Grafana Labs
FreemiumFull-stack open standards observability platform for metrics, logs, and traces.
Grafana Labs vs New Relic
Objective factual benchmark between two leading platforms to identify optimal fit based on scale and architecture.
New Relic
FreemiumAI-powered observability platform for full-stack monitoring and APM.
Technical Verdict & Decision Factors
Grafana Labs and New Relic provide full-stack observability with usage-based pricing and free tiers. Grafana excels in open standards and customizable dashboards, while New Relic focuses on automated telemetry correlation and native APM agents.
Scale-ups & Agile Teams
Choose Grafana Labs if
Ideal for teams with strong OpenTelemetry and Prometheus adoption seeking vendor lock-in avoidance and deep dashboard customization.
Get started with Grafana Labs (opens in a new tab)Enterprise & Compliance
Choose New Relic if
Optimal for organizations requiring ready-to-use APM agents and advanced AI-assisted error correlation capabilities.
Get started with New Relic (opens in a new tab)Key Differentiators
- Open standards architecture leveraging Prometheus and OpenTelemetry in Grafana Labs.
- Automated root cause correlation and all-in-one APM agents in New Relic.
- Superior data portability and native storage control in Grafana.
Grafana Labs7.3/10
New Relic7.0/10
Grafana Labs9.0/10
New Relic7.8/10
Grafana Labs5.3/10
New Relic3.8/10
Side-by-Side Feature Comparison
| Datasheet | Grafana LabsFreemium | New RelicFreemium |
|---|
Commercial Model & Pricing
| Base Price | Free Tier | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | Freemium | Freemium |
| Score | ||
| Verified | VerifiedVerified tool: Audited technical attributes | VerifiedVerified tool: Audited technical attributes |
Core Features Matrix
| Specific Capabilities for Error Monitoring & APM | ||
|---|---|---|
| Ingesta OpenTelemetry (OTLP) | Compatible | Compatible |
| Source Map Deobfuscation | Not available | Not available |
| Built-in Session Replay | Not available | Not available |
| Direct SQL/ClickHouse Export | Not available | Not available |
| Enterprise Architecture & Security (7 Universals) | ||
| REST & GraphQL API | Compatible | Compatible |
| SSO / SAML Authentication | Compatible | Compatible |
| Self-Hosted Option | Compatible | Not available |
| Full Data Export | Compatible | Compatible |
| Role-Based Access Control (RBAC) | Compatible | Compatible |
| Custom Domains & SSL | Compatible | Not available |
| Immutable Audit Logs | Compatible | Compatible |
Architecture & Verified Specs
| Compliance & Data Sovereignty | ||
|---|---|---|
| Audited Certifications | ||
| SSO (SAML) Availability | Enterprise plan only | Enterprise plan only |
| Legal Headquarters & Jurisdiction | US | US |
| Subject to US CLOUD Act | Subject (US Extraterritorial) | Subject (US Extraterritorial) |
| Data Residency | US, EU | US, EU |
| Open Source Telemetry & Code Sovereignty | ||
| GitHub Stars | 77.8k | Proprietary / Closed Source |
| Latest Commit / Vitality | Nov 9, 2026 | Proprietary / Closed Source |
| SPDX License | AGPL-3.0 | Proprietary / Closed Source |
| Primary Language | TypeScript | Cloud / SaaS |
| Minimum RAM Required | Cloud Managed | Cloud Managed |
| Visit Website | Try Grafana Labs (opens in a new tab) | Try New Relic (opens in a new tab) |
|---|
Last technical review:
Technical Scorecard ComparisonShow detailsHide details
Technical Scorecard Comparison
Technical Scorecard Comparison: Grafana Labs vs New Relic
Grafana Labs92/100
New Relic85/100
DX & Tech Documentation+7 pts Grafana Labs
Pricing Fairness+10 pts Grafana Labs
Security & Governance
Data Portability & Sovereignty+12 pts Grafana Labs
Performance & Reliability+6 pts Grafana Labs
Time to Value & Fit by Segment: Grafana Labs vs New Relic
Grafana Labs
Time-to-Value:1 - 7 days (Agile)
Curve:Moderate (Standard)
Standard sprint integration without complex external dependencies.
New Relic
Time-to-Value:1 - 7 days (Agile)
Curve:Moderate (Standard)
Standard sprint integration without complex external dependencies.
Segment Fit Comparison
Pricing & Licensing BreakdownShow detailsHide details
Pricing & Licensing Breakdown
Billing Clauses & SSO Tax: Grafana Labs vs New Relic
Grafana Labs
Enterprise-Only SSO
SAML/SSO locked strictly behind the highest custom corporate tier.
Free:Includes limited quotas for active metric series, log volume, and trace spans per month.
- High log ingestion volumes can lead to unexpected overage charges in cloud tiers.
New Relic
Enterprise-Only SSO
SAML/SSO locked strictly behind the highest custom corporate tier.
Free:100GB of data ingestion per month and unlimited basic users.
- Log ingestion defaults can capture excessive production data if not filtered correctly.
TCO & Savings CalculatorTCO 1-3YShow detailsHide details
TCO & Savings CalculatorTCO 1-3Y
Usage Billing PredictabilityWhat usage costs as you scaleShow detailsHide details
Usage Billing PredictabilityWhat usage costs as you scale
Bidirectional Migration Friction Index (MFI)Show detailsHide details
Bidirectional Migration Friction Index (MFI)
Bidirectional Migration Friction Index (MFI)
Migration friction: Grafana Labs to New Relic
0/100
Agile transition with low operational risk and native export/API support.
Critical Factors Evaluated
Smooth path: native export support, ingestion API, and authentication parity.
Migration friction: New Relic to Grafana Labs
0/100
Agile transition with low operational risk and native export/API support.
Critical Factors Evaluated
Smooth path: native export support, ingestion API, and authentication parity.
Technical Transition Playbook: Grafana Labs to New RelicCLI Runbook4-stage execution protocol to switch dependencies with zero data loss and verifiable rollback.Show detailsHide details
Technical Transition Playbook: Grafana Labs to New RelicCLI Runbook
4-stage execution protocol to switch dependencies with zero data loss and verifiable rollback.Community Sentiment & Commercial TermsShow detailsHide details
Community Sentiment & Commercial Terms
Technical Reputation of Grafana Labs
89/100 Technical Trust
Frequent Praises in Production
- Native OpenTelemetry ecosystem with support for multiple storage backends.
- Self-hosting capabilities for the core software under open-source licensing.
- Cost optimization via adaptive telemetry reduction and smart aggregation.
Reported Production Frictions
- Steep learning curve for advanced dashboard templating and query optimization.
- Cloud storage expenses can scale rapidly under high log ingestion volumes.
Technical Reputation of New Relic
87/100 Technical Trust
Frequent Praises in Production
- Advanced telemetry correlation across the entire tech stack.
- Includes 100GB of free data ingestion per month.
- Native support for OpenTelemetry and open standards.
Reported Production Frictions
- Uncontrolled log ingestion can cause unexpected cost spikes.
- Steep learning curve for complex alerting and custom dashboards.
Frequently Asked Questions: Grafana Labs vs New Relic
What are the key differences between Grafana Labs and New Relic?
Grafana Labs and New Relic provide full-stack observability with usage-based pricing and free tiers. Grafana excels in open standards and customizable dashboards, while New Relic focuses on automated telemetry correlation and native APM agents.
How do Grafana Labs and New Relic pricing compare?
Grafana Labs starts at 0.00/mo under freemium tier, while New Relic starts at 0.00/mo with freemium billing.
When should you choose Grafana Labs over New Relic?
If your priority is Full-stack open standards observability platform for metrics, logs, and traces., Grafana Labs is the optimal choice; for AI-powered observability platform for full-stack monitoring and APM., New Relic provides superior benefits.