SolarWinds vs New Relic: Which is Better in 2026?
Choosing between SolarWinds 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 is our overall pick for DevOps workflows. Pick SolarWinds if you need monitoring.
Short on time? Here's the quick answer
We've tested both tools. Here's who should pick what:
SolarWinds
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
Best for you if:
- • You need monitoring features specifically
- • Provides unified visibility and AI-powered insights for IT operations.
- • Offers solutions for monitoring, database management, incident response, and IT service management.
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
Best for you if:
- • You want to try before committing
- • You need DevOps features specifically
- • Full-stack observability platform with APM, infrastructure monitoring, and logs
- • Generous free tier: 100GB/month data ingest + 1 full-access user
| At a Glance |  New Relic | |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | $7/moMonitoring & Observability | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Monitoring | DevOps |
Rating | 4.4/5 | 4.4/5 |
Choose SolarWinds or New Relic?
Choose SolarWinds if
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
- Comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- AI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
- Supports diverse IT environments including on-premise, cloud, and hybrid
- Your work is monitoring-shaped, not DevOps-shaped
Choose New Relic if
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
- Generous free tier
- Full-stack observability
- AI insights
- Your work is DevOps-shaped, not monitoring-shaped
| Feature | SolarWinds | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★4.4/5 864 reviews | ★4.4/5 780 reviews |
| Categories | MonitoringCloud & Infrastructure | DevOpsAnalytics |
In-Depth Analysis
SolarWinds
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
Strengths
- +Comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- +AI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
- +Supports diverse IT environments including on-premise, cloud, and hybrid
- +Flexible deployment options (self-hosted and SaaS)
- +Strong focus on operational resilience and unified visibility
Weaknesses
- -No free tier or trial explicitly mentioned for individual products
- -Requires integration and setup for full benefit across complex IT landscapes
Key features
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
Strengths
- +Generous free tier
- +Full-stack observability
- +AI insights
Weaknesses
- -Complex to set up
- -Data can be expensive
Key features
Pricing: SolarWinds vs New Relic
| Plan | SolarWinds | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Tier 1 | $7/node/month Monitoring & Observability | Free Free |
| Tier 2 | $142/database/month Database | $10 Standard |
| Tier 3 | $39/technician/month Service Management | $349 Pro |
| Tier 4 | N/A | Enterprise |
Pricing verified from each vendor's public pricing page. Compare in detail on SolarWinds pricing and New Relic pricing.
Who Should Use What?
On a budget?
New Relic has a free tier. SolarWinds is paid only.
Go with: New Relic
Want the highest-rated option?
SolarWinds: 4.4/5 (864 reviews). New Relic: 4.4/5 (780 reviews).
Go with: SolarWinds
Value user reviews?
SolarWinds: 864 reviews (4.4/5). New Relic: 780 reviews (4.4/5).
Go with: SolarWinds
3 Questions to Help You Decide
What's your budget?
SolarWinds is paid. New Relic is freemium. New Relic lets you start free.
What's your use case?
SolarWinds is a monitoring tool. New Relic is in DevOps. Pick the category that matches your needs.
How important are ratings?
Both are rated 4.4/5.
Key Takeaways
New Relic
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
SolarWinds
- Larger review base (864 reviews)
- Better fit for monitoring
The Bottom Line
New Relic is our pick.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is SolarWinds or New Relic better?
New Relic is rated in our evaluation. SolarWinds is paid and New Relic is freemium.
What are SolarWinds and New Relic used for?
SolarWinds: Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.. New Relic: Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities.
What does SolarWinds cost vs New Relic?
SolarWinds is a paid tool. New Relic is freemium (free tier + paid plans). Visit their websites for detailed pricing.