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Logging · head to head

New Relic vs SonarQube Cloud

New Relic logo

New Relic

Logging

Observability made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SonarQube Cloud logo

SonarQube Cloud

Software Development

Cloud-based static code analysis for detecting bugs, vulnerabilities, and code smells.

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; SonarQube Cloud free tier limited to 50k lines of code for private projects.
  • They diverge on capability: New Relic covers APM, SonarQube Cloud covers Static code analysis.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which New Relic and SonarQube Cloud actually diverge.

Attributes where New Relic and SonarQube Cloud differ
AttributeNew RelicSonarQube Cloud
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
PlatformsWeb, Api, Mobileweb, api
CategoryLoggingSoftware Development
Founded2008Unknown

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 New Relic

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

Only in SonarQube Cloud

  • Static code analysis
  • Secrets detection
  • Pull request decoration
  • AI-driven code fixes
  • Compliance reporting
  • SCM integration

What people use each for

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

New Relic

  • Application monitoringnot SonarQube Cloud
  • Infrastructure monitoringnot SonarQube Cloud
  • Error trackingnot SonarQube Cloud
  • Performance optimizationnot SonarQube Cloud

SonarQube Cloud

  • Enforcing code quality gates on pull requestsnot New Relic
  • Detecting security vulnerabilities in cloud-hosted repositoriesnot New Relic
  • Scanning for exposed secrets before mergenot New Relic
  • Meeting compliance standards like PCI DSSnot New Relic
  • Tracking code quality trends across teamsnot 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

SonarQube Cloud

  • Free tier limited to 50k lines of code for private projects.
  • Base Team pricing only covers up to 100,000 lines of code before extra charges apply.
  • Enterprise-grade compliance features require a custom-quoted Enterprise plan.
  • Primarily analysis-focused; lacks the runtime and cloud-workload protection of full CNAPP platforms.

Pricing, plan by plan

New Relic

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the New Relic review.

SonarQube Cloud

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Private project up to 50k lines of code
    • Public/open-source projects free
  • Team$34/month
    • Up to 100,000 lines of code
    • 30+ languages
    • Bug and vulnerability detection
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Advanced security reports
    • Audit logs
    • SSO/SCIM

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 SonarQube Cloud if

  • You need static code analysis.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on web, api.
  • You also want secrets detection.
SonarQube Cloud review

Questions people ask

Is New Relic or SonarQube Cloud better?
Neither clearly leads. New Relic starts at Free and SonarQube Cloud at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, New Relic or SonarQube Cloud?
New Relic starts at Free and SonarQube Cloud at Free.
Does New Relic or SonarQube Cloud run on more platforms?
New Relic runs on Web, Api, Mobile. SonarQube Cloud 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 SonarQube Cloud is typically brought in for.
What can New Relic do that SonarQube Cloud cannot?
New Relic covers APM, Infrastructure Monitoring, Log Management, Browser Monitoring. SonarQube Cloud covers Static code analysis, Secrets detection, Pull request decoration, AI-driven code fixes.

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
SonarQube Cloud: What does SonarQube Cloud cost?

The Team plan starts at $34/month for up to 100,000 lines of code, while Enterprise pricing is custom and quoted annually with additional compliance and SSO features.

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
SonarQube Cloud: Is there a free plan, and what are its limits?

Yes, the free tier lets you explore SonarQube Cloud on a private project up to a maximum of 50,000 lines of code; public projects are free.

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
SonarQube Cloud: How is usage metered?

Billing is based on lines of code in the largest branch of a project; how often analysis runs does not affect the price.

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
SonarQube Cloud: Can I change or cancel my plan?

There is no commitment on the Team plan, and customers can downgrade to the free tier at any time.

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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