application performance monitoring category. Splunk AppDynamics holds an advantage due to its comprehensive transaction tracing and diagnostic capabilities.

Features: Splunk AppDynamics offers comprehensive transaction tracing, visibility from business transactions to server performance, and deep dive diagnostics. SolarWinds AppOptics provides end-to-end visibility and offers real-time application performance monitoring, although it lacks some advanced analytics compared to AppDynamics.

Room for Improvement: Splunk AppDynamics could improve its interface, network monitoring, and async calls tracking. SolarWinds AppOptics could enhance implementation sophistication and offer a more centralized toolset.

Ease of Deployment and Customer Service: Splunk AppDynamics supports flexible deployment across cloud and on-premises environments and provides highly rated customer service with technical account managers. SolarWinds AppOptics customers appreciate its straightforward setups but might find differences in support efficiency.

Pricing and ROI: Splunk AppDynamics is a premium tool offering extensive features at a higher cost, seen as valuable for comprehensive monitoring. SolarWinds AppOptics is priced more reasonably, appealing to businesses seeking cost-effective solutions with its node-based licensing structure.

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To learn more, read our detailed SolarWinds AppOptics vs. Splunk AppDynamics Report (Updated: September 2025).
Buyer's Guide
SolarWinds AppOptics vs. Splunk AppDynamics
September 2025
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Review summaries and opinions

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Categories and Ranking

SolarWinds AppOptics
Ranking in Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability
56th
Ranking in IT Infrastructure Monitoring
58th
Average Rating
7.8
Reviews Sentiment
7.0
Number of Reviews
9
Ranking in other categories
Cloud Monitoring Software (44th)
Splunk AppDynamics
Ranking in Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability
3rd
Ranking in IT Infrastructure Monitoring
6th
Average Rating
8.2
Reviews Sentiment
6.8
Number of Reviews
253
Ranking in other categories
IT Operations Analytics (2nd), Mobile APM (1st), Container Monitoring (3rd)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of October 2025, in the Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability category, the mindshare of SolarWinds AppOptics is 0.4%, up from 0.3% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Splunk AppDynamics is 4.1%, down from 5.8% compared to the previous year. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability Market Share Distribution
ProductMarket Share (%)
Splunk AppDynamics4.1%
SolarWinds AppOptics0.4%
Other95.5%
Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability
 

Featured Reviews

John Yuko - PeerSpot reviewer
Unique features allow consolidating and combing metrics into a single dashboard, but don't monitor mobile solutions
I would like to see more granular information provided on Unix applications. Also, the integration with Unix services should be a bit more straightforward in terms having an agent to retrieve your credentials rather than having to enter or save them for SSH on SolarWinds. From the outset, we had to set some commands to log into the search console, and they are saved on the solution, which presents a challenge in terms of exposure. The solution is unable to monitor APK solutions completely because we'd then be forced to break down the APK and provide the APIs or go through the source code. They don't have a module that can analyze an application that is maybe under-used.
Read full review
Gyanesh Rahatekar - PeerSpot reviewer
Application performance management and error resolution improved with data-driven insights
Dynatrace has multiple functions compared to Splunk AppDynamics, so Splunk AppDynamics should add those functions, which are not available as of now. Dynatrace has a universal agent that collects all information related to their CI, and if one CI has multiple languages, then there is no need to instrument multiple agents. However, Splunk AppDynamics requires multiple agents; if I have one server with multiple applications in different languages, then I need to instrument different agents for each application. Splunk AppDynamics should work with Dynatrace with one single universal agent that works with all application languages, eliminating the need for multiple implementations.
Read full review

Quotes from Members

We asked business professionals to review the solutions they use. Here are some excerpts of what they said:
 

Pros

"The sum solution, NTA, and DPA."
"Technical support is always live and they're supportive."
"Some of the most valuable features of SolarWinds are the topology discovery and network performance analysis."
"I have found the most valuable feature is application performance management."
"The product has a great dashboard."
"The reporting of the solution is very good."
"End-user monitoring (web and mobile)"
"From the performance management side, I like everything from business transaction work to tracking. On the database side, we can get a lot of insights from the database. On the server monitoring side, it helped us a lot to find out some of the issues on the VM side because VMs were creating a little trouble for us."
"The most valuable feature in AppDynamics is the identifying of the slow responses. Additionally, it is easy to use."
"It has improved our organization with its ability to catch issues quickly and fix them."
"The most valuable feature is having our services being available and healthy."
"The most valuable feature of the solution is its GUI."
"To be honest, it's a fantastic product."
"I find troubleshooting is quicker because we can drill down into the end points and see which endpoints are getting critical. Visibility-wise, the micro details are easy to find."
More Splunk AppDynamics pros
 

Cons

"The implementation needs improvement. It needs to get modernized with the newer cloud scenario in both public and private deployment models."
"I would like to see more integration with other tools that are available on the market."
"The solution should be more user-friendly."
"AppOptics would benefit from having a much more centralized view."
"In terms of the technology, I think they need to put some more advanced troubleshooting into SolarWinds, in terms of AI capabilities. That's the next generation, especially in the cases of APIs which have already adopted AI capabilities into their products."
"The integration with Unix services should be a bit more straightforward."
"The application end of AppDynamics Database Monitoring needs to improve by checking which applications consume licenses."
"I would like to see more of a unified platform. They're very, very new on the server side, machine agents. I want them to be more mature in this area."
"The network diagnostics that they are adding will be really useful. They could add more detail into what is going on in the network."
"The setup, implementation and use are clumsy and need to be refined."
"The application monitoring needs improvement. It needs to be easier for someone who isn't a proficient developer."
"I would like the solution to be more customizable to meet our client's requirements."
"AppDynamics is agent-based, so some customers are reluctant to install the agents in all their production environments. It would be helpful if they had an agentless version. It covers applications on the server, but the solution is weak on the network side. The agent is not deployed on the network components, so it cannot provide complete information about issues on the network layer."
"AppDynamics Database Monitoring would be a better product if it could support new technology, such as cloud technology. Even Dynatrace lacks support for newer technologies."
More Splunk AppDynamics cons
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"I believe the current licensing cost is reasonable."
"Since it's a negotiable rate, I would rate the pricing as a five out of five."
"Mostly, it's a perpetual license. We don't have any customers using the subscription right now—it's mostly a perpetual license that the customers purchase. The licensing is based on the number of elements, whereas other solutions are node-based."
"Take into consideration what you get for specific pricing models and how much it costs to add on things you may need later.​"
"It could be a bit lower, but looking at the scalability, functionality, and other things, you can understand why AppDynamics is so expensive as compared to some of the cheaper products that don't have that full single pane of glass they've got. Dynatrace has got three different elements that you need to log into just to get a full view, which is not so good, and because of that, it is a bit cheaper."
"It is not a cheap tool, but you also save in manpower to setup because it is easy and fast. At the end of the day, I think the revenue is much better. BUT, they have an awful co-term mode of licensing."
"We buy the platform's yearly subscription."
"There is an annual cost for the use of this solution."
"We do not have any issues with the price."
"The tool is expensive."
"The license for AppDynamics is procured by our customers."
More Splunk AppDynamics pricing and cost advice
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Government
15%
Computer Software Company
12%
Financial Services Firm
11%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Financial Services Firm
28%
Computer Software Company
14%
Manufacturing Company
7%
Government
5%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business2
Midsize Enterprise1
Large Enterprise7
By reviewers
Company SizeCount
Small Business55
Midsize Enterprise36
Large Enterprise188
 

Questions from the Community

Ask a question
Earn 20 points
Any advice about APM solutions?
There are many factors and we know little about your requirements (size of org, technology stack, management systems, the scope of implementation). Our goal was to consolidate APM and infra monitor...
See all answers
APM tools for a Managed Service Provider - Dynatrace vs. AppDynamics vs. Aternity vs. Ruxit
Hi Avi! It's great to see your thorough approach to selecting an APM package for your MSP company. Considering your focus on SMBs and enterprises in Israel, Dynatrace seems like a solid choice with...
See all answers
What do you like most about AppDynamics?
The solution saves time and cost.
See all answers
 

Comparisons

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Compared 22% of the time
Zabbix vs SolarWinds AppOptics Logo
Zabbix vs SolarWinds AppOptics
Compared 11% of the time
DX Performance Management vs SolarWinds AppOptics Logo
DX Performance Management vs SolarWinds AppOptics
Compared 8% of the time
Zenoss Cloud vs SolarWinds AppOptics Logo
Zenoss Cloud vs SolarWinds AppOptics
Compared 8% of the time
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Dynatrace vs Splunk AppDynamics Logo
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Compared 14% of the time
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Datadog vs Splunk AppDynamics
Compared 9% of the time
Splunk Enterprise Security vs Splunk AppDynamics Logo
Splunk Enterprise Security vs Splunk AppDynamics
Compared 8% of the time
New Relic vs Splunk AppDynamics Logo
New Relic vs Splunk AppDynamics
Compared 8% of the time
Grafana vs Splunk AppDynamics Logo
Grafana vs Splunk AppDynamics
Compared 4% of the time
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Product Reports

Buyer's Guide
Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability
September 2025
SolarWinds AppOptics reportDownload SolarWinds AppOptics product report
Buyer's Guide
Splunk AppDynamics
September 2025
Splunk AppDynamics reportDownload Splunk AppDynamics product report
 

Also Known As

AppOptics, SolarWinds TraceView, Librato
No data available
 

Overview

AppOptics is a SaaS-based simple, powerful and affordable Infrastructure & Application monitoring for custom on-premises, cloud, and hybrid systems. 

Your business runs on applications, and when they go down or run slowly, it can impact the business in lost productivity, customers, or revenue. To add to the complexity, your IT environment is changing, and workloads can be spread across data centers, and cloud resources. You need to monitor the availability and performance of applications and infrastructure, regardless of where they are, so you can identify potential issues early and address them before they impact users

SolarWinds

Splunk AppDynamics enhances application performance monitoring with advanced diagnostics and real-time insights, offering seamless end-to-end transaction tracking and infrastructure visibility.

AppDynamics provides critical tools for businesses to analyze application behavior and performance. Through innovative features like transaction snapshot analysis and adaptable dashboards, users can quickly identify and address issues, ensuring high levels of system uptime and efficiency. It is designed to support complex environments including Kubernetes and AWS, enhancing user experience by detecting performance issues early. Despite needing improvements in network monitoring and integration, it remains a robust option for tracking application health.

What are the key features of AppDynamics?
  • Real-time Performance Monitoring: Offers immediate insights into application behavior.
  • Business Transaction Tracking: Tracks transactions from start to finish for bottleneck identification.
  • JVM Memory Monitoring: Provides detailed JVM metrics and memory use information.
  • Deep-dive Diagnostics: Enables in-depth analysis of code and stack traces.
  • Adaptable Dashboards: Customizable views for better data interpretation.
How does AppDynamics benefit users?
  • Improved Incident Resolution: Faster problem detection and solution implementation.
  • Enhanced Application Performance: Real-time monitoring optimizes system operations.
  • Comprehensive Visibility: Provides a full view of application infrastructure.
  • Informed Decision Making: Detailed analytics guide performance improvements.
  • Customer Satisfaction: Enhances user experience through faster issue resolutions.

In industries like financial services and e-commerce, AppDynamics facilitates performance tracking across distributed systems, optimizing infrastructure to meet consumer demands. It excels in environments needing precise transaction monitoring and is pivotal in delivering high value and satisfaction.

Splunk
 

Sample Customers

TraxoCovea Insurance BTE TechnologyDatarista
Cisco, Sony, Nasdaq, Reserve Bank of New Zealand, Edmunds.com, Puma, Fox News, DirecTV, Pizza Hut, T-Systems, Cornell University, OpenTable, BITMARCK, Green Mountain Power, Care.com, Overstock, Paddy Power, eHarmony, Kraft, The Motley Fool, The Container Store, and more See more customers
Buyer's Guide
SolarWinds AppOptics vs. Splunk AppDynamics
September 2025
Free Report: SolarWinds AppOptics vs. Splunk AppDynamics
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