Which is better, Blackfire or Retrace?

Retrace edges out the other on user ratings (4.4 vs 2.5). That said, the best pick depends on your use case, so use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.

Do Blackfire and Retrace offer a free trial?

Retrace offers a free trial. Blackfire does not.

What is the starting price of Blackfire vs Retrace?

Blackfire starts at $33.25 /month. Retrace starts at Contact for pricing.

What are the top alternatives to Blackfire?

Top alternatives to Blackfire include Zenoss, Edge Delta, IDERA Precise, Splunk Cloud, eG Enterprise.

What are the top alternatives to Retrace?

Top alternatives to Retrace include New Relic APM, eG Enterprise, Instana, ManageEngine Applications Manager, Dynatrace.

Blackfire vs Retrace Comparison

Last updated: July 30, 2026

Blackfire

2.5(2 reviews)

Starting at $33.25 /month

Large Enterprises
Medium Business

Blackfire is an application performance monitoring tool for development teams that provides lightweight profiling to identify performance bottlenecks in code. It is designed to minimize setup overhead so developers spend…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Retrace

4.4(57 reviews)

Starting at Contact for pricing

Free Trial
Individuals
Medium Business

Retrace is a suite of application performance monitoring tools that empower development teams to find, understand and fix inefficiencies at the source. It has deep hands-on experience with APM tools, and goal has been to…

View Pricing Read Reviews

Retrace leads on user satisfaction with a 4.4-star rating across 57 reviews.

Blackfire vs Retrace — at a glance

Feature	Blackfire	Retrace
Rating	2.5 / 5	4.4 / 5
Reviews	2	57
Starting price	$33.25 /month	Contact for pricing
Free trial	No	Yes
Free version	No	No
Best for	Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business	Individuals, Medium Business, Small Business
Category	Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools	Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools
Platforms	SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac	SaaS/Web/Cloud
API	Available	—
Support modes	Business Hours, Online	Business Hours
Certifications	GDPR	SOC 2, GDPR
Data residency	Global	US

Key differences between Blackfire and Retrace

Pricing: Blackfire starts at $33.25 /month. Retrace pricing is not publicly listed.
Free trial: Retrace offers a free trial; Blackfire does not.
Target audience: Blackfire is built for Large Enterprises and Medium Business, while Retrace targets Individuals and Medium Business.
User satisfaction: Retrace scores higher with a 4.4-star average.
Deployment: Blackfire supports SaaS/Web/Cloud, Installed - Windows, Installed - Mac; Retrace supports SaaS/Web/Cloud.

Blackfire vs Retrace — find the better fit before you commit.

Which tool fits your team best

Which is actually cheaper for your team size

Where each product wins, per real buyers

Most Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools tools look identical on paper. This comparison cuts to the differences that matter — pricing structure, team fit, and what real buyers found after signing up.

Biggest differences

Features

Pricing

Buying details

Security

Buyer feedback

Integrations

Product tour

Other options

	Blackfire (2) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert	Retrace (58) Talk to an expert Talk to an expert

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Blackfire vs Retrace: Biggest differences

Affiliate Disclosure

Start here before you go deeper into features.

Blackfire

Best for

Large Enterprises, Medium Business, Small Business

Retrace

Best for developer-focused application performance monitoring and troubleshooting.

Choose if

You are a small to medium software development or DevOps team focused on app delivery.
You need a streamlined, intuitive interface that simplifies identifying and fixing app inefficiencies.
You want expert-backed APM functionality that enhances troubleshooting productivity and application optimization.

Consider alternatives if

You require broad IT operations monitoring beyond application performance metrics.
Your team includes non-technical stakeholders needing simplified dashboards and easy accessibility.

Blackfire typically suits Large Enterprises and Medium Business. Retrace tends to fit Individuals and Medium Business better. The right choice depends on your team size, workflow, and whether a free trial matters.

Description	Blackfire is an application performance monitoring tool for development teams that provides lightweight profiling to identify performance bottlenecks in code. It is designed to minimize ... Read More about Blackfire	Retrace is a suite of application performance monitoring tools that empower development teams to find, understand and fix inefficiencies at the source. It has deep hands-on experience with ... Read More about Retrace
Entry Level Pricing	Starts from $33.25 , monthly	Not Available
Free Trial Availability	No free trial	Free Trial available
SpotScore What's this? ↗	7.6/10	8.3/10
User Ratings Based on verified Spotsaas reviews	2.5 (2)	4.36 (57)
Best Company Size	—	Small businessesMedium businesses
	Get pricing help	Get pricing help

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How do Blackfire and Retrace Compare on Features?

Total Features	4 Features	9 Features
Unique Features	No unique features	No unique features
	Get Quote	Get Quote

Compare Blackfire and Retrace on pricing

Review starting price, plan structure, and free-trial access side by side so you can see which option fits your budget and buying process.

Pricing Option
Starting From	$33.25 , monthly	Not Available
Pricing Plans	Production plan $189.90 /month Get Started Included: Profiling Performance Monitoring Show more +	Not Available
Pricing Page
	View detailed pricing	View detailed pricing

Blackfire vs Retrace: Other Details

Organization Types supported	Individuals Medium Business Small Business Freelancers Large Enterprises	Individuals Medium Business Small Business Freelancers Large Enterprises
Platforms Supported	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Browser Based (Cloud)	Browser Based (Cloud) Mobile - Android Mobile - iOS Installed - Windows Installed - Mac Browser Based (Cloud)
Modes of support	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online	24/7 (Live rep) Business Hours Online
API Support	Available	Not Available
	Get help choosing	Get help choosing

Blackfire vs Retrace Security & Compliance

Certifications, data handling, and security controls for IT and compliance evaluators.

SOC 2	—	✓ Yes
GDPR	✓ Yes	✓ Yes
ISO 27001	—	✗ No
Single Sign-On (SSO)	—	✓ Yes
Multi-Factor Auth (MFA)	—	✓ Yes
Data Encryption	—	✓ Yes
Audit Logs	—	✓ Yes
Data Residency	🌐 Global	🇺🇸 US

Blackfire User Reviews & Rating Comparison

User Ratings	2.5 (based on 2 reviews)	4.36 (based on 57 reviews)
Rating Distribution	1 0 0 0 1	35 20 3 0 0
Spotsaas Editor’s POV generated by AI	Buyer sentiment Buyer sentiment is cautious across 2 reviews, with several recurring concerns in feedback. What buyers like Developers can spend more time focusing on building high-quality software by identifying and resolving performance issues efficiently. Blackfire is known for its exceptional customer support, which ensures that users can quickly resolve any issues and get the most out of the platform. The tools are lightweight, minimizing overhead, and the user interface is straightforward, allowing developers to quickly get started and focus on optimization rather than troubleshooting. Common complaints While the platform is user-friendly, new users or teams unfamiliar with application performance monitoring may initially face a slight learning curve to fully harness its potential. Given its comprehensive features and industry recognition, Blackfire may come with a higher price tag, which could be a concern for smaller teams or startups with limited budgets.	Buyer sentiment Users appreciate Retrace’s expert-backed, streamlined approach to application performance monitoring but note a learning curve and limited scope beyond developer teams. What buyers like Ease of troubleshooting Reliability of monitoring Intuitive user interface Common complaints Limited feature breadth Initial learning curve
Pros and Cons	Industry-standard APM tool with robust features. User-friendly interface that minimizes learning curve. Responsive customer support that aids quick problem resolution. May not integrate seamlessly with all platforms. Pricing may be a barrier for smaller teams.	Streamlines troubleshooting and optimization to enhance productivity Expert-backed and reliable APM functionality Intuitive interface that removes obstacles to improving application delivery Narrow focus on APM limits broader IT operations capabilities Primarily designed for developers, limiting accessibility for other teams
Positive Reviews	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product
Negative Reviews	No reviews available for the product	No reviews available for the product
	Read reviews	Read reviews

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots	3 Screenshots	5 Screenshots
Videos	3 Videos	4 Videos

Top Alternatives to Blackfire and Retrace in 2026

Alternatives	Zenoss 3.91 Edge Delta IDERA Precise 4.17	New Relic APM 4.25 eG Enterprise 5 Instana 4.53

Disclaimer: This research has been collated from a variety of authoritative sources. We welcome your feedback at [email protected].

Frequently asked questions

Which is better, Blackfire or Retrace?: Retrace edges out the other on user ratings (4.4 vs 2.5). That said, the best pick depends on your use case, so use the comparison tables above to evaluate each dimension.
Do Blackfire and Retrace offer a free trial?: Retrace offers a free trial. Blackfire does not.
What is the starting price of Blackfire vs Retrace?: Blackfire starts at $33.25 /month. Retrace starts at Contact for pricing.
What are the top alternatives to Blackfire?: Top alternatives to Blackfire include Zenoss, Edge Delta, IDERA Precise, Splunk Cloud, eG Enterprise.
What are the top alternatives to Retrace?: Top alternatives to Retrace include New Relic APM, eG Enterprise, Instana, ManageEngine Applications Manager, Dynatrace.

Blackfire vs Retrace Comparison

Blackfire

Retrace

Blackfire vs Retrace — at a glance

Key differences between Blackfire and Retrace

Blackfire vs Retrace — find the better fit before you commit.

Blackfire

Retrace

Download this Blackfire vs Retrace comparison

Blackfire vs Retrace: Biggest differences

Description

Entry Level Pricing

Free Trial Availability

SpotScore

User Ratings

Best Company Size

Software Demo

Demo

Get decision help from a software advisor

How big is your team?

How do Blackfire and Retrace Compare on Features?

Compare Blackfire and Retrace on pricing

Blackfire vs Retrace: Other Details

Organization Types supported

Platforms Supported

Modes of support

API Support

Blackfire vs Retrace Security & Compliance

Blackfire User Reviews & Rating Comparison

Media and Screenshots

Screenshots

Videos

Top Alternatives to Blackfire and Retrace in 2026

Frequently asked questions