Pricing overview
New Relic API's pricing model is primarily usage-based, focusing on two main components: data ingest and user types. This structure allows organizations to scale their observability costs according to their operational needs, from collecting application performance metrics to infrastructure logs and security events New Relic pricing page. The data ingest component is measured in gigabytes (GB) per month, encompassing all telemetry data sent to the New Relic platform via its various agents and APIs. User types are categorized to reflect different levels of access and functionality, influencing the per-user cost.
The platform offers a free tier designed for initial exploration or small-scale projects, providing a defined amount of data ingest and a full user license without charge. As usage expands beyond these free limits, customers transition to paid plans that offer increased allowances and additional features. The pricing structure is designed to accommodate various organizational sizes and monitoring requirements, from individual developers to large enterprises requiring comprehensive full-stack observability.
Plans and tiers
New Relic provides different plans that bundle data ingest and user access, each tailored to varying operational scales and feature requirements. These plans build upon each other, offering greater capacity and advanced capabilities as customers move up the tiers New Relic plans and features. The core differentiator between paid tiers often lies in the volume of included data ingest, the types and numbers of users supported, and access to specific advanced features like anomaly detection or longer data retention periods.
Plan comparison table
| Plan | Starting Price (per month) | Key Inclusions/Limits | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 100 GB data ingest, 1 full user | Small projects, evaluation, personal use |
| Standard | $99 | 250 GB data ingest, 1 core user, 8-day data retention | Small to medium teams, foundational observability |
| Pro | Custom pricing | Increased data ingest, more core/full users, extended data retention (30 days+), advanced features | Growing organizations, comprehensive observability, advanced analytics |
| Enterprise | Custom pricing | Highest data ingest, unlimited users, custom data retention, dedicated support, security features | Large enterprises, critical applications, strict compliance needs |
Beyond the base plan costs, additional data ingest is typically billed per GB, and additional users are billed per user per month, with rates varying by user type (e.g., full user, core user, basic user). Full users have complete access to all New Relic platform capabilities, while core users have access to specific products like APM or Infrastructure monitoring. Basic users typically have read-only access to dashboards and alerts New Relic user types explained.
Free tier and limits
New Relic offers a free tier that provides a foundational set of capabilities without any cost. This tier includes 100 GB of data ingest per month and one free full user. The 100 GB data limit applies to all telemetry data, including metrics, events, logs, and traces, allowing users to monitor a substantial amount of activity from applications, infrastructure, and other sources. The inclusion of one full user means that a single individual can access and utilize all features of the New Relic platform within the data limits, making it suitable for individual developers, small projects, or initial proof-of-concept deployments.
Beyond the 100 GB data limit, any additional data ingest will incur charges according to the prevailing rates for paid plans. Similarly, adding more full users or core users will require an upgrade to a paid plan. The free tier also typically comes with standard data retention periods, which may be shorter than those offered in higher-tier paid plans.
Real-world cost examples
To illustrate potential costs, consider a few scenarios based on New Relic's pricing model:
- Small Development Team: A team monitoring a few microservices and a small set of infrastructure components might ingest approximately 150 GB of data per month. If they need two core users, their cost could start with the Standard plan ($99/month for 250 GB and one core user) plus an additional core user fee. For example, if an additional core user costs $49/month, the total would be $99 + $49 = $148/month.
- Medium-sized Application: An organization running a moderately trafficked web application with several backend services and a cloud infrastructure might generate 750 GB of data per month. They require five core users and two full users for different roles. This scenario would likely necessitate a Pro plan, where pricing is custom. Assuming an indicative rate of $0.30/GB for data exceeding the Standard plan's allowance and specific per-user costs, the calculation would involve a base Pro plan cost plus add-ons.
- Large Enterprise Deployment: A large enterprise with hundreds of applications, extensive serverless functions, and a global infrastructure could easily ingest several terabytes of data monthly, requiring dozens of full and core users, along with specialized security and compliance features. This scale would fall under the Enterprise plan, which involves a custom negotiation to align with specific organizational needs for data volume, user count, support, and custom data retention policies.
These examples highlight that actual costs vary significantly based on the volume of data ingested and the number and type of users. Organizations should carefully estimate their expected data volume and user requirements to accurately forecast their New Relic expenses explore New Relic pricing details.
How the pricing compares
New Relic's usage-based pricing model, centered on data ingest and user types, is a common approach in the observability and application performance monitoring (APM) market. Competitors like Datadog and Dynatrace also employ similar models, often charging per host, per GB of ingested logs, or per monitor, in addition to per-user fees Datadog pricing overview. The key differences often lie in the specific breakdown of these costs and the included features within each tier.
- Data Ingest: New Relic's 100 GB free tier for data ingest is competitive, offering a substantial amount for initial use. Some alternatives might offer lower free data limits but compensate with different pricing for specific types of telemetry (e.g., charging less for metrics than for logs or traces).
- User Types: The distinction between full, core, and basic users allows for granular control over access and cost. Competitors may simplify user roles or offer more bundled user access in their base plans, which can be advantageous for teams with many stakeholders requiring access.
- Bundled Features: New Relic's plans often bundle various observability products (APM, Infrastructure, Browser, Mobile, Logs, etc.) under a unified data ingest model. Some competitors might price these products more modularly, allowing organizations to pay only for the specific monitoring components they use. However, this can sometimes lead to more complex billing structures.
- Enterprise Customization: For large enterprises, all major observability platforms, including New Relic, typically offer custom pricing that can be negotiated based on specific scale, feature requirements, and long-term commitments. This allows for tailored solutions that address complex operational and budgetary needs.
When comparing pricing, organizations should consider not just the sticker price but also the total cost of ownership, including the efficiency of data usage, the number of users who need access, and the value derived from the included features for their specific use cases.