Grafana Cloud vs New Relic
Grafana Cloud excels as an open, composable observability platform for teams that value data source flexibility and cost optimization through Adaptive Telemetry. New Relic delivers a more comprehensive all-in-one APM experience with 780+ integrations and deeper code-level diagnostics out of the box.
Grafana Cloud4.3New Relic4.2
Observability
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Grafana Cloud | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Best For | Teams wanting open-source flexibility, custom dashboards, and multi-source data visualization with no vendor lock-in | Organizations needing full-stack APM with code-level diagnostics, session replay, and 780+ pre-built integrations |
| Pricing Model | Contact for pricing | Free tier available, paid plans start at $19/mo per host, additional costs based on usage and features |
| Core Strength | Unified visualization across multiple data sources with Adaptive Telemetry saving 35-50% on observability costs | End-to-end application performance monitoring with AI-powered insights and 50+ built-in capabilities |
| AI Capabilities | Grafana Assistant powers agentic workflows, intelligent filters, prebuilt dashboards, and customized alert creation | AI and agentic monitoring for LLM and agent oversight, plus SRE Agent for automated incident remediation |
| Integrations | OpenTelemetry-native with pluggable data source model supporting Graphite, CloudWatch, Azure, MySQL, and growing plugin ecosystem | 780+ quickstart integrations covering AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, databases, and serverless environments out of the box |
| Compliance | SOC 2, GDPR, PCI DSS, FedRAMP High, and DoD IL5 authorization via Grafana Federal Cloud | FedRAMP Moderate and HIPAA eligibility with Data Plus, enterprise-grade security and governance controls |
Grafana Cloud
- Best For:
- Teams wanting open-source flexibility, custom dashboards, and multi-source data visualization with no vendor lock-in
- Pricing Model:
- Contact for pricing
- Core Strength:
- Unified visualization across multiple data sources with Adaptive Telemetry saving 35-50% on observability costs
- AI Capabilities:
- Grafana Assistant powers agentic workflows, intelligent filters, prebuilt dashboards, and customized alert creation
- Integrations:
- OpenTelemetry-native with pluggable data source model supporting Graphite, CloudWatch, Azure, MySQL, and growing plugin ecosystem
- Compliance:
- SOC 2, GDPR, PCI DSS, FedRAMP High, and DoD IL5 authorization via Grafana Federal Cloud
New Relic
- Best For:
- Organizations needing full-stack APM with code-level diagnostics, session replay, and 780+ pre-built integrations
- Pricing Model:
- Free tier available, paid plans start at $19/mo per host, additional costs based on usage and features
- Core Strength:
- End-to-end application performance monitoring with AI-powered insights and 50+ built-in capabilities
- AI Capabilities:
- AI and agentic monitoring for LLM and agent oversight, plus SRE Agent for automated incident remediation
- Integrations:
- 780+ quickstart integrations covering AWS, Azure, GCP, Kubernetes, databases, and serverless environments out of the box
- Compliance:
- FedRAMP Moderate and HIPAA eligibility with Data Plus, enterprise-grade security and governance controls
Interface Preview
Grafana Cloud
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Grafana Cloud | New Relic |
|---|---|---|
| Monitoring & Observability | ||
| Full-Stack APM | Via Application Observability integration | Native APM 360 with code-level diagnostics |
| Infrastructure Monitoring | Cloud metrics with multi-source dashboards | Full hybrid visibility across cloud and on-premises |
| Log Management | Cloud logs with 14-day free retention | Logs in Context linked to APM and distributed tracing |
| AI & Automation | ||
| AI Assistant | Grafana Assistant for agentic workflows and intelligent filtering | AI-powered insights with automated alerting and correlation |
| Agentic Monitoring | AI-assisted onboarding and context-rich alert enrichment | Dedicated AI and Agentic Monitoring for LLM and agent tracking |
| Automated Remediation | Knowledge-graph enriched alerts for faster incident resolution | SRE Agent for automated remediation beyond assistance |
| Data & Integrations | ||
| OpenTelemetry Support | OpenTelemetry-native observability built into the platform | Full OpenTelemetry ingest for metrics, traces, and logs |
| Pre-Built Integrations | Growing plugin ecosystem with pluggable data source model | 780+ quickstart integrations for instant setup |
| Custom Dashboards | Industry-leading dashboard builder with pre-defined templates | Customizable dashboards with data visualization tools |
| Security & Compliance | ||
| FedRAMP | FedRAMP High and DoD IL5 via Federal Cloud | FedRAMP Moderate eligibility with Data Plus |
| SOC 2 & GDPR | SOC 2 Type II verified and GDPR compliant | Enterprise-grade security and governance |
| Vulnerability Management | Not a core focus area | Built-in vulnerability management with guided remediation |
| Developer Experience | ||
| Onboarding | AI-assisted onboarding with guided workflows for rapid setup | Quickstart integrations and pre-built observability resources |
| Query Language | Supports multiple query languages per data source | NRQL proprietary query language praised for power and flexibility |
| Session Replay | Not available natively | Session replay with AI-identified friction points |
Monitoring & Observability
Full-Stack APM
Grafana CloudVia Application Observability integration
New RelicNative APM 360 with code-level diagnostics
Infrastructure Monitoring
Grafana CloudCloud metrics with multi-source dashboards
New RelicFull hybrid visibility across cloud and on-premises
Log Management
Grafana CloudCloud logs with 14-day free retention
New RelicLogs in Context linked to APM and distributed tracing
AI & Automation
AI Assistant
Grafana CloudGrafana Assistant for agentic workflows and intelligent filtering
New RelicAI-powered insights with automated alerting and correlation
Agentic Monitoring
Grafana CloudAI-assisted onboarding and context-rich alert enrichment
New RelicDedicated AI and Agentic Monitoring for LLM and agent tracking
Automated Remediation
Grafana CloudKnowledge-graph enriched alerts for faster incident resolution
New RelicSRE Agent for automated remediation beyond assistance
Data & Integrations
OpenTelemetry Support
Grafana CloudOpenTelemetry-native observability built into the platform
New RelicFull OpenTelemetry ingest for metrics, traces, and logs
Pre-Built Integrations
Grafana CloudGrowing plugin ecosystem with pluggable data source model
New Relic780+ quickstart integrations for instant setup
Custom Dashboards
Grafana CloudIndustry-leading dashboard builder with pre-defined templates
New RelicCustomizable dashboards with data visualization tools
Security & Compliance
FedRAMP
Grafana CloudFedRAMP High and DoD IL5 via Federal Cloud
New RelicFedRAMP Moderate eligibility with Data Plus
SOC 2 & GDPR
Grafana CloudSOC 2 Type II verified and GDPR compliant
New RelicEnterprise-grade security and governance
Vulnerability Management
Grafana CloudNot a core focus area
New RelicBuilt-in vulnerability management with guided remediation
Developer Experience
Onboarding
Grafana CloudAI-assisted onboarding with guided workflows for rapid setup
New RelicQuickstart integrations and pre-built observability resources
Query Language
Grafana CloudSupports multiple query languages per data source
New RelicNRQL proprietary query language praised for power and flexibility
Session Replay
Grafana CloudNot available natively
New RelicSession replay with AI-identified friction points
Our Verdict
Grafana Cloud excels as an open, composable observability platform for teams that value data source flexibility and cost optimization through Adaptive Telemetry. New Relic delivers a more comprehensive all-in-one APM experience with 780+ integrations and deeper code-level diagnostics out of the box.
When to Choose Each
Choose Grafana Cloud if:
Choose Grafana Cloud if your team values open-source foundations, needs to unify multiple existing data sources into custom dashboards, and wants to reduce observability costs with Adaptive Telemetry that saves 35-50% across metrics, logs, and traces. It is ideal for organizations already invested in the Grafana ecosystem or those requiring FedRAMP High and DoD IL5 compliance through its Federal Cloud offering.
Choose New Relic if:
Choose New Relic if you need a full-stack observability platform with 50+ built-in capabilities, native APM with code-level diagnostics, and 780+ quickstart integrations for instant setup. It suits teams that want AI and agentic monitoring for LLM oversight, session replay for digital experience insights, and usage-based pricing with 100 GB of free data ingest per month to get started without upfront commitment.
This verdict is based on general use cases. Your specific requirements, existing tech stack, and team expertise should guide your final decision.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do Grafana Cloud and New Relic differ in their approach to observability?
Grafana Cloud takes an open, composable approach built on open-source tools like Grafana, Loki, Tempo, and Mimir. It lets you connect multiple data sources and build unified dashboards without vendor lock-in. New Relic offers a more integrated all-in-one platform with 50+ capabilities built into a single experience, including native APM, infrastructure monitoring, log management, and digital experience monitoring. Grafana Cloud focuses on flexibility and data source aggregation, while New Relic emphasizes a cohesive, full-stack monitoring experience with deep code-level diagnostics and 780+ quickstart integrations.
Which platform offers better pricing for growing teams?
Grafana Cloud provides a free-forever tier with access to all services (with usage limits), 14-day retention for metrics, logs, and traces, and AI Assistant access. Its Pro plan adds usage-based pricing with extended retention and email support. New Relic offers 100 GB of free data ingest per month with unlimited free basic users. Core users cost $49/user per month and Full Platform users cost $349/user per month. Grafana Cloud also features Adaptive Telemetry that can save 35-50% on observability costs by automatically prioritizing critical data. The best choice depends on your data volume and user count, as Grafana Cloud charges primarily by usage while New Relic adds per-user fees for full platform access.
How do the AI capabilities compare between Grafana Cloud and New Relic?
Both platforms invest heavily in AI-powered observability. Grafana Cloud offers the Grafana Assistant for agentic AI workflows, intelligent filtering, prebuilt dashboards, and customized alerts, along with context-rich alerts enriched by a knowledge graph of your systems. New Relic provides dedicated AI and Agentic Monitoring for tracking LLM and AI agent behavior, an SRE Agent for automated incident remediation, and AI-powered session replay that automatically identifies friction points. New Relic edges ahead for teams monitoring AI applications specifically, while Grafana Cloud focuses AI on operational efficiency and alert quality.
Which platform has better compliance and security certifications?
Both platforms meet enterprise-grade security requirements, but with different strengths. Grafana Cloud holds SOC 2 Type II, GDPR, PCI DSS, and NATSEC100 certifications, and offers FedRAMP High and DoD IL5 authorization through its dedicated Grafana Federal Cloud offering. New Relic provides FedRAMP Moderate eligibility and HIPAA eligibility through its Data Plus tier, with enterprise-grade security and governance controls and priority ticket routing. For federal and defense workloads requiring the highest compliance levels, Grafana Cloud has the edge with FedRAMP High authorization compared to New Relic's FedRAMP Moderate level.