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Software · head to head

New Relic vs Sketch

New Relic logo

New Relic

Software

Observability made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Sketch logo

Sketch

Software

The digital design toolkit

From
$12/month
Rated
-

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; Sketch macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features
  • They diverge on capability: New Relic covers APM, Sketch covers Vector editing.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where New Relic and Sketch differ
AttributeNew RelicSketch
Starting priceFree$12/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Api, MobilemacOS, Web, iOS, iPad
Founded20082010

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), 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 Sketch

  • Vector editing
  • Symbols & components
  • Prototyping
  • Real-time collaboration
  • Developer handoff
  • Plugins ecosystem
  • Cloud sync
  • Version history

What people use each for

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

New Relic

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

Sketch

  • UI designnot New Relic
  • Mobile app designnot New Relic
  • Web designnot New Relic
  • Design systemsnot New Relic
  • Prototypingnot 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

Sketch

  • macOS-only for editing, blocking Windows and Linux users from accessing design features
  • Real-time collaboration feels less seamless than Figma with occasional sync delays
  • Limited built-in image editing capabilities, requiring external software for bitmap work
  • Subscription required for cloud features and collaboration, losing access if subscription lapses

Pricing, plan by plan

New Relic

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the New Relic review.

Sketch

$12/month
  • Standard$12/month
    • Real-time collaboration
    • Unlimited documents
    • Unlimited free viewers
  • Professional$24/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Single Sign-On (SSO)
    • Project archiving
  • Enterprise$44/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • SCIM provisioning
    • BYOK encryption
  • Mac-only License$120/perpetual
    • Native Mac app
    • Offline access
    • Local file saving

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.

Choose Sketch if

  • You need vector editing.
  • You work on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad.
  • You also want symbols & components.

Questions people ask

Is New Relic or Sketch better?
Neither clearly leads. New Relic starts at Free and Sketch at $12/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, New Relic or Sketch?
New Relic has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for New Relic and $12/month for Sketch.
Does New Relic or Sketch run on more platforms?
New Relic runs on Web, Api, Mobile. Sketch runs on macOS, Web, iOS, iPad.
Can I use New Relic for free?
Yes. New Relic has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sketch starts at $12/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 Sketch is typically brought in for.
What can New Relic do that Sketch cannot?
New Relic covers APM, Infrastructure Monitoring, Log Management, Browser Monitoring. Sketch covers Vector editing, Symbols & components, Prototyping, Real-time collaboration.

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
Sketch: Is Sketch available for Windows or Linux?

No. Sketch is macOS-only for the design and prototyping features. Web and mobile apps provide viewing and collaboration, but editing requires macOS 14.0 or later.

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
Sketch: Does Sketch offer a free trial?

Yes. Sketch provides a 30-day free trial with no credit card required. You can also purchase a one-time Mac-only license for $120 per seat instead of subscribing.

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
Sketch: What collaboration features does Sketch include?

Sketch supports real-time collaboration, unlimited document sharing, unlimited viewers, and version history on all paid subscription plans (Standard $12/month, Professional $24/month, Enterprise $44/month).

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
Sketch: Can I use Sketch offline?

Yes. The one-time Mac-only license ($120) allows you to use Sketch offline and save files locally, but it excludes cloud collaboration and iOS previewing features.

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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