Airbrake vs New Relic: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Airbrake and New Relic comes down to understanding what each tool does best. This comparison breaks down the key differences so you can make an informed decision based on your specific needs, not marketing claims.
Bottom line: New Relic wins this matchup. SolarWinds is our overall Monitoring pick. Hookdeck is our free Monitoring pick. Pick Airbrake if you need debugging.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
Based on published vendor pricing and features and on public review data, here's who should pick what:
Airbrake
Error monitoring and performance tracking for applications
Best for you if:
- • You want error monitoring
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
Best for you if:
- • You want generous free tier
| At a Glance | Airbrake | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free Free plan | Free Free plan |
Category | Debugging Monitoring | DevOps Analytics |
Rating | 4.4/5 G2 4.4 73 reviews | 4.4/5 G2 4.4 · Capterra 4.5 783 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Overage fees for exceeding error limits | Data ingest overages at $0.40/GB (Standard) |
Choose Airbrake or New Relic?
Choose Airbrake if
- You want error monitoring
- You want APM included
- You work in debugging, not DevOps
Choose New Relic if
- You want generous free tier
- You want full-stack observability
- Budget matters (Free vs Free)
- You work in DevOps, not debugging
In-Depth Analysis
Airbrake
Error monitoring and performance tracking for applications
Airbrake's pricing is fair, especially for smaller teams.
Watch out
Overage fees for exceeding error limits
Strengths
- Pro: Error monitoring
- Pro: APM included
- Pro: Good for Ruby
- Pro: Deploy tracking
- Pro: Fair pricing
Weaknesses
- Con: Less popular than Sentry
- Con: Smaller community
- Con: UI dated
- Con: Limited features
- Con: Support varies
Key features
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
New Relic's freemium model is generous, offering 100 GB/month and a full platform user for free.
Watch out
Data ingest overages at $0.40/GB (Standard)
Strengths
- Pro: Generous free tier
- Pro: Full-stack observability
- Pro: AI insights
Weaknesses
- Con: Complex to set up
- Con: Data can be expensive
Key features
Pricing: Airbrake vs New Relic
| Plan | Airbrake | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $19 month Developer | Free Free |
| Tier 2 | $38 month Basic | $10 Standard |
| Tier 3 | $99 month Pro | $349 Pro |
| Tier 4 | N/A | Enterprise |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on Airbrake pricing and New Relic pricing.
Key Takeaways
New Relic
- Larger review base (783 reviews)
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Airbrake
- Better fit for debugging
The Bottom Line
New Relic wins this matchup. SolarWinds is our overall Monitoring pick. Hookdeck is our free Monitoring pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Airbrake or New Relic better in 2026?
New Relic wins this matchup. SolarWinds is our overall Monitoring pick. Hookdeck is our free Monitoring pick. Pick Airbrake for debugging workflows (main strength: error monitoring). Pick New Relic for DevOps workflows (main strength: generous free tier).
What are Airbrake and New Relic used for?
Airbrake: Error monitoring and performance tracking for applications. New Relic: Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities.
What does Airbrake cost vs New Relic?
Airbrake's paid plans start at Free (Developer). New Relic's paid plans start at Free (Standard).
What's the main difference between Airbrake and New Relic?
Airbrake's main strength: error monitoring. New Relic's main strength: generous free tier.