New Relic vs Lightstep: Which Should You Choose in 2026?
Choosing between New Relic and Lightstep 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.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
Best for you if:
- 0
- • Full-stack observability platform with APM, infrastructure monitoring, and logs
- • Generous free tier: 100GB/month data ingest + 1 full-access user
Lightstep
Distributed tracing and observability
Best for you if:
- 0
- • Lightstep is an observability platform for distributed tracing and monitoring
- • It correlates traces, metrics, and logs to debug microservices issues
| At a Glance |  New Relic | |
|---|---|---|
Price | Free + Paid | Free + Paid |
Best For | DevOps | DevOps |
Rating | - | - |
| Feature | New Relic | Lightstep |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Community Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Total Reviews | 0 | 0 |
| Community Upvotes | 0 | 0 |
| Categories | DevOpsAnalytics | DevOpsDebugging |
How New Relic and Lightstep Compare
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
Free tier available
Lightstep
Distributed tracing and observability
Free tier available
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
Both are freemium. Compare plans on their websites.
Go with: New Relic
Want the highest-rated option?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Go with: New Relic
Value user reviews?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Go with: New Relic
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
Both are freemium. Pricing won't help you decide here.
What's your use case?
Both are devops tools. Compare their specific features to decide.
How important are ratings?
Neither has user reviews yet.
Key Takeaways
New Relic
- 0
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
Lightstep
The Bottom Line
New Relic is our pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is New Relic or Lightstep better?
New Relic is rated in our evaluation. Both are freemium.
What are New Relic and Lightstep used for?
New Relic: Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities. Lightstep: Distributed tracing and observability.
What does New Relic cost vs Lightstep?
New Relic is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Lightstep is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.