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 wins this matchup. SolarWinds is our overall Monitoring pick. Hookdeck is our free Monitoring pick. 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 want comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- • You want aI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
New Relic
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
Best for you if:
- • You want a free tier before you commit
- • You want generous free tier
- • You want full-stack observability
| At a Glance | New Relic | |
|---|---|---|
Starts at | $7/moMonitoring & Observability | FreeFree tier available |
Best For | Monitoring | DevOps |
Rating | 4.3/5G2 4.3 · SourceForge 4.3 | 4.4/5G2 4.4 · Capterra 4.5 |
Free plan | No | Yes |
Watch out for | n/a | Data ingest overages at $0.40/GB (Standard) |
Choose SolarWinds or New Relic?
Choose SolarWinds if
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
- You want comprehensive suite of IT management tools under one platform
- You want aI-powered insights and automation for proactive issue resolution
- Your work is monitoring-shaped, not DevOps-shaped
Choose New Relic if
Full-stack observability with 50+ monitoring capabilities
- You want a free tier before you commit
- You want generous free tier
- You want full-stack observability
- Your work is DevOps-shaped, not monitoring-shaped
| Feature | SolarWinds | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Paid | Freemium |
| User Rating | ★4.3/5 934 reviews | ★4.4/5 783 reviews |
| Categories | MonitoringCloud & Infrastructure | DevOpsAnalytics |
In-Depth Analysis
SolarWinds
Drive operational resilience with unified visibility and AI-powered insights across your IT environment.
SolarWinds' pricing structure is quite varied, with 'Monitoring & Observability' at $7/node/month appearing fair for comprehensive visibility.
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
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
- +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: 4.3/5 (934 reviews). New Relic: 4.4/5 (783 reviews).
Go with: New Relic
Value user reviews?
SolarWinds: 934 reviews (4.3/5). New Relic: 783 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?
New Relic is rated higher: 4.4/5 vs 4.3/5.
Key Takeaways
New Relic
- Higher user rating: 4.4/5 vs 4.3/5
- Free tier available
- Our pick for this comparison
SolarWinds
- Larger review base (934 reviews)
- 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 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.