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Azure Application Insights
What Azure Application Insights is
Azure Application Insights is an Azure Monitor service for collecting and analyzing application telemetry. It offers alerts, metrics, logs, workbooks, Grafana dashboards, and investigation tools such as application maps, live metrics, transaction search, availability monitoring, failure analysis, and performance views. Usage analytics cover users, sessions, events, funnels, flows, and cohorts. For .NET applications, code diagnostics include profiling and a snapshot debugger for exceptions. Microsoft recommends the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro for most code-based server-side scenarios; browser telemetry uses the Application Insights JavaScript SDK. Setup paths include web apps, virtual machines, JavaScript apps, Azure Functions, Kubernetes, and AI agents. Telemetry is stored in a Log Analytics workspace, and the service can work with applications hosted outside Azure. Pricing is usage-based, with the first 5 GB per month per billing account free; the pricing page lists 90 days of no-charge retention, with longer retention charged by retained data volume. A daily ingestion cap can stop collection until the next UTC day, and sampling can reduce telemetry volume.
Who it suits
It may suit teams monitoring application telemetry across supported workloads, including web apps, virtual machines, Azure Functions, Kubernetes, and AI agents. It can also work with applications hosted outside Azure.
What it does well
- Includes alerts, metrics, logs, and Grafana dashboards.
- Usage analytics include funnels, flows, and cohorts.
- Offers .NET profiling and a snapshot debugger.
- First 5 GB per month per billing account are free.
- Supports Microsoft Entra ID authentication.
What to know first
- Global endpoint does not guarantee regional data residency.
- Daily ingestion cap stops excess collection until the next UTC day.
- Browser OpenTelemetry JavaScript is unsupported and not recommended.
- Retention beyond 90 days is charged by retained data volume.
Limits
The Pay-as-you-go plan includes the first 5 GB of monthly ingestion per billing account at no charge; additional ingestion and extended retention are usage billed. The pricing page lists 90 days of no-charge retention, with longer retention charged by retained data volume. A daily ingestion cap stops excess data until the next UTC day.
Plans
| Plan | Billed and limits | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Pay-as-you-go (Azure Monitor Logs) | Usage-based data ingestion; first 5 GB/month per billing account are free · 5 GB/month free per billing account · additional ingestion and extended retention billed by usage | On request |
As azure.microsoft.com lists them, read 7 Oct 2026. The maker's own page has the final word.
Getting started
- Open the Azure Application Insights website.
- Choose an instrumentation route for the workload, such as the recommended Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro for most code based server side scenarios.
- For browser telemetry, use the Application Insights JavaScript SDK.
- Follow the documented setup path for a web app, virtual machine, Azure Function, Kubernetes workload or other supported scenario.
- Connect telemetry to the Log Analytics workspace and configure a daily ingestion cap if needed.
Verdict
Application Insights offers telemetry collection, investigation, and usage analytics, with the first 5 GB per month per billing account free. Teams should account for ingestion caps, retention charges beyond 90 days, and regional endpoint requirements.
Questions
Is there a free plan?
Yes. The Pay-as-you-go option includes the first 5 GB of monthly ingestion per billing account at no charge, and the pricing page lists 90 days of no-charge retention.
How is it priced?
The pricing note says pricing is on request. The listed Pay-as-you-go plan bills usage based on data ingestion, with additional ingestion and extended retention charged by usage.
Which platforms are listed?
Android, API, iOS, Linux, web and Windows are listed.
Can applications use OpenTelemetry?
Yes, supported scenarios can use vendor neutral OpenTelemetry to collect telemetry for analysis in Application Insights.
Can it monitor apps outside Azure?
Yes. The service works with apps hosted anywhere, and telemetry is stored in a Log Analytics workspace.
How does browser instrumentation work?
Browser telemetry uses the Application Insights JavaScript SDK. Microsoft says OpenTelemetry JavaScript for browsers is unsupported and not recommended.
Facts from Azure Application Insights's own pages
- Browser instrumentation limit
- The Application Insights JavaScript SDK is used for browser telemetry; Microsoft says OpenTelemetry JavaScript for browsers is unsupported and not recommended. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Code analysis
- For .NET applications, code analysis tools include a profiler and a snapshot debugger. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Code diagnostics
- Code analysis features include .NET profiling, AI code optimizations, and a snapshot debugger for exceptions in .NET applications. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Cost controls
- A daily data cap can stop ingestion after its limit is reached for the rest of the UTC day, and sampling can reduce telemetry volume. · azure.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Dashboards and alerts
- Application Insights supports alerts, metrics, logs, workbooks, and Grafana dashboards for monitoring and reporting. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Data handling
- Telemetry is stored in a Log Analytics workspace, and the FAQ says the service works with apps hosted anywhere, not only in Azure. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Data residency
- Microsoft says the global endpoint does not guarantee regional data residency and recommends regional Application Insights endpoints for regional compliance requirements. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Diagnostics
- Its investigation tools include application maps, live metrics, transaction search, availability monitoring, failure analysis, and performance views. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Founded
- 1975 · azure.microsoft.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Headquarters
- Redmond, Washington, United States · azure.microsoft.com, 28 Sept 2026
- Instrumentation
- Microsoft recommends the Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro for most code-based server-side scenarios; browser apps use the Application Insights JavaScript SDK. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Integrations
- Documented integrations include Azure SDK tracing, Cosmos DB SDK observability, .NET OpenTelemetry, Azure Container Apps, Azure Data Explorer, and Azure AI Foundry. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Monitoring tools
- Its tools include alerts, metrics, logs, workbooks, Grafana dashboards, and SDK statistics. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- OpenTelemetry
- For supported scenarios, applications can use vendor-neutral OpenTelemetry to collect telemetry for analysis in Application Insights. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Pricing model
- Azure Monitor pricing lists usage-based ingestion and other metered features; its pricing page displays some rates as "$-" rather than a numeric price. · azure.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Purpose
- Application Insights is an Azure Monitor service for collecting and analyzing application telemetry. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Retention limit
- The pricing page lists 90 days of no-charge retention for classic or workspace-based Application Insights data; longer retention is charged by retained data volume. · azure.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Security
- Application Insights supports TLS 1.2 and 1.3, and Microsoft Entra authentication can restrict telemetry ingestion to authenticated identities. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Support
- Microsoft recommends its Azure Monitor OpenTelemetry Distro for new projects and describes it as supported by Microsoft. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Supported workloads
- The documentation gives setup paths for web apps, virtual machines, JavaScript apps, Azure Functions, Kubernetes, and AI agents. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Usage limits
- Application Insights lets users set a daily ingestion cap; after the cap is reached, excess data is ignored until the next UTC day. · azure.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- User analytics
- Usage features cover users, sessions, events, funnels, flows, and cohorts. · learn.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
- Web tests
- Ping web tests are listed as free, while standard and multi-step web tests have metered prices shown as "$-" on the pricing page. · azure.microsoft.com, 7 Oct 2026
Where Azure Application Insights stands on Freedom251
- Application Performance Monitoring#3 of 37
- Runtime Monitoring Software#7 of 56