CubeAPM vs New Relic: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between CubeAPM 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. Our overall Monitoring pick is Better Uptime. Our free Monitoring pick is Spiceworks. Pick CubeAPM if you need monitoring.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
CubeAPM
Full-stack observability and APM platform with unlimited retention, hosted inside your cloud.
Best for you if:
- • You want hosted inside your cloud (VPC) or on-premise for data localization and compliance
- • You want predictable pricing at $0.15/GB for data ingestion with no hidden fees
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
- • You want generous free tier
- • You want full-stack observability
| At a Glance | CubeAPM | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | $0.15/moPro | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Monitoring | DevOps |
Rating | 4.9/5 | 4.4/5 |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Choose CubeAPM or New Relic?
Choose CubeAPM if
Full-stack observability and APM platform with unlimited retention, hosted inside your cloud.
- You want hosted inside your cloud (VPC) or on-premise for data localization and compliance
- You want predictable pricing at $0.15/GB for data ingestion with no hidden fees
- Your work is monitoring-shaped, not DevOps-shaped
Choose New Relic if
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want generous free tier
- You want full-stack observability
- Your work is DevOps-shaped, not monitoring-shaped
| Feature | CubeAPM | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★4.9/5 52 reviews | ★4.4/5 783 reviews |
| Categories | MonitoringLog Management | DevOpsAnalytics |
In-Depth Analysis
CubeAPM
Full-stack observability and APM platform with unlimited retention, hosted inside your cloud.
CubeAPM's Pro tier at $0.15/GB with 3 months retention seems competitive for basic observability needs, especially given the comprehensive feature set.
Strengths
- +Hosted inside your cloud (VPC) or on-premise for data localization and compliance.
- +Predictable pricing at $0.15/GB for data ingestion with no hidden fees.
- +Unlimited data retention for logs, traces, and metrics.
- +Built natively on OpenTelemetry, preventing vendor lock-in.
- +Significant cost savings compared to traditional SaaS APMs (up to 75%).
Weaknesses
- -No explicit free tier or trial mentioned on the pricing page, only a sandbox option.
- -Requires deployment within user's infrastructure, which might be a barrier for some small teams.
- -Pricing model is based on data ingestion, which can still scale with usage.
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
- +Generous free tier
- +Full-stack observability
- +AI insights
Weaknesses
- -Complex to set up
- -Data can be expensive
Key features
Pricing: CubeAPM vs New Relic
| Plan | CubeAPM | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $0.15/GB Pro | Free Free |
| Tier 2 | Custom Pricing Enterprise | $10 Standard |
| Tier 3 | N/A | $349 Pro |
| Tier 4 | N/A | Enterprise |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on CubeAPM pricing and New Relic pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
New Relic has a free tier. CubeAPM is paid only.
Go with: New Relic
Want the highest-rated option?
CubeAPM: 4.9/5 (52 reviews). New Relic: 4.4/5 (783 reviews).
Go with: CubeAPM
Value user reviews?
CubeAPM: 52 reviews (4.9/5). New Relic: 783 reviews (4.4/5).
Go with: New Relic
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
CubeAPM is paid. New Relic is freemium. New Relic lets you start free.
What's your use case?
CubeAPM is a monitoring tool. New Relic is in DevOps. Pick the category that matches your needs.
How important are ratings?
CubeAPM is rated higher: 4.9/5 vs 4.4/5.
Key Takeaways
New Relic
- Larger review base (783 reviews)
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
CubeAPM
- Higher user rating: 4.9/5 vs 4.4/5
- Better fit for monitoring
The Bottom Line
New Relic wins this matchup. Our overall Monitoring pick is Better Uptime. Our free Monitoring pick is Spiceworks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is CubeAPM or New Relic better?
New Relic is rated in our evaluation. CubeAPM is paid and New Relic is freemium.
What are CubeAPM and New Relic used for?
CubeAPM: Full-stack observability and APM platform with unlimited retention, hosted inside your cloud.. New Relic: Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities.
What does CubeAPM cost vs New Relic?
CubeAPM is a paid tool. New Relic is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.