At a glance
| Database engines | PostgreSQL, MySQL, Microsoft SQL Server (query performance monitoring) |
| Deployment | SaaS; data stored in the US or EU data centre |
| Collection/agents | On-host integrations with the New Relic infrastructure agent |
| Alerting | Platform alerting |
| Query monitoring | Slow queries, wait events, execution plans, blocking sessions |
| Metrics retention | Infrastructure integration data: 13 months on the original data option, 16 months on Data Plus |
| Licensing | Usage-based: GB ingested plus user types, or compute-based on Pro and Enterprise |
New Relic makes sense for teams that already use it for application monitoring and want database query data on the same usage-based bill. Its free tier is generous for a trial, but query-level monitoring covers three engines, and costs depend on ingest volume and how many full platform users you need.
Overview
New Relic is a commercial observability platform covering application performance monitoring, infrastructure, logs, browser and mobile monitoring and more, sold as a SaaS service. Its database offering, query performance monitoring, was announced as generally available on 22 July 2025 for MySQL, PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL Server, self-hosted or on Amazon RDS and Aurora.
Query data comes from New Relic's on-host integrations (OHI) for each database, which run with the infrastructure agent where the database is reachable; New Relic states that APM agents are not required. The documentation describes query analysis with execution times, counts and disk I/O, slow query samples, execution plan details, wait time analysis and blocking session details.
Key features
- Top slow queries with average execution time, execution counts and disk reads and writes over time
- Slow query samples with execution plan details
- Wait time analysis with top wait events and wait trends per database instance
- Blocking details showing blocked and blocking sessions
- Collection through on-host integrations, without APM agents
- Database data alongside APM, infrastructure and logs in one platform
Pros and cons
Pros
- Free tier with 100 GB of ingest a month and one full platform user
- Query data next to application traces and infrastructure metrics
- No APM agent needed for query performance monitoring
- Public per-GB and per-user prices for Standard and Pro
Cons
- Query-level monitoring covers only PostgreSQL, MySQL and SQL Server
- Costs scale with ingest volume and full platform user count, so both need controls
- SaaS only; monitoring data leaves your network
Pricing
As listed on New Relic's pricing page on 7 November 2026 (prices shown in dollars): the Free edition includes 100 GB of data ingest a month, one full platform user and unlimited basic users. Beyond 100 GB, ingest costs $0.40 per GB on the original data option or $0.60 per GB on Data Plus, with $0.05 per GB extra for EU data storage. Core users are $49 a month. Full platform users are $10 for the first and $99 for each additional user (up to five) on Standard, and $349 a month with an annual commitment or $418.80 pay as you go on Pro. Enterprise and compute-based pricing are by quote.
Pricing checked on the vendor's official page on 7 November 2026. Prices change; confirm before buying.
Who it is best for
Teams that already use New Relic for application monitoring and want database query data on the same platform and bill.
Who should look elsewhere
- DBA teams that want a dedicated database monitor with estate features: see database monitoring vs APM.
- Oracle or MongoDB estates, which are outside the query performance monitoring engines: see database monitoring tools.
Verdict
New Relic's database monitoring is a reasonable add-on for teams already on the platform, with useful query, wait and plan detail for three common engines. As a standalone database monitor it is narrower than dedicated tools, and its usage-based pricing needs modelling against your ingest and user numbers.
Frequently asked questions
Which databases does New Relic query performance monitoring support?
PostgreSQL, MySQL and Microsoft SQL Server, self-hosted or on Amazon RDS and Aurora, according to New Relic's July 2025 announcement and documentation.
Is New Relic free?
There is a free edition with 100 GB of ingest a month, one full platform user and unlimited basic users. Beyond that you pay per GB and per user, as listed on the pricing page.
Do I need New Relic APM to monitor queries?
No. New Relic says query performance monitoring works through on-host integrations without APM agents.
Sources
- New Relic query performance monitoring documentation
- New Relic pricing
- New Relic data retention documentation
- New Relic: database performance monitoring now GA (22 July 2025)
Checked November 2026.
How we research reviews and what star ratings mean: our editorial method.