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Software · head to head

New Relic vs PlanetScale

New Relic logo

New Relic

Software

Observability made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
PlanetScale logo

PlanetScale

Software

The MySQL-compatible serverless database

From
$15/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only New Relic has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: New Relic data ingest costs can be high for large-scale deployments with high logging volume, making budgeting difficult; PlanetScale eBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • They diverge on capability: New Relic covers APM, PlanetScale covers Database Branching.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which New Relic and PlanetScale actually diverge.

Attributes where New Relic and PlanetScale differ
AttributeNew RelicPlanetScale
Starting priceFree$15/month
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Api, MobileCloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure)
Founded20082018

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 New Relic

  • APM
  • Infrastructure Monitoring
  • Log Management
  • Browser Monitoring
  • Synthetic Monitoring
  • Mobile Monitoring
  • Kubernetes Monitoring
  • AI Ops

Only in PlanetScale

  • Database Branching
  • Non-blocking Schema Changes
  • Insights
  • Horizontal Scaling
  • Connection Pooling
  • Query Caching
  • Automatic Backups
  • Global Replication

Both cover

  • SOC2
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

New Relic

  • Application monitoringnot PlanetScale
  • Infrastructure monitoringnot PlanetScale
  • Error trackingnot PlanetScale
  • Performance optimizationnot PlanetScale

PlanetScale

  • MySQL database hosting with automatic failover and replicationnot New Relic
  • Vitess-based sharding for horizontal scaling across large datasetsnot New Relic
  • Cloud provider flexibility across AWS, GCP, Azure with 60+ regionsnot New Relic
  • Cost-effective database clusters using ARM64 architecture optionsnot New Relic

Where each one falls short

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

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

PlanetScale

  • EBS High Availability requires 3-node configuration with replication overhead
  • EBS Non-HA single-node option lacks redundancy and automatic failover
  • Pricing varies by cloud provider and region, requiring queries for specific rates
  • ARM64 architecture only available on EBS tier, not Metal deployments

Pricing, plan by plan

New Relic

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the New Relic review.

PlanetScale

$15/month

No published plan breakdown. See the PlanetScale review.

Which should you pick?

Choose New Relic if

  • You need apm.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api, Mobile.
  • You also want infrastructure monitoring.
New Relic review

Choose PlanetScale if

  • You need database branching.
  • You work on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
  • You also want non-blocking schema changes.
PlanetScale review

Questions people ask

Is New Relic or PlanetScale better?
Neither clearly leads. New Relic starts at Free and PlanetScale at $15/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, New Relic or PlanetScale?
New Relic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for New Relic and $15/month for PlanetScale.
Does New Relic or PlanetScale run on more platforms?
New Relic runs on Web, Api, Mobile. PlanetScale runs on Cloud-hosted (AWS, GCP, Azure).
Can I use New Relic for free?
Yes. New Relic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. PlanetScale starts at $15/month.
What is New Relic best used for?
New Relic is most often used for application monitoring, infrastructure monitoring, error tracking, performance optimization. Of those, application monitoring and infrastructure monitoring are not what PlanetScale is typically brought in for.
What can New Relic do that PlanetScale cannot?
New Relic covers APM, Infrastructure Monitoring, Log Management, Browser Monitoring. PlanetScale covers Database Branching, Non-blocking Schema Changes, Insights, Horizontal Scaling. Both handle SOC2, Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

New 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.

Source
New 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.

Source
New 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.

Source
New 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.

Source
New 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.

Source
New 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.

Source
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