Software Development · head to head
Bun vs New Relic
Bun
Software Development
JavaScript runtime, bundler, test runner and package manager unified in single toolchain
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Bun linux requires kernel 5.6 or higher (5.1 minimum but with compatibility issues); older systems not supported; New Relic data ingest costs can be high for large-scale deployments with high logging volume, making budgeting difficult
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Bun and New Relic actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Bun
Nothing recorded that New Relic does not also cover.
Only in New Relic
- APM
- Infrastructure Monitoring
- Log Management
- Browser Monitoring
- Synthetic Monitoring
- Mobile Monitoring
- Kubernetes Monitoring
- AI Ops
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Bun
- High-performance JavaScript services prioritising startup time and memory efficiencynot New Relic
- Single-file executable deployment without Node runtime dependenciesnot New Relic
- Monorepo management with workspace supportnot New Relic
- Full-stack development with unified toolchainnot New Relic
- Systems programming and shell scripting with JavaScriptnot New Relic
New Relic
- Application monitoringnot Bun
- Infrastructure monitoringnot Bun
- Error trackingnot Bun
- Performance optimizationnot Bun
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Bun
- Linux requires kernel 5.6 or higher (5.1 minimum but with compatibility issues); older systems not supported
- Native Node.js addons not supported directly; requires FFI workarounds for C libraries
- Ecosystem less mature than Node.js; fewer third-party packages optimised for Bun
- Windows support newer and less mature than Linux/macOS; occasional edge cases
New Relic
- Data ingest costs can be high for large-scale deployments with high logging volume, making budgeting difficult
- Core user licensing model adds complexity to pricing with distinction between full platform users and basic users
- Default logs obfuscation may miss some sensitive patterns requiring custom configuration
- Retention limits even on paid tiers require additional storage for long-term compliance requirements
Pricing, plan by plan
Bun
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Bun review.
New Relic
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the New Relic review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Bun if
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on macOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Android.
Choose New Relic if
- You need apm.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Api, Mobile.
- You also want infrastructure monitoring.
Questions people ask
- Is Bun or New Relic better?
- Neither clearly leads. Bun starts at Free and New Relic at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Bun or New Relic?
- Bun starts at Free and New Relic at Free.
- Does Bun or New Relic run on more platforms?
- Bun runs on macOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Android. New Relic runs on Web, Api, Mobile.
- Can I use Bun for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Bun best used for?
- Bun is most often used for high-performance javascript services prioritising startup time and memory efficiency, single-file executable deployment without node runtime dependencies, monorepo management with workspace support, full-stack development with unified toolchain. Of those, high-performance javascript services prioritising startup time and memory efficiency and single-file executable deployment without node runtime dependencies are not what New Relic is typically brought in for.
- What can Bun do that New Relic cannot?
- New Relic covers APM, Infrastructure Monitoring, Log Management, Browser Monitoring.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Bun: Is Bun free?
Yes, Bun is free and open-source software; no pricing tiers or subscription costs exist for the core runtime and tooling.
SourceNew Relic: Does New Relic offer a free tier?
Yes, New Relic's free tier is perpetual with no credit card required. It includes 100 GB of free data ingest monthly, one Full Platform User with access to all 50+ capabilities, and unlimited Basic Users for querying and dashboard creation.
SourceBun: How much does Bun cost for production use?
Bun itself has no production licensing costs; you only pay for infrastructure (servers, compute) to run applications built with Bun.
SourceNew Relic: How much does New Relic cost for paid plans?
Paid plans start at $49 per month per core user. New Relic uses consumption-based pricing where you pay only for what you use. Annual commitment options are available with volume discounts for larger teams.
SourceBun: Does Bun offer commercial support or service tiers?
Bun's free open-source model does not include published commercial support tiers; enterprise support arrangements would require direct contact with Anthropic.
SourceNew Relic: What data retention is included in New Relic's free tier?
The free tier includes a minimum of 8 days data retention for troubleshooting. Paid plans offer extended retention periods and customizable data retention policies.
SourceBun: Can I use Bun in production without paying?
Yes, Bun is free to use in production since it is open-source software with no licensing fees, though you must cover your own operational costs.
SourceNew Relic: How many integrations does New Relic support?
New Relic provides access to 780+ integrations and unlimited hosts at no additional cost. These include monitoring integrations for various cloud services, databases, and applications.
SourceNew Relic: Can I use New Relic to monitor multiple cloud providers?
Yes, New Relic is cloud-agnostic and supports monitoring across AWS, Google Cloud, Azure, and on-premises infrastructure in a single platform.
SourceNew Relic: What is New Relic's ownership structure today?
New Relic was acquired by TPG and Francisco Partners on July 31, 2023, for $6.5 billion and transitioned from a publicly traded company to a private company in November 2023.
SourceRelated pages
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- New Relic vs Zed
- New Relic vs Amp
- New Relic vs Braintrust
- New Relic vs Codacy
- New Relic vs DeepSource
- New Relic vs Devin
- New Relic vs SonarQube Cloud
- New Relic vs Augment Code
- New Relic vs Baseten
- New Relic vs Drizzle ORM
- New Relic vs Flagsmith
- New Relic vs Unleash
- New Relic vs Cline
- New Relic vs Factory
- New Relic vs Humanloop
- New Relic vs Langfuse
- New Relic vs Elastic Stack
- New Relic vs Datadog Logs
- New Relic vs Coralogix
- New Relic vs Grafana Loki
- New Relic vs incident.io
- New Relic vs Cronitor
- New Relic vs FireHydrant
- New Relic vs Healthchecks
- New Relic vs Openstatus
- New Relic vs Rootly
- New Relic vs Checkly
- New Relic vs CloudWatch
- New Relic vs Dynatrace
- New Relic vs InfluxDB
- New Relic vs Airbrake
- New Relic vs AppDynamics
- New Relic vs Axiom
- New Relic vs Azure Monitor