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Top 6 Free New Relic APM Alternatives, Compared (2026)

Explore 6 alternatives to New Relic APM — vetted by our editors with real user reviews, pricing, and feature comparisons.

The 6 best free New Relic APM alternatives at a glance

Quick answer

Our pick of free application performance monitoring (apm) tools alternatives to New Relic APM: Datadog APM, Dynatrace and AppDynamics. Datadog APM leads the pack with a SpotScore of 9.8 and a 4.13★ rating. Compare all 6 on score, rating, and pricing below.

When New Relic APM stops earning its keep, you have options. These 6 application performance monitoring (apm) tools free alternatives are the ones we'd recommend first, ranked by SpotScore (real-user satisfaction and market presence combined), star ratings, and how each one prices. Editors check every entry. Skim the table, then read on for the detail.

ProductSpotScoreRatingPricingBest for
Datadog APMEffortlessly monitor all your apps in real time.9.8★★★★☆ 4.13(153)Freefrom $31 /Host/Monthteams of all sizes
DynatraceOptimize user experience with real-time app intelligence.9.7★★★★★ 4.52(283)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionteams of all sizes
AppDynamicsMaximize performance. Minimize downtime.9.5★★★★☆ 4.2(129)FreeFree Trial · Quotation Basedenterprises
RetraceEfficiency at its source for seamless delivery.8.3★★★★☆ 4.36(58)FreeFree Trial · Subscriptionsmall & mid-size businesses
RaygunStreamline error tracking and solve issues in minutes.8.3★★★★☆ 4.42(68)FreeFree Trial · Subscription · Quotation Basedteams of all sizes
APImetricsUnleash the power of API monitoring.—★★★★★ 4.75(4)Freefrom $20/moteams of all sizes

9.8

SpotScore

Datadog APM - Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools

Datadog APM

Effortlessly monitor all your apps in real time.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

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4.1

153 verified reviews

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What is Datadog APM?

Datadog APM provides team with visibility into the health and performance of applications across multiple clouds and on-premises environments. Datadog APM helps business get faster visibility into new application availability issues, so business can resolve them faster. Proactively monitor and ...

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9.7

SpotScore

Dynatrace - Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools

Dynatrace

Optimize user experience with real-time app intelligence.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.5

283 verified reviews

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What is Dynatrace?

Dynatrace APM enables users to measure, monitor and diagnose every step of the user experience in real-time: how fast web pages load and how responsive apps respond. Its out-of-the-box intelligence captures application data beyond standard metrics and with dashboards that present the ...

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9.5

SpotScore

AppDynamics - Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools

AppDynamics

Maximize performance. Minimize downtime.

Best for: Enterprise

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4.2

129 verified reviews

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What is AppDynamics?

AppDynamics is a provider of application performance monitoring products that help companies deliver quality applications and services to customers. AppDynamics focuses on its key differentiators: application intelligence and visibility from end-to-end, to help diagnose and eliminate ...

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Free Trial·

AppDynamics offers custom pricing plan

8.3

SpotScore

Retrace - Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools

Retrace

Efficiency at its source for seamless delivery.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market

Start Free Trial

4.4

58 verified reviews

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What is Retrace?

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 design a product that removes as many obstacles as possible between user ...

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Free Trial

8.3

SpotScore

Raygun - Application Performance Monitoring (APM) Tools

Raygun

Streamline error tracking and solve issues in minutes.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.4

68 verified reviews

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What is Raygun?

Raygun provides the simplest, most affordable and easiest to use error tracking and software monitoring tools available. With Raygun user can automatically detect problems and receive alerts, see their impact on users in real-time, understand the root cause of bugs and issues, resolve issues in ...

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Free Trial·

Raygun offers custom pricing plan

APImetrics - New SaaS Software

APImetrics

Unleash the power of API monitoring.

Best for: SMB teams · Mid-market · Enterprise

Start Free Trial

4.8

4 verified reviews

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What is APImetrics?

APImetrics is the reliable tool to get accurate and unbiased metrics for APIs that you depend on. Streamline technical tooling and complex development tasks to test different scenarios in various locations and data centers. Monitor production security status around the clock in a stress-free ...

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What sets each pick apart

Datadog APM9.8Best for teams of all sizes

With powerful tools for monitoring and troubleshooting, Datadog APM simplifies the process of diagnosing and fixing performance issues across applications, which enhances operational efficiency.

Watch for: While the platform provides detailed insights, the sheer volume of data generated can be overwhelming for teams without the proper filtering and configuration, making it difficult to focus on critical issues.

Dynatrace9.7Best for teams of all sizes

By providing real-time data with detailed breakdowns, Dynatrace allows for quicker identification and resolution of performance issues, reducing downtime and improving service reliability.

Watch for: Dynatrace's pricing may not be affordable for smaller businesses or startups, as it's designed more for large enterprises, making it less accessible for budget-conscious organizations.

AppDynamics9.5Best for enterprises

Diagnostic tools identify performance bottlenecks and help resolve application problems quickly, reducing investigation time.

Watch for: Enterprise-level pricing is a barrier for smaller businesses and startups.

Retrace8.3Best for small & mid-size businesses

Retrace reduces time spent on troubleshooting and optimization, helping development teams deliver applications faster.

Watch for: Retrace's specialized focus on application performance monitoring may not provide the breadth of features needed for broader IT operations management or monitoring.

Raygun8.3Best for teams of all sizes

Raygun provides tried-and-tested workarounds and fixes that can be applied directly to production code, for quick resolution without needing in-depth technical knowledge.

Watch for: While the real-time alerts are beneficial, they may overwhelm users with frequent notifications if not properly filtered, especially during high-traffic periods.

APImetricsBest for teams of all sizes

Accurate API metrics

Watch for: Requires technical knowledge

Why teams look for a New Relic APM alternative

Teams looking past New Relic APM often cite reasons like these:

  • As your usage scales up, the cost of New Relic APM can increase, making it less cost-effective for smaller teams or startups.
  • New Relic's monitoring can be resource-intensive, which may impact the performance of applications if not configured properly.
  • The setup process can be complex for new users, especially for teams with limited experience in application monitoring.

Choosing a New Relic APM alternative

The quick comparison across all 6 free alternatives: 6 offer a free tier; paid plans run $20–$31, with APImetrics the cheapest entry point; and APImetrics is the highest rated at 4.75★ across 4 reviews.

Our methodology.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

Stuck on something? We're here to help with all the questions and answers in one place.

The top-rated alternatives to New Relic APM are APImetrics (4.8★), Dynatrace (4.5★), Raygun (4.4★). Compare all 6 alternatives side-by-side above.

When evaluating alternatives to New Relic APM, prioritize: Dashboard, Event-based Notification, Uptime Reporting, Web Defacement Monitoring, API Monitoring, transparent pricing, free trial availability, and integrations with your existing tools. Use the filters above to compare by feature, budget, and team size.

Migration difficulty depends on how deeply New Relic APM is integrated into your workflows. Most alternatives offer data export/import tools and dedicated onboarding support. We recommend shortlisting 2–3 options, running a free trial, and checking each vendor's migration guides before committing.

How to pick the best New Relic APM alternative

  • On a budget / just exploring: start with a free tier — Datadog APM, Dynatrace and AppDynamics let you evaluate without paying upfront.
  • If real-user ratings matter most: APImetrics has the strongest star rating (4.75★) among the options with verified reviews.
  • Want the safest pick: Datadog APM has the highest Spotsaas Score (9.8) in this list — a strong default if you're unsure.

How to migrate from New Relic APM

To switch off New Relic APM without disruption, handle your data first: export it and test that the new tool imports it cleanly. Verify your key workflows still function, pilot the move on a free plan or trial, and keep New Relic APM active until the cutover is complete.

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