New Relic vs Splunk: 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 New Relic and Splunk side by side. This page compares data; it is not a hands-on review.
On the data: On the data below, New Relic leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall 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:
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
Splunk
Data platform for security and observability
Best for you if:
- • You want powerful search
| At a Glance | New Relic | Splunk |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | Free plan, paid from $10/mo Standard plan | Not published |
Category | Monitoring DevOps | Log Management Analytics |
Rating | 4.4/5 G2 4.4 · Capterra 4.5 783 reviews | 4.4/5 G2 4.3 · Capterra 4.6 697 reviews |
Free plan | Yes | No |
Watch out for | Data ingest overages at $0.40/GB (Standard) | Overage fees for exceeding negotiated limits. |
Choose New Relic or Splunk?
Choose New Relic if
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want generous free tier
- You want full-stack observability
- You work in monitoring, not log management
Choose Splunk if
- You want powerful search
- You want enterprise features
- You work in log management, not monitoring
In-Depth Analysis
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
Splunk
Data platform for security and observability
The lack of transparent pricing for any tier (Workload, Ingest, Entity, Activity-based) suggests it can be expensive, requiring direct engagement for quotes.
Watch out
Overage fees for exceeding negotiated limits.
Strengths
- Pro: Powerful search
- Pro: Enterprise features
- Pro: Great visualizations
Weaknesses
- Con: Very expensive
- Con: Complex pricing
Key features
Plans and prices: New Relic vs Splunk
| Tool | Plans and prices | Source |
|---|---|---|
| New Relic |
| newrelic.com/pricing read Oct 25, 2026 |
| Splunk |
| splunk.com/pricing read Oct 31, 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 New Relic pricing and Splunk pricing.
Key Takeaways
New Relic
- Has a free plan
Splunk
- Choose if you want data platform for security and observability
What the data shows
On the data below, New Relic leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair.
- User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.4/5 from 783 reviews for New Relic, 4.4/5 from 697 reviews for Splunk).
- New Relic starts at $10/mo; Splunk has no public paid plan price on file.
- Only New Relic has 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 New Relic and Splunk compare in 2026?
On the data below, New Relic leads on a free plan. We do not name an overall winner for this pair. User ratings are within 0.2 points (4.4/5 from 783 reviews for New Relic, 4.4/5 from 697 reviews for Splunk). New Relic starts at $10/mo; Splunk has no public paid plan price on file. Only New Relic has a free plan.
What are New Relic and Splunk used for?
New Relic: Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities. Splunk: Data platform for security and observability.
What does New Relic cost vs Splunk?
New Relic's cheapest paid plan is Standard at $10/mo; it also has a free plan. Splunk has no public paid-plan price on file. Prices read on the vendors' pricing pages, latest check Oct 31, 2026.
What's the main difference between New Relic and Splunk?
New Relic's main strength: generous free tier. Splunk's main strength: powerful search.