Pulsy vs New Relic Synthetics
The open-source alternative when you only need availability
New Relic Synthetics is the availability piece of a full observability platform, billed against platform data ingest and user seats. If you already run New Relic, keep it there. If availability monitoring is the actual requirement, Pulsy does that as open-source software: free forever self-hosted, or flat plans on Pulsy Cloud, with public status pages that New Relic does not include.
Where Pulsy differs from New Relic Synthetics
- Open source (AGPL-3.0) — self-host free forever, no platform commitment.
- Predictable cost: no bill self-hosted, flat Cloud plans, no ingest or seat metering.
- Public status pages with custom domains, built in rather than a separate purchase.
- Localized dashboard in five languages with full right-to-left support.
New Relic Synthetics vs Pulsy, side by side
| Feature | Pulsy (self-hosted) | Pulsy Cloud | New Relic Synthetics |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free forever — you run it (AGPL-3.0) | Free tier, paid plans from $12/mo | Metered against platform ingest and seats |
| Source code | Open source, AGPL-3.0 | The same AGPL-3.0 code, managed for you | Proprietary |
| Where your data lives | Your own infrastructure | Hosted by Pulsy, exportable any time | Hosted by New Relic |
| Pricing model | No bill | Flat plans | Ingest and per-seat metering |
| Correlation with APM and logs | Not included | Not included | Core strength of the platform |
| Scripted browser checks | Not included | Not included | Included |
| Status pages | Included, custom domains | Included, custom domains | Not a built-in feature |
| Dashboard | Localized (5 languages, RTL) | Localized (5 languages, RTL) | Localized |
Switching from New Relic Synthetics is painless
Re-create your ping and simple-browser monitors as Pulsy HTTP monitors with the same URLs and intervals, and route alerts to the same channels. Keep New Relic for anything that depends on APM correlation — a green Pulsy check tells you the endpoint answered, not why a transaction got slow.
Frequently asked questions
- Can Pulsy replace New Relic Synthetics?
- For endpoint availability and TLS expiry, yes. For scripted browser monitors or correlating a failure with APM traces and logs, no — those are platform features Pulsy does not have.
- Is there an open-source New Relic Synthetics alternative?
- Pulsy covers the availability layer under AGPL-3.0, free to self-host. There is no open-source equivalent of the full New Relic platform.
- Will this reduce my observability bill?
- Only the part attributable to synthetic checks. If Synthetics is a small fraction of your ingest, the saving is small and the added tool may not be worth it — worth checking before you move.
- Does Pulsy offer public status pages?
- Yes, with custom-domain support, included everywhere. New Relic Synthetics does not include them.
Compare Pulsy with other monitors
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