New Relic vs Sentry: Complete Comparison (2026)

Updated: March 12, 20268 min read

Choosing between New Relic and Sentry is a common decision for developer tools buyers in 2026. Both New Relic and Sentry are established players, founded in 2008 and 2012 respectively. New Relic serves 16K+ orgs users while Sentry has 90K+ orgs users globally. New Relic differentiates with apm and infrastructure monitoring, while Sentry leads with error tracking and performance monitoring. In this head-to-head comparison, Sentry earns a higher hiltonsoftware.co score of 92/100 — but the right choice depends on your specific needs, budget, and team size.

📡
New Relic
Developer Tools
86
hiltonsoftware.co Score
VS
🛡️
Sentry
Developer Tools
92
hiltonsoftware.co Score
RECOMMENDED

Quick Comparison

New Relic
Sentry
Starting Price
$0.35/GB ingest
$26/mo
Free Plan
Yes
Yes
Users
16K+ orgs
90K+ orgs
Founded
2008
2012
Rating
4.3/5
4.6/5
Best For
Ops teams wanting unified observability across ful...
Development teams wanting real-time error monitori...

Feature-by-Feature Comparison

New RelicSentry
91Ease of Use93
86Features93
87Value for Money99
82Customer Support85
87Integrations87
84Scalability90
89Learning Curve90

Pros & Cons at a Glance

New Relic
+Generous free tier
+All-in-one observability
-Complex pricing model
-UI can be overwhelming
Sentry
+Deep error context and stack traces
+Supports 100+ platforms
-Quota pricing can surprise
-Complex to configure alerts
AI Verdict

After comparing New Relic and Sentry across features, pricing, and user satisfaction, Sentry takes the lead with a score of 92/100 versus New Relic's 86/100. Sentry's key advantages include "deep error context and stack traces" and "supports 100+ platforms". That said, New Relic has its own strengths — particularly "generous free tier" — making it a viable alternative for specific use cases.

Both New Relic and Sentry offer free plans, lowering the barrier to entry. New Relic's paid plans start at $0.35/GB ingest while Sentry begins at $26/mo. Evaluate which paid features — Browser monitoring, Logs (New Relic) vs Session replay, Alerts (Sentry) — justify upgrading for your team.

Bottom line: Choose New Relic if you need ops teams wanting unified observability across full application stack. Go with Sentry if your priority is development teams wanting real-time error monitoring in production. Both are strong developer tools tools — we recommend trying the free plan of each before committing.

CHOOSE NEW RELIC IF:

Ops teams wanting unified observability across full application stack.

CHOOSE SENTRY IF:

Development teams wanting real-time error monitoring in production.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is New Relic better than Sentry in 2026?
Sentry scores 92/100 on hiltonsoftware.co compared to New Relic's 86/100. New Relic stands out for "generous free tier" and is best for Ops teams wanting unified observability across full application stack. Sentry is known for "deep error context and stack traces" and suits Development teams wanting real-time error monitoring in production. Your specific workflow and team size should guide the decision.
What is the pricing difference between New Relic and Sentry?
Both offer free plans. New Relic starts at $0.35/GB ingest and Sentry at $26/mo. When comparing value, consider that New Relic (founded 2008, 16K+ orgs users) includes features like APM, Infrastructure monitoring, Browser monitoring. Sentry (founded 2012, 90K+ orgs users) offers Error tracking, Performance monitoring, Session replay. The right choice depends on which features matter most to your team.
What are the main differences between New Relic and Sentry?
The key differences come down to focus and approach. New Relic excels at APM, Infrastructure monitoring, Browser monitoring, while Sentry focuses on Error tracking, Performance monitoring, Session replay. New Relic's main advantage is "generous free tier", though some users note "complex pricing model". Sentry's strength is "deep error context and stack traces", but "quota pricing can surprise" can be a drawback. Both serve the Developer Tools market but target different user profiles.
Can I switch from New Relic to Sentry?
Switching between New Relic and Sentry is possible since both operate in the Developer Tools space. Before migrating, export your data from New Relic and check Sentry's import capabilities. Key features to verify compatibility: APM, Infrastructure monitoring, Browser monitoring (New Relic) vs Error tracking, Performance monitoring, Session replay (Sentry). Consider running both tools in parallel during a trial period to ensure a smooth transition.
Which is better for small teams: New Relic or Sentry?
Both tools offer free plans, so evaluate based on features. New Relic is ideal for Ops teams wanting unified observability across full application stack, while Sentry fits Development teams wanting real-time error monitoring in production. Try both during their trial periods to see which fits your team's workflow.

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