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Software · head to head

New Relic vs Sematext

New Relic logo

New Relic

Software

Observability made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sematext logo

Sematext

Software

Full Stack Observability Platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: New Relic data ingest costs can be high for large-scale deployments with high logging volume, making budgeting difficult; Sematext the $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days
  • They diverge on capability: New Relic covers Infrastructure Monitoring, Sematext covers Log aggregation.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where New Relic and Sematext differ
AttributeNew RelicSematext
Pricing modelUnknownusage-based
PlatformsWeb, Api, MobileWeb, Api
Founded20082007

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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

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

Only in Sematext

  • Log aggregation
  • Metrics monitoring
  • Anomaly detection
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support
  • Api support

Both cover

  • APM

What people use each for

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

New Relic

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

Sematext

  • Centralised log management and search across servicesnot New Relic
  • Infrastructure and application monitoring alongside logsnot 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

Sematext

  • The $5 Basic plan caps ingestion at 500 MB a day and retains logs for 7 days
  • Ingestion and storage are billed on separate meters, at $0.10 per GB received and $0.15 per GB stored
  • Retention is a plan property rather than a setting, so keeping logs longer means moving tier
  • The published pricing page renders Standard and Pro figures from unresolved template placeholders, so only the Basic numbers are actually readable

Pricing, plan by plan

New Relic

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the New Relic review.

Sematext

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Log aggregation
    • APM
    • Metrics monitoring

Which should you pick?

Choose New Relic if

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

Choose Sematext if

  • You need log aggregation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want metrics monitoring.
Sematext review

Questions people ask

Is New Relic or Sematext better?
Neither clearly leads. New Relic starts at Free and Sematext at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, New Relic or Sematext?
New Relic starts at Free and Sematext at Free.
Does New Relic or Sematext run on more platforms?
New Relic runs on Web, Api, Mobile. Sematext runs on Web, Api.
Can I use New Relic for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Sematext is typically brought in for.
What can New Relic do that Sematext cannot?
New Relic covers Infrastructure Monitoring, Log Management, Browser Monitoring, Synthetic Monitoring. Sematext covers Log aggregation, Metrics monitoring, Anomaly detection, API. Both handle APM.

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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Related pages

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