Lightstep vs New Relic MCP: Pricing and Ratings Compared (2026)
Entry prices and free plans as read on each vendor's pricing page, and user ratings as published on review sites, for Lightstep and New Relic MCP side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
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:
Lightstep
Distributed tracing and observability
Best for you if:
- • You want good distributed tracing
New Relic MCP
Query observability data with natural language or NRQL
Best for you if:
- • You want query observability data with natural language or NRQL
| At a Glance | New Relic MCP | |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan | Free plan, paid from $49/user/mo Pro (Core Users) plan |
Category | Monitoring DevOps | Monitoring Analytics |
Rating | 4.3/5 G2 4.6 · Capterra 3.0 21 reviews | n/a |
Free plan | Yes | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | Pro full platform users cost $349/user annually |
Choose Lightstep or New Relic MCP?
Choose Lightstep if
- You want good distributed tracing
- You want servicenow owned
Choose New Relic MCP if
- You want query observability data with natural language or NRQL
In-Depth Analysis
Lightstep
Distributed tracing and observability
Lightstep's 'Custom' pricing for its Subscription tier, especially with its EOL in March 2026, makes it an expensive and uncertain choice.
Strengths
- Pro: Good distributed tracing
- Pro: Servicenow owned
- Pro: OpenTelemetry support
- Pro: Change intelligence
- Pro: Good UX
Weaknesses
- Con: Expensive
- Con: Enterprise focused
- Con: Integration effort
- Con: Less known
- Con: Competition from free tools
Key features
New Relic MCP
Query observability data with natural language or NRQL
New Relic MCP's pricing is fair for teams already invested in New Relic, with a generous 100 GB free tier and usage-based costs starting at $0.40/GB, but the per-user Pro fees ($349/user annually) can escalate quickly for larger teams.
Watch out
Pro full platform users cost $349/user annually
Key features
Plans and prices: Lightstep vs New Relic MCP
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Lightstep |
| lightstep.com read Oct 6, 2026 |
| New Relic MCP |
| newrelic.com/pricing read Oct 17, 2026 |
Prices as read on each vendor's own pricing page on the date shown. Plans are listed per tool and are not matched against the other tool's plans: a plan name or price in one column says nothing about the same row in the other. Details on Lightstep pricing and New Relic MCP pricing.
Key Takeaways
Lightstep
- Choose if you want distributed tracing and observability
New Relic MCP
- Choose if you want query observability data with natural language or NRQL
What the data shows
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair.
- Only Lightstep has a published user rating (4.3/5 from 21 reviews); New Relic MCP has none we can show.
- New Relic MCP starts at $49/user/mo; Lightstep has no public paid plan price on file.
- Both have a free plan.
Criteria: user rating (only above 20 reviews on both sides, gap of 0.2 or more), entry price (only on the same billing basis), free plan. How we rate
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Lightstep and New Relic MCP compare in 2026?
On the data below the two are close or not directly comparable, so we do not name a winner for this pair. Only Lightstep has a published user rating (4.3/5 from 21 reviews); New Relic MCP has none we can show. New Relic MCP starts at $49/user/mo; Lightstep has no public paid plan price on file. Both have a free plan.
What are Lightstep and New Relic MCP used for?
Lightstep: Distributed tracing and observability. New Relic MCP: Query observability data with natural language or NRQL.
What does Lightstep cost vs New Relic MCP?
Lightstep has no public paid-plan price on file. New Relic MCP's cheapest paid plan is Pro (Core Users) at $49/user/mo; it also has a free plan. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 17, 2026.
What's the main difference between Lightstep and New Relic MCP?
Lightstep's main strength: good distributed tracing. New Relic MCP focuses on query observability data with natural language or NRQL.