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Software · head to head

Sentry vs Envoy

Sentry logo

Sentry

Software

Application monitoring platform built by developers for developers

From
Free
Rated
-
E

Envoy

Software

An open source edge and service proxy, designed for cloud-native and AI-native applications

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Sentry spending caps stop event ingestion when reached, eliminating visibility during critical moments; Envoy licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (envoyproxy/envoy LICENSE); as a CNCF graduated project it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Sentry and Envoy actually diverge.

Attributes where Sentry and Envoy differ
AttributeSentryEnvoy
Pricing modelUnknownopen-source
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, React Native, Desktop, 30+ frameworks and languagesWeb
Founded2011Unknown

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 Sentry

  • Error tracking
  • Performance monitoring
  • Release tracking
  • Real user monitoring
  • Alerting
  • Issue assignment
  • Breadcrumbs
  • Source maps

Only in Envoy

Nothing recorded that Sentry does not also cover.

What people use each for

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

Sentry

  • Error monitoringnot Envoy
  • Performance trackingnot Envoy
  • Debug production issuesnot Envoy
  • Release managementnot Envoy
  • User monitoringnot Envoy

Envoy

No use cases recorded yet. See the Envoy review.

Where each one falls short

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

Sentry

  • Spending caps stop event ingestion when reached, eliminating visibility during critical moments
  • Complex configuration required for filters, sampling rules, issue grouping, and alert policies
  • Difficult to configure custom alerts and alert content without creating email inbox bloat
  • Error grouping is imperfect with noise and filtering issues causing incorrect error prioritization
  • Weak for distributed tracing across microservices compared to dedicated APM tools
  • UI dashboard is less customizable than alternatives like Datadog APM for complex monitoring needs

Envoy

  • Licensed under Apache License 2.0 per the project's GitHub repository (envoyproxy/envoy LICENSE); as a CNCF graduated project it has no paid tier or vendor price to compare
  • Envoy is a proxy that runs alongside each application instance, per envoyproxy.io, requiring a sidecar or edge deployment model rather than a single centralized install

Pricing, plan by plan

Sentry

Free
  • Developer (Free)Free
    • 5K errors per month
    • 1 user seat
    • 30-day data retention
  • Team$26/month
    • 50K errors per month
    • 5M transaction spans
    • 90-day data retention
  • Business$80/month
    • Higher quotas
    • Extended retention
    • Advanced filtering
  • Organization$199/month
    • SSO integration
    • Audit logs
    • Advanced security

Envoy

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Envoy review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Sentry if

  • You need error tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, React Native, Desktop, 30+ frameworks and languages.
  • You also want performance monitoring.

Choose Envoy if

  • You want to start without paying.

Questions people ask

Is Sentry or Envoy better?
Neither clearly leads. Sentry starts at Free and Envoy at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Sentry or Envoy?
Sentry starts at Free and Envoy at Free.
Does Sentry or Envoy run on more platforms?
Sentry runs on Web, iOS, Android, React Native, Desktop, 30+ frameworks and languages. Envoy runs on Web.
Can I use Sentry for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Sentry best used for?
Sentry is most often used for error monitoring, performance tracking, debug production issues, release management. Of those, error monitoring and performance tracking are not what Envoy is typically brought in for.
What can Sentry do that Envoy cannot?
Sentry covers Error tracking, Performance monitoring, Release tracking, Real user monitoring.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Sentry: Does Sentry have a free tier?

Yes. The free Developer tier includes 5,000 errors per month, one user seat, 30-day retention, and 50 session replays per month.

Source
Sentry: How much do Sentry's paid plans cost?

Team plan starts at $26/month (annual) or $29/month (monthly) with 50K errors and 5M spans included. Business plan is $80-89/month. Organization plans start at $199/month with SSO and advanced compliance features.

Source
Sentry: What programming languages does Sentry support?

Sentry supports over 30 languages and frameworks including JavaScript, Python, Go, Ruby, Java, .NET, PHP, Node.js, and mobile platforms including iOS, Android, and React Native.

Source
Sentry: Does Sentry support self-hosting?

Yes. Sentry can be self-hosted, and the open-source version is available for deployment in on-premises environments.

Source
Sentry: How does Sentry billing work if I exceed my quota?

Sentry offers spending caps that stop ingestion when reached, meaning you lose visibility exactly when you need it most. You can pre-purchase reserved capacity at 20% discount or pay per event on-demand when exceeding included allotment.

Source
Sentry: What integrations does Sentry support?

Sentry integrates with GitHub, GitLab, Jira, Slack, PagerDuty, most CI/CD pipelines, and many other developer tools.

Source

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