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Software · head to head

Bugsnag vs Rollbar

Bugsnag logo

Bugsnag

Software

Application Stability Monitoring

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rollbar logo

Rollbar

Software

Real-Time Error Tracking and Debugging

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bugsnag owned by SmartBear rather than being independent; Rollbar the free plan allows 5,000 occurrences a month with 30 day retention
  • They diverge on capability: Bugsnag covers Crash reporting, Rollbar covers Real-time alerts.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bugsnag and Rollbar actually diverge.

Attributes where Bugsnag and Rollbar differ
AttributeBugsnagRollbar

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (usage-based), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown), founded (2012).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bugsnag

  • Crash reporting
  • Release tracking
  • Trend analysis

Only in Rollbar

  • Real-time alerts
  • Error grouping
  • Source maps

Both cover

  • Error tracking
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bugsnag

  • Crash and error reporting for mobile and web applicationsnot Rollbar
  • Stability scores per releasenot Rollbar
  • Grouping errors by root cause across deploysnot Rollbar
  • Alerting when a release regressesnot Rollbar

Rollbar

  • Tracking application errors and exceptions across deploymentsnot Bugsnag
  • Grouping and alerting on production error occurrencesnot Bugsnag

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bugsnag

  • Owned by SmartBear rather than being independent
  • The free tier covers 7,500 events a month
  • Paid tiers are usage-priced by event volume rather than by seat, so a noisy release raises the bill
  • Enterprise pricing is quote-only

Rollbar

  • The free plan allows 5,000 occurrences a month with 30 day retention
  • Retention is a paid ladder rather than a setting, at up to 90 days on Essentials and up to 180 on Advanced
  • Advanced alerting, the RQL analytics query language and SCIM provisioning are excluded from the free plan
  • Enterprise requires a $4M annual plan minimum
  • No price is published for Essentials or Advanced, so only the free tier has a visible cost

Pricing, plan by plan

Bugsnag

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Error tracking
    • Crash reporting
    • Release tracking

Rollbar

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Error tracking
    • Real-time alerts
    • Error grouping

Which should you pick?

Choose Bugsnag if

  • You need crash reporting.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want release tracking.
Bugsnag review

Choose Rollbar if

  • You need real-time alerts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want error grouping.
Rollbar review

Questions people ask

Is Bugsnag or Rollbar better?
Neither clearly leads. Bugsnag starts at Free and Rollbar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bugsnag or Rollbar?
Bugsnag starts at Free and Rollbar at Free.
Does Bugsnag or Rollbar run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Bugsnag for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bugsnag best used for?
Bugsnag is most often used for crash and error reporting for mobile and web applications, stability scores per release, grouping errors by root cause across deploys, alerting when a release regresses. Of those, crash and error reporting for mobile and web applications and stability scores per release are not what Rollbar is typically brought in for.
What can Bugsnag do that Rollbar cannot?
Bugsnag covers Crash reporting, Release tracking, Trend analysis. Rollbar covers Real-time alerts, Error grouping, Source maps. Both handle Error tracking, API, Webhooks, REST.
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