New Relic vs Sentry: Application Monitoring Comparison 2026
Compare New Relic and Sentry for application performance monitoring and error tracking. See pricing, features, and which tool is better for your development team.
Updated 2026-03 · 2026
New Relic
Full-stack observability platform for application performance monitoring
Strengths
- +Comprehensive full-stack observability across infrastructure, applications, and logs
- +Advanced APM with distributed tracing and service maps
- +Powerful query language (NRQL) for custom analytics
Weaknesses
- -Expensive pricing that scales quickly with data ingestion
- -Steep learning curve for new users
- -Can be overkill for simple error tracking needs
Best for
Enterprise teams needing comprehensive observability across their entire stack with deep performance insights
Sentry
Error tracking and performance monitoring focused on developer workflow
Strengths
- +Excellent error tracking with detailed stack traces and context
- +Developer-friendly workflow with source code integration
- +Strong open-source community and self-hosting option
Weaknesses
- -Less comprehensive infrastructure monitoring than New Relic
- -Performance monitoring features are newer and less mature
- -Limited log management capabilities
Best for
Development teams prioritizing error tracking and debugging with a focus on code-level insights
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Free Tier | 100GB data/month free | 5K errors + 10K performance units/month |
| Error Tracking | Available with full context | Core feature with rich stack traces |
| APM & Performance | Advanced APM with deep insights | Performance monitoring (newer feature) |
| Distributed Tracing | Comprehensive tracing across services | Available with performance monitoring |
| Infrastructure Monitoring | Full infrastructure observability | Limited infrastructure insights |
| Log Management | Centralized log management included | Basic log capture, not primary focus |
| Real User Monitoring | Comprehensive RUM with session replay | Session replay available |
| Alerting | Advanced alerting with ML anomaly detection | Issue-based alerts with customizable rules |
| Source Code Integration | Available via integrations | Deep GitHub/GitLab integration built-in |
| Self-Hosting | Not available | Open-source self-hosting option |
| Query Language | NRQL for custom queries | Discover query interface |
| Mobile App Monitoring | Native iOS and Android monitoring | Mobile SDKs for error tracking |
The Verdict
Choose Sentry if you're a development team focused on error tracking and debugging, especially if you're working with limited budgets—its free tier and developer-centric features are excellent. Choose New Relic if you need comprehensive full-stack observability including infrastructure, logs, and advanced APM, and have the budget for an enterprise-grade monitoring solution.