New Relic vs Terraform / HCP Terraform: Full Comparison (2026)
Pricing, features, scores, and a clear verdict on which one is right for you.
The bottom line
New Relic positions itself as "all-in-one observability with generous free tier" while Terraform / HCP Terraform goes after "infrastructure as code with hcl" — so the right pick depends on which problem you're actually solving. They take different commercial approaches — New Relic uses a usage-based-based model and Terraform / HCP Terraform a freemium approach, which affects how costs scale as your team grows.
At a glance
| New Relic | Terraform / HCP Terraform | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 80/100 | 84/100 |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free tier | Yes | Yes |
| Best for | All-in-one observability with generous free tier | Infrastructure as code with HCL |
Pricing comparison
Terraform / HCP Terraform
Pricing verified 2026-04-16
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Feature comparison
core
| Feature | New Relic | Terraform / HCP Terraform |
|---|---|---|
| Infrastructure monitoring | Yes | No |
| APM/tracing | Yes | No |
| Log management | Yes | No |
| Synthetic monitoring | Yes | No |
| Dashboards | Yes | No |
| HCL configuration | No | Yes |
| State management | No | Yes |
| Plan/apply workflow | No | Yes |
| Modules | No | Yes |
| Provider ecosystem | No | Yes |
advanced
| Feature | New Relic | Terraform / HCP Terraform |
|---|---|---|
| Browser monitoring | Yes | No |
| Mobile monitoring | Yes | No |
| Errors inbox | Yes | No |
| CodeStream | Yes | No |
| Vulnerability management | Yes | No |
| Remote execution | No | HCP+ |
| Policy as code (Sentinel) | No | HCP Plus+ |
| Drift detection | No | HCP Plus+ |
| Cost estimation | No | HCP Plus+ |
| Self-hosted agents | No | HCP Plus+ |
integrations
| Feature | New Relic | Terraform / HCP Terraform |
|---|---|---|
| AWS | Yes | Yes |
| GCP | Yes | Yes |
| Azure | Yes | Yes |
| Kubernetes | Yes | Yes |
| OpenTelemetry | Yes | No |
| PagerDuty | Yes | No |
| GitHub | No | Yes |
| GitLab | No | Yes |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing New Relic means going without HCL configuration, State management, Plan/apply workflow (which Terraform / HCP Terraform offers). Choosing Terraform / HCP Terraform means losing Infrastructure monitoring, APM/tracing, Log management. These are the features that typically drive the final decision — check whether your workflow depends on any of them before committing.
Choose New Relic if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Choose Terraform / HCP Terraform if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value powerful features over simplicity
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Frequently asked questions
Is New Relic or Terraform / HCP Terraform better?
Terraform / HCP Terraform scores 84/100 compared to New Relic's 80/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — New Relic excels at ease of use (8/10) while Terraform / HCP Terraform scores 6/10.
How much does New Relic cost compared to Terraform / HCP Terraform?
New Relic starts at free (free tier available). Terraform / HCP Terraform starts at free (free tier available). New Relic is the more affordable option.
Does New Relic or Terraform / HCP Terraform have a free plan?
Yes, both New Relic and Terraform / HCP Terraform offer free tiers, so you can try each before committing to a paid plan.
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