Dynatrace excels in AI-driven root cause analysis and automatic instrumentation across complex microservices environments, while New Relic offers more flexible pricing and stronger developer-focused features. Dynatrace is better for large enterprises with complex architectures, while New Relic suits mid-market companies prioritizing cost control.
Dynatrace vs New Relic — Side-by-side comparison on A Versus B
Choose Dynatrace if you operate large-scale microservices with complex dependencies and need automatic problem detection without manual configuration—the AI-driven insights justify the premium cost for enterprise teams. Choose New Relic if you value developer experience, flexible pricing tiers, and a faster onboarding process—it's ideal for mid-market and growing companies that need strong observability without extensive DevOps overhead.
Enterprise APM platform with AI-powered root cause analysis and full-stack infrastructure monitoring.
Full-stack observability platform emphasizing application performance monitoring with AI-powered root cause analysis.
Dynatrace vs New Relic — Comparison Data
Structured comparison data for Dynatrace vs New Relic with 197 attributes.
Supported Technologies (Languages/Frameworks)
Monthly Platform Cost (100GB/month ingestion)
Mean Time to Resolution (MTTR) Improvement
Setup Time for Multi-Service Environment
Typical Enterprise Annual Cost (1000 hosts)
Total Cost of Ownership (3-year, 500GB/month ingestion)
Required Infrastructure Team Size (100 users)
Average Customer Satisfaction (G2 Rating)
Dynatrace vs New Relic — Attribute Category Vocabulary
Taxonomy of attribute categories used to classify comparison data for Dynatrace vs New Relic.
Can I use both Dynatrace and New Relic together?
Yes, many enterprises run both for redundancy or specialized use cases. Dynatrace excels at automatic root cause analysis, while New Relic is better for custom dashboards and developer self-service. However, running both increases costs and operational complexity.
Which platform is easier to learn for a team new to APM?
New Relic has a gentler learning curve with an intuitive UI and straightforward NRQL query language. Dynatrace's interface is more powerful but requires 2-3 weeks of training for operators to use advanced features effectively. For developers, New Relic is recommended; for DevOps engineers managing complex systems, Dynatrace's automation justifies the learning investment.
How do they compare for log aggregation and analysis?
Dynatrace includes log management natively at no extra cost, making it all-in-one. New Relic charges separately for log ingestion ($0.30/GB) on top of APM costs, adding 30-40% to total observability spend. If logs are critical to your workflow, Dynatrace offers better value.
Does Dynatrace require code changes or manual instrumentation?
No. Dynatrace's OneAgent uses automatic bytecode instrumentation (Java, .NET) and automatic SDK injection (Node.js, Python, Go) without code modifications. New Relic requires manual agent installation and configuration in your application code or deployment manifests.
Which is cheaper for a 500GB/month data volume?
New Relic typically costs $15,000-$49,500/month at this scale, while Dynatrace ranges $12,500-$25,000/month depending on licensing model. However, New Relic's transparent per-GB pricing offers more predictability, whereas Dynatrace's host-based pricing can be more cost-effective for large infrastructure footprints.