Airbrake vs Sentry (2026): Which is Better for Exception Tracking?
Airbrake vs Sentry: Which is Better for Exception Tracking? Quick Verdict For small to medium-sized teams with a budget under $10,000 per year, Airbrake is a more cost-effective solution for exception tracking. However, for larger teams or those requiring more advanced features, Sentry’s scalability and extensive integration ecosystem make it a better choice. Ultimately, the decision between Airbrake and Sentry depends on your team’s specific needs and workflow. Feature Comparison Table Feature Category Airbrake Sentry Winner Pricing Model $19-$49 per month (billed annually) $26-$153 per month (billed annually) Airbrake Learning Curve 2-3 hours 4-6 hours Airbrake Integrations 20+ supported integrations 50+ supported integrations Sentry Scalability Supports up to 100,000 errors per minute Supports up to 500,000 errors per minute Sentry Support Email and chat support Email, chat, and phone support Sentry Specific Features for Exception Tracking Error filtering, grouping, and assignment Error filtering, grouping, assignment, and customizable workflows Sentry When to Choose Airbrake If you’re a 10-person startup with a limited budget and need a simple, easy-to-use exception tracking solution, Airbrake is a great choice. If your team is already using Heroku or GitHub, Airbrake’s integrations with these platforms make it a convenient option. If you prioritize a low learning curve and quick setup, Airbrake’s intuitive interface and 2-3 hour setup time make it an attractive choice. For example, if you’re a 20-person e-commerce company using Shopify, Airbrake’s Shopify integration and affordable pricing make it a great fit. When to Choose Sentry If you’re a 50-person SaaS company with a large user base and complex application architecture, Sentry’s advanced features and scalability make it a better choice. If your team requires customizable workflows and extensive integration options, Sentry’s flexibility and ecosystem make it a great fit. If you prioritize phone support and a comprehensive documentation, Sentry’s support options and resources make it an attractive choice. For instance, if you’re a 100-person enterprise software company with a large development team, Sentry’s advanced features and support options make it a better choice. Real-World Use Case: Exception Tracking Let’s consider a scenario where a 20-person e-commerce company using Shopify needs to track exceptions and errors in their application. With Airbrake, setup takes around 2 hours, and ongoing maintenance burden is relatively low. The cost breakdown for 100 users and 1,000 actions per month would be around $49 per month. However, with Sentry, setup takes around 4 hours, and ongoing maintenance burden is moderate. The cost breakdown for 100 users and 1,000 actions per month would be around $153 per month. A common gotcha with both tools is the need to configure error filtering and grouping rules to avoid noise and ensure relevant errors are tracked. ...