Datadog vs New Relic: pricing
Observability pricing · Pricing snapshot: June 2026
On headline entry cost, Datadog has a clearer fixed entry price (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)) while New Relic is usage-based. Datadog bills per host (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)) and New Relic bills per gb / usage (100 GB/mo free, then $0.40/GB + per-user). Both have a free tier. The real winner depends on your host count, data volume and team size. Pricing snapshot: June 2026 - verify current pricing on the vendor's site before relying on these figures.
Data as of June 2026.
Datadog vs New Relic side by side
| Factor | Datadog | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Company | Datadog, Inc. | New Relic, Inc. |
| Pricing model | Per-host (Infra & APM) + per-GB ingested (Logs) + per-session (RUM); modular, products billed separately and stacked | Usage-based: per-GB ingested (all telemetry) + per-user (Full Platform / Core) |
| Primary billing | Per host | Per GB / usage |
| Headline price | APM from $31/host/mo (annual) | 100 GB/mo free, then $0.40/GB + per-user |
| Free tier? | Yes | Yes |
| Free tier detail | Free plan: Infrastructure for up to 5 hosts with 1-day metric retention; 14-day free trial of the full platform. | Free forever: 100 GB ingest/month + 1 Full Platform user + unlimited basic users. |
| Covers | APM, Infrastructure & metrics, Log management, RUM, Distributed tracing, Error tracking | APM, Infrastructure & metrics, Log management, RUM, Distributed tracing, Error tracking |
Sources: Datadog, Inc. pricing · New Relic, Inc. pricing.
Per-signal rates
Where the two overlap, here is the rate each charges per signal:
| Signal | Datadog | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| APM | $31/host/mo | Standard: $99/user; Pro: $349/user (annual) |
| Infrastructure & metrics | $15/host/mo | Counted in the shared ingest meter |
| Log management | $0.10/GB ingest + $1.27/M events indexed (15-day) | 100 GB free, then $0.40/GB (Original) or $0.60/GB (Data Plus) |
| RUM | RUM $1.50/1K sessions; Session Replay +$1.80/1K | Counted in the shared ingest meter |
| Distributed tracing | Bundled in APM | Counted in the shared ingest meter |
| Error tracking | Add-on (usage-based) | Included for Full Platform users |
Cheaper for small vs cheaper for scale
Small / starting out: Both have a free tier, so try each. On headline cost, Datadog has a clearer fixed entry price (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)) while New Relic is usage-based.
At scale: Datadog (single pane of glass across infra, apm, logs, rum and more) versus New Relic (generous free tier: 100 gb/mo + 1 full user, free forever). Remember Datadog bills per host and New Relic bills per gb / usage, which flips the answer depending on whether you scale by hosts, by data volume or by team size.
Verdict
On headline cost alone, Datadog has a clearer fixed entry price (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)) while New Relic is usage-based. But price is only part of the story. Read each full breakdown - Datadog and New Relic - and model your real workload in the cost calculator.
Frequently asked questions
Is Datadog or New Relic cheaper?
On headline entry cost, Datadog has a clearer fixed entry price (APM from $31/host/mo (annual)) while New Relic is usage-based. But the two use different models - Datadog bills per host and New Relic bills per gb / usage - so the real winner depends on your host count, data volume and team size. Compare the per-signal table on this page. Pricing snapshot: June 2026.
Datadog vs New Relic: which for a small team?
For a small team, lean to whichever has the more usable free tier and lower entry price. Datadog: Free plan: Infrastructure for up to 5 hosts with 1-day metric retention; 14-day free trial of the full platform. New Relic: Free forever: 100 GB ingest/month + 1 Full Platform user + unlimited basic users.
Datadog vs New Relic: how do the billing models differ?
Datadog: Per-host (Infra & APM) + per-GB ingested (Logs) + per-session (RUM); modular, products billed separately and stacked. New Relic: Usage-based: per-GB ingested (all telemetry) + per-user (Full Platform / Core). Per-host models penalize dense Kubernetes nodes; per-GB/per-event models penalize verbose telemetry. Model your real usage before deciding. Pricing snapshot: June 2026 - verify current pricing on the vendor's site before relying on these figures.
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Last updated: 2026-06-21