Elastic APM vs New Relic: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between Elastic APM 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 Elastic APM if you need monitoring.
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:
Elastic APM
Application performance monitoring for Elastic Stack
Best for you if:
- • You want part of Elastic Stack
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
Best for you if:
- • You want generous free tier
| At a Glance | Elastic APM | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free Free plan | Free Free plan |
Category | Monitoring Log Management | DevOps Analytics |
Rating | 4.0/5 G2 4.0 14 reviews | 4.4/5 G2 4.4 · Capterra 4.5 783 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | Cloud pricing scales with data ingestion/storage | Data ingest overages at $0.40/GB (Standard) |
Choose Elastic APM or New Relic?
Choose Elastic APM if
- You want part of Elastic Stack
- You want good tracing
- You work in monitoring, 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 monitoring
In-Depth Analysis
Elastic APM
Application performance monitoring for Elastic Stack
Elastic APM's self-managed Free tier is incredibly generous, offering all features at no cost, making it exceptionally fair.
Watch out
Cloud pricing scales with data ingestion/storage
Strengths
- Pro: Part of Elastic Stack
- Pro: Good tracing
- Pro: Many agents
- Pro: Correlate with logs
- Pro: Self-hostable
Weaknesses
- Con: Resource intensive
- Con: License concerns (SSPL)
- Con: Complex setup
- Con: Learning curve
- Con: Can be expensive
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: Elastic APM vs New Relic
| Plan | Elastic APM | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | Free Free | Free Free |
| Tier 2 | $95 month Cloud Standard | $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 Elastic APM pricing and New Relic pricing.
Key Takeaways
New Relic
- Larger review base (783 reviews)
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Elastic APM
- Better fit for monitoring
The Bottom Line
New Relic wins this matchup. SolarWinds is our overall Monitoring pick. Hookdeck is our free Monitoring pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Elastic APM or New Relic better in 2026?
New Relic wins this matchup. SolarWinds is our overall Monitoring pick. Hookdeck is our free Monitoring pick. Pick Elastic APM for monitoring workflows (main strength: part of Elastic Stack). Pick New Relic for DevOps workflows (main strength: generous free tier).
What are Elastic APM and New Relic used for?
Elastic APM: Application performance monitoring for Elastic Stack. New Relic: Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities.
What does Elastic APM cost vs New Relic?
Elastic APM's paid plans start at Free (Cloud Standard). New Relic's paid plans start at Free (Standard).
What's the main difference between Elastic APM and New Relic?
Elastic APM's main strength: part of Elastic Stack. New Relic's main strength: generous free tier.