This guide is for teams already sending telemetry to New Relic but questioning whether simple external checks need to live inside the same consumption model. It is not a claim that New Relic is broadly inferior. The useful question is whether its strongest capabilities match the work your team actually needs.
As of August 10, 2026, New Relic includes synthetic allowances by edition: 500 non-ping checks on Free, 10,000 on Standard, 1 million on Pro, and 10 million on Enterprise each month. Official docs list $0.005 per additional non-ping check; simple ping checks remain outside that meter. Prices and packaging can change, so use the linked official sources for a final quote.
Short answer
Keep New Relic Synthetics when the investigation path into traces and logs is valuable. A focused alternative fits simple availability checks that do not need platform correlation.
Where New Relic is still the better fit
- Correlation between synthetic failures, APM traces, logs, browser data, and infrastructure telemetry
- Scripted browser and API monitoring within a full observability platform
- Large included check pools on higher editions for existing customers
Why teams consider an alternative
- Every execution from every location contributes to usage for non-ping monitors
- Pricing also depends on platform users and data ingest, so synthetic cost cannot be evaluated in isolation
- A focused monitor does not replace New Relic APM, logs, browser monitoring, or scripted journeys
Comparison criteria that matter for New Relic users
- Need for telemetry correlation.
- Monthly non-ping execution count.
- Simple ping and HTTP checks versus scripts.
- Desire for an independent outside-in signal.
Where Webalert fits—and where it does not
Against New Relic, Webalert’s relevant scope is managed HTTP/HTTPS, TCP, DNS, ping, and heartbeat monitoring with multi-region confirmation, SSL alerts, status pages, and incident alerting. Check current pricing and features for plan boundaries.
Webalert is a possible fit when the migration scope is straightforward public availability and customer communication. It is not a promise of parity with every New Relic capability. In particular, respect the limitations above and keep specialist tooling where it remains useful.
Migration advice
Use the Synthetics usage view to separate simple ping/HTTP checks from scripted API and browser monitors. Move the simple group first, reproduce assertions and locations, and compare alert timing. Keep scripted monitors in New Relic until a compatible runner is chosen.
Decision
Keep New Relic Synthetics when the investigation path into traces and logs is valuable. A focused alternative fits simple availability checks that do not need platform correlation. Avoid an all-at-once cutover: move the checks that clearly fit, preserve specialist coverage, and let parallel evidence decide the rest.
Included synthetic allowance vs a monitor you keep
New Relic’s published synthetic limits (500 non-ping on Free, then 10k / 1M / 10M by tier, extra non-ping documented at $0.005) make “uptime” a consumption leftover. When the app already lives in New Relic, extra pings are cheap. When you only wanted URL checks, you bought a telemetry platform.
| Situation | Keep New Relic synthetics | Add focused uptime |
|---|---|---|
| APM already on every service | Use the included checks | Still add one independent probe |
| Approaching non-ping cap | You will feel $0.005 | Fixed monitor price |
| Need a customer status page | Separate decision | Bundled |
| Ping vs scripted monitor | Read the limit docs — they differ | HTTP monitor is one object |
Frequently asked questions
Is this a Datadog alternative page?
No. Datadog meters runs. New Relic meters included non-ping checks + ingest. See the Datadog alternative.
Should I turn off New Relic synthetics after moving /health?
Only after dual-run. You still want traces when the check is green and users are slow.