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Docker vs Splunk Observability Cloud comparison

 

Comparison Buyer's Guide

Executive SummaryUpdated on Feb 6, 2025

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

Docker
Ranking in Container Management
5th
Average Rating
8.6
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
56
Ranking in other categories
Development Platforms (1st), Software Supply Chain Security (6th)
Splunk Observability Cloud
Ranking in Container Management
8th
Average Rating
8.4
Reviews Sentiment
7.4
Number of Reviews
50
Ranking in other categories
Application Performance Monitoring (APM) and Observability (11th), IT Infrastructure Monitoring (9th), Cloud Monitoring Software (9th)
 

Mindshare comparison

As of April 2025, in the Container Management category, the mindshare of Docker is 2.9%, down from 3.7% compared to the previous year. The mindshare of Splunk Observability Cloud is 0.5%. It is calculated based on PeerSpot user engagement data.
Container Management
 

Featured Reviews

Rikin Parekh - PeerSpot reviewer
Useful to create sandbox environments to run applications and makes it easy to test them
Overall, setting up the Docker environment is quite easy. Many methods exist, such as using Docker Compose and Docker networks to communicate between containers. The main challenge lies in designing the architecture and integrating different frameworks and microservices. I would rate the ease of setting up the tool at around nine out of ten. The time it takes to deploy depends on the scale of the system. For the early-stage startup I'm currently working with, it doesn't take much time. It's just me handling the deployment. In our early-stage startup, we have a couple of teams with around four to five backend APIs and two front-end services. Deploying these doesn't take much time. My focus is more on minimizing costs due to our lean startup structure.
Lakshmi Padaga - PeerSpot reviewer
Collaborates performance metrics with log data to pinpoint the exact cause of issues and offers error detection
Splunk APM is a robust tool with many capabilities. There are always areas for potential improvement to enhance its functionality and user experience. For Splunk APM, there could be simplified navigation, like streamlining the user interface to make navigation more intuitive for our users, especially those new to APM, which can enhance usability. We can provide more customization options for dashboards and visualizations to help users tailor the platform to their specific needs. There could be more integration capabilities with a wider range of third-party tools and platforms would also be beneficial. By focusing on these areas, Splunk APM can enhance its value proposition, improve user satisfaction, and better meet the evolving needs of organizations monitoring their application performance.

Quotes from Members

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

Pros

"Docker allows you to create small applications and containerize them. You can create multiple such application containers that can run simultaneously on the Linux operating system. In a DevOps environment where multiple teams are creating applications, developing new versions, and deploying applications frequently, Docker is very helpful. The greatest benefit of the solution is that you can create applications and multiple versions of the same application, distributing them across various Linux platforms. Setting up Docker is very quick; whereas setting up a Linux operating system can take five to ten minutes, you can set up a Docker-based Linux OS container within minutes. For developers who frequently create and deploy applications, Docker makes it easy to quickly develop, deploy, and run the latest versions. The solution’s stability is great. I rate it a nine out of ten. Regarding scalability, Docker doesn't require any separate configuration for multiple users. If you are trying to create an application quickly for testing or development purposes, Docker is the best tool available."
"The most valuable feature is Docker has a fast learning curve."
"Kubernetes is the primary container orchestration tool I use with this solution. Docker provides a complete solution for deploying and managing workloads across multiple nodes. Container orchestration has significantly impacted my workload by automating tasks and streamlining operations. The availability of systems like Kubernetes is crucial for planning and managing complete clusters and computing environments. Every client's needs are different, and not one solution fits all."
"Traditional deployments take more time and builds can be inconsistent across different environments. Docker solves these issues."
"Feature-wise, Docker is very user-friendly...The solution's initial setup process was straightforward."
"I think the best feature is to replicate anything in our local machine using a simple command."
"I think that with Docker, it is easy to deploy it on different platforms."
"Docker is perfect for what I do...The solution is scalable."
"The solution's basic visibility is one of its most valuable features. So, it is a solution that is easy to use...The solution's initial setup process was straightforward."
"The most valuable features are troubleshooting and optimizing application performance."
"The features are pretty much ready out of the box."
"The data collection from our VMs, containers, databases, and backend components is valuable."
"It's a very easy-to-use solution."
"We haven't really experienced any glitches or bugs."
"The tool's stability is great."
"The solution monitors attacks or unauthorized access to the information we want to protect."
 

Cons

"Docker volumes. When I integrated volumes, I faced challenges. I have not essentially used add volumes to the existing instances."
"In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved."
"The stability could be improved."
"There may not be much room for improvement with Docker as it has greatly evolved. However, one area that could be improved upon is the documentation on their website which was once easy to follow but has become quite terrible with numerous versions being released. As an example, the installation process for Docker now requires more than just a one-line command, causing inconvenience. Additionally, based on my experience as a college instructor, teaching students to install Docker was a difficult task due to the lack of straightforward and easy-to-follow documentation. Docker should focus on improving their documentation to make it more user-friendly for all."
"Docker can improve the integration with Microsoft Windows. It does not support native installations."
"Owing to a few shortcomings in its stability, I would say that its stability can be improved."
"The learning curve with Docker is huge and extensive"
"Docker management is very difficult when we have a large number of nodes."
"The solution's stability is an area that has room for improvement. It needs to provide constant stability to its users."
"Primarily, the logs in Splunk APM can be challenging to navigate and comprehend, making it difficult to understand the details within each log. Compared to other tools like LogDNA, which are more intuitive in this aspect, the logs in Splunk APM can require more effort to understand."
"The deployment can be quite complex."
"The cost needs to be re-examined. It's extremely expensive to run. It's also expensive to expand. That's the number one complaint all of my customers have when it comes to Splunk. It's way too expensive compared to other solutions."
"Splunk's functionality could be improved by adding database connectors for other platforms like AWS and Azure."
"Splunk would be better if some tools were integrated to be able to take action on security or network concerns."
"They can get more integration with a few more products. They can also update some of the dashboards that are in there now."
"They need more EDR functionalities."
 

Pricing and Cost Advice

"The current cost for us is nothing as an open source."
"Docker is open source. To use a Docker enterprise model, we would need to pay for it."
"Pricing is based on the number of users."
"The product is not expensive."
"The offering and service are quite free."
"Its convenience edition is free of cost."
"Since Docker is an open-source solution, it is free of cost."
"Docker is a free open-source solution."
"Licensing cost is the biggest argument I get from those divesting from Splunk. There are those within our organization who say we are going to go to other tools since Splunk is too expensive."
"It is expensive."
"I would rate the price of Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring as an eight out of ten, with ten being the most expensive."
"The pricing is based on several factors, including the scale of deployment."
"Splunk has been fairly expensive, but it has been predictable."
"The pricing is reasonable."
"Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring is an expensive solution."
"It appears to be expensive compared to competitors."
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Top Industries

By visitors reading reviews
Computer Software Company
17%
Insurance Company
11%
Financial Services Firm
10%
Manufacturing Company
9%
Financial Services Firm
17%
Computer Software Company
15%
Manufacturing Company
8%
Retailer
8%
 

Company Size

By reviewers
Large Enterprise
Midsize Enterprise
Small Business
 

Questions from the Community

What do you like most about Docker?
We are using Docker to host applications.
What needs improvement with Docker?
In terms of communication between services, perhaps the configuration within networks between containers could be improved.
What do you like most about SignalFx?
The most valuable feature is dashboard creation.
What needs improvement with SignalFx?
There is room for improvement in the alerting system, which is complicated and has less documentation available. We sometimes encountered issues in setting up alerts. The custom detector could be m...
What is your primary use case for SignalFx?
The main purpose of using Splunk APM is to optimize our application. We use Splunk APM primarily to understand how the application works, how it uses resources, and its response time in connection ...
 

Also Known As

No data available
Splunk Infrastructure Monitoring
 

Overview

 

Sample Customers

Information Not Available
Sunrun, Yelp, Onshape, Tapjoy, Symphony Commerce, Chairish, Clever, Grovo, Bazaar Voice, Zenefits, Avalara
Find out what your peers are saying about Docker vs. Splunk Observability Cloud and other solutions. Updated: February 2025.
845,406 professionals have used our research since 2012.