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ELK Stack vs New Relic Logs

ELK Stack logo

ELK Stack

Logging

Open Source Search and Log Analytics

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
New Relic Logs logo

New Relic Logs

Logging

Log Management and Analysis

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: ELK Stack the free Basic self managed subscription excludes machine learning, alerting, single sign on via SAML or OpenID Connect, LDAP and Active Directory authentication, field and document level security, searchable snapshots and cross cluster replication; New Relic Logs log data counts against the same 100 GB monthly free ingest allowance shared with every other telemetry type, so logs compete with metrics and traces for it
  • They diverge on capability: ELK Stack covers Data visualization, New Relic Logs covers Log ingestion.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which ELK Stack and New Relic Logs actually diverge.

Attributes where ELK Stack and New Relic Logs differ
AttributeELK StackNew Relic Logs
Pricing modelopen-sourcefreemium
Founded20112008

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Api), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Logging).

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 ELK Stack

  • Data visualization
  • Log aggregation
  • Time-series analytics

Only in New Relic Logs

  • Log ingestion
  • Logs-in-context
  • Custom dashboards

Both cover

  • Full-text search
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support
  • Api support

What people use each for

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

ELK Stack

  • Centralised log search and analytics over Elasticsearchnot New Relic Logs
  • Dashboards and visualisation of machine data in Kibananot New Relic Logs
  • Self managing a search and observability cluster on your own hardwarenot New Relic Logs

New Relic Logs

  • Centralised log management alongside metrics and tracesnot ELK Stack
  • Searching and alerting on application logs in context with performance datanot ELK Stack

Where each one falls short

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

ELK Stack

  • The free Basic self managed subscription excludes machine learning, alerting, single sign on via SAML or OpenID Connect, LDAP and Active Directory authentication, field and document level security, searchable snapshots and cross cluster replication
  • Cross cluster operations require the same subscription tier on every cluster involved
  • The 99.95 percent monthly uptime SLA applies only to the Platinum and Enterprise subscription tiers
  • Three deployment models are priced on three different bases: resource based for Cloud Hosted, usage based for Serverless and licence based on nodes and RAM for self managed
  • Elastic Cloud Serverless does not yet support traffic filtering, cross project search or bring your own key
  • The pricing page publishes no rate for any tier

New Relic Logs

  • Log data counts against the same 100 GB monthly free ingest allowance shared with every other telemetry type, so logs compete with metrics and traces for it
  • Ingest beyond that is $0.40 per GB, rising to $0.60 per GB on the Data Plus option
  • Full platform users cost $349 each a month on Pro with an annual commitment, or $418.80 paying monthly
  • The Standard edition caps additional full platform users at 5
  • Core users are $49 a month each even though basic users are free

Pricing, plan by plan

ELK Stack

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Full-text search
    • Data visualization
    • Log aggregation

New Relic Logs

Free
  • Free TierFree
    • 100 GB per month data ingest
    • Unlimited basic users
    • 1 full platform user
  • Standard Edition$49/month
    • Up to 5 full platform users
    • Core users 49 dollars per user per month
    • Additional full platform users at 99 dollars each
  • Pro Edition$349/year
    • Unlimited full platform users
    • Core users at 49 dollars per user per month
    • Full platform users at 349 dollars per user annually or 418.80 dollars monthly
  • Enterprise Edition$null/mo
    • Unlimited full platform users
    • Custom pricing
    • FedRAMP and HIPAA support

Which should you pick?

Choose ELK Stack if

  • You need data visualization.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want log aggregation.
ELK Stack review

Choose New Relic Logs if

  • You need log ingestion.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want logs-in-context.
New Relic Logs review

Questions people ask

Is ELK Stack or New Relic Logs better?
Neither clearly leads. ELK Stack starts at Free and New Relic Logs at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, ELK Stack or New Relic Logs?
ELK Stack starts at Free and New Relic Logs at Free.
Does ELK Stack or New Relic Logs run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Api, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use ELK Stack for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is ELK Stack best used for?
ELK Stack is most often used for centralised log search and analytics over elasticsearch, dashboards and visualisation of machine data in kibana, self managing a search and observability cluster on your own hardware. Of those, centralised log search and analytics over elasticsearch and dashboards and visualisation of machine data in kibana are not what New Relic Logs is typically brought in for.
What can ELK Stack do that New Relic Logs cannot?
ELK Stack covers Data visualization, Log aggregation, Time-series analytics. New Relic Logs covers Log ingestion, Logs-in-context, Custom dashboards. Both handle Full-text search, API, Webhooks, REST.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

ELK Stack: Does Elastic offer a free trial without requiring a credit card?

Yes, Elastic offers a 14-day free cloud trial with no credit card required that includes all solutions: Search, Observability, Security, and Agent Builder.

Source
New Relic Logs: Is New Relic free?

New Relic offers a free tier with 100 GB per month of data ingest, 1 full platform user, and unlimited basic users.

Source
ELK Stack: Can I deploy Elastic locally for evaluation?

Yes, Elastic provides a local deployment option for Elasticsearch and Kibana with a one-command setup requiring no account or credit card. This allows self-managed evaluation.

Source
New Relic Logs: What does New Relic charge for data beyond the free tier?

New Relic charges 0.40 dollars per gigabyte for data beyond the 100 GB free monthly allowance. Data Plus tier costs 0.60 dollars per GB and includes up to 90-day extended retention.

Source
ELK Stack: Does Elastic provide expert consultation for complex deployments?

Yes, Elastic offers expert consultation through their sales team for complex requirements and custom deployment scenarios.

Source
New Relic Logs: What is the Pro plan pricing?

The Pro Edition costs 349 dollars per user per year for full platform users, or 418.80 dollars per month. Unlimited full platform users are included.

Source
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