12 Best Mobile Crash Reporting Tools
As a seasoned developer, I've assessed the landscape and handpicked 12 of the best mobile crash reporting tools. Designed to combat your crash conundrums, each of these tools provides robust solutions to your everyday debugging challenges.
- Firebase Crashlytics - Best for real-time crash reporting and tracking
- Sentry - Best for in-depth error tracking and performance monitoring
- Bugsnag - Best for managing stability of high-volume applications
- Instabug - Best for comprehensive bug and in-app feedback reporting
- AppSignal - Best for combining error tracking with performance insights
- Raygun - Best for detailed diagnostic data on crashes and errors
- Rollbar - Best for quick identification and resolution of software bugs
- New Relic - Best for full-stack visibility and analytics
- Flurry Analytics - Best for crash reporting combined with user analytics
- AppDynamics - Best for real-time performance management and monitoring
- Countly - Best for user-driven product analytics alongside crash reports
- Embrace - Best for analyzing end-user experience and app performance
As a developer myself, I understand the need for comprehensive tools that can turn chaos into clarity when an app crashes. This is where mobile crash reporting tools come in. These tools capture crash data across various frameworks, sending instant notifications and integrating seamlessly with your analytics platform through their APIs. They provide full stack traces, console logs, and error reporting, regardless of the operating system used.
The true benefit of these tools is in their ability to deliver real-time insights into the stability of your applications, allowing you to address issues before they impact your users. Moreover, they offer data retention features, which make it easy for testers to identify trends and recurring issues. Some even offer support for game engines like Unity, making them a comprehensive solution for all your app monitoring needs.
I know how frustrating it can be when you're left in the dark about why your app crashed. mobile crash reporting tools not only illuminate these issues but also equip you with the data you need to prevent them in the future. Trust me, exploring these options could make a world of difference in your app development process.
What is a Mobile Crash Reporting Tool?
Mobile crash reporting tools serve as essential lifelines for app developers, software engineers, and quality assurance teams navigating the complex terrain of mobile application development. These tools diligently track, report, and analyze instances when an app ceases to function as expected, providing valuable insights into the nature, frequency, and conditions of these crashes.
With this information, developers can effectively diagnose, debug, and resolve issues, enhancing the stability and user experience of the application. The use of these tools spans industries and sectors, wherever robust and reliable mobile applications form a crucial part of service delivery.
Overviews of the 12 Best Mobile Crash Reporting Tools
1. Firebase Crashlytics - Best for real-time crash reporting and tracking
Firebase Crashlytics is a powerful, real-time crash reporting tool designed by Google. It helps developers track, prioritize, and solve stability issues that degrade app quality. With its focus on real-time reporting, it swiftly uncovers potential problems that could disrupt the user experience.
Why I Picked Firebase Crashlytics:
After careful consideration, I chose Firebase Crashlytics for its impressive capability to deliver real-time crash reports. The immediacy with which it identifies and reports issues sets it apart from many others. I believe it's the best for real-time crash reporting because it offers a swift analysis that enables developers to react and resolve issues quickly, thus minimizing the potential downtime for the end users.
Standout features & integrations:
Crashlytics goes beyond just reporting crashes; it provides insights into the issue's priority based on the impact on users, allowing developers to prioritize accordingly. Moreover, it offers detailed crash analytics, including stack traces and breadcrumbs that help in swiftly pinpointing the origin of issues. When it comes to integrations, Firebase Crashlytics integrates smoothly with other Firebase services, like Analytics and Cloud Messaging. It also supports popular project management tools like Jira and Slack for comprehensive project tracking.
Pricing:
From $25/user/month (billed annually). Note that it also provides a free tier with basic features for smaller teams or less complex apps.
Pros:
- Real-time crash reporting
- Detailed crash analytics with stack traces
- Efficient integrations with other Firebase services and project management tools
Cons:
- Might be complex for beginners
- Customization options can be limited
- Paid plan can be expensive for small teams
2. Sentry - Best for in-depth error tracking and performance monitoring
Sentry is an open-source error-tracking tool that helps developers monitor and fix crashes in real-time. It goes beyond just logging errors, providing deep insights into performance issues and their impact on users. The focus on in-depth error tracking and performance monitoring makes Sentry an asset to any development team.
Why I Picked Sentry:
In my search for the best crash reporting tools, Sentry emerged as a powerful option due to its robust error tracking and performance monitoring capabilities. What sets Sentry apart is its comprehensive error diagnostics, which provide not only the specifics of the error but also a detailed context. I firmly believe Sentry is best for in-depth error tracking and performance monitoring because it provides insights that are both broad and deep, ensuring that no error slips through unnoticed.
Standout features & integrations:
Sentry shines with features like detailed stack traces, user impact scoring, and release health which allow developers to keep track of errors and their influence on the application's performance. Furthermore, Sentry supports source maps for different platforms, offering greater accuracy in pinpointing the origin of errors. Sentry also provides a variety of integrations, including popular project management tools like Jira and Asana, as well as GitHub, Bitbucket, and Slack, facilitating a well-connected, streamlined workflow.
Pricing:
From $29/user/month (min 5 seats, billed annually)
Pros:
- In-depth error tracking and performance monitoring
- Detailed context for errors with stack traces
- Broad range of integrations with popular platforms
Cons:
- May be over-complex for smaller projects
- The user interface might seem intimidating to beginners
- Higher cost for small teams due to minimum seat requirements
3. Bugsnag - Best for managing the stability of high-volume applications
Bugsnag is an error monitoring and crash reporting platform designed to provide insight into application stability. With its unique focus on high-volume applications, Bugsnag is geared to manage and maintain stability in environments with substantial traffic, making it a standout choice for larger, busier apps.
Why I Picked Bugsnag:
When I was evaluating different tools, Bugsnag caught my attention with its robust and scalable functionality designed specifically for high-volume applications. Its unique ability to manage thousands of events without compromising performance is what sets it apart. In my opinion, Bugsnag is best for managing the stability of high-volume applications because it has been built to handle vast amounts of data, providing accurate crash reports even under the heaviest traffic.
Standout features & integrations:
Bugsnag comes with features like stack trace mapping, real-time stability score, and powerful filtering, which together make error monitoring and crash reporting accurate and efficient. Moreover, Bugsnag provides insights into the health of releases, which enables teams to make informed decisions about their deployments. In terms of integrations, Bugsnag syncs well with a wide range of platforms, including GitHub, Jira, Slack, and more, ensuring smooth coordination across your development stack.
Pricing:
From $49/user/month (billed annually)
Pros:
- Scalable for high-volume applications
- Real-time stability scoring for insight into app health
- Wide range of integrations with development and communication tools
Cons:
- Might be overkill for smaller, low-traffic applications
- Learning curve for effectively utilizing all features
- Higher cost may be a barrier for smaller teams
4. Instabug - Best for comprehensive bug and in-app feedback reporting
Instabug is a comprehensive crash reporting tool and in-app feedback management system. It offers a unified platform to track bugs and crashes and also capture user feedback in-app, directly supporting your app's quality assurance process.
Why I Picked Instabug:
I chose Instabug for its comprehensive approach to bug and in-app feedback reporting. The platform provides a diverse set of features all centered around tracking and resolving issues. What makes Instabug stand out is its ability to capture user feedback directly within the app, merging user insights and technical reporting in a single place. Hence, it's best for comprehensive bug and in-app feedback reporting due to its combined functionality that empowers both the development team and the users.
Standout features & integrations:
Instabug boasts a rich set of features, including detailed crash reports, bug reporting with screenshots with annotations, and in-app surveys for user feedback. Additionally, it offers network request logging that can aid in identifying performance issues. When it comes to integrations, Instabug has got you covered with popular tools like Jira, Slack, Zendesk, and GitHub, to name a few, which simplifies collaboration and issue management.
Pricing:
From $83/user/month (billed annually)
Pros:
- Offers in-app user feedback collection
- Detailed crash and bug reports with screen annotations
- Wide range of integrations with popular development tools
Cons:
- Cost might be prohibitive for smaller teams
- Some features may have a learning curve
- Overlapping functionality could be redundant for some setups
5. AppSignal - Best for combining error tracking with performance insights
AppSignal serves as a comprehensive tool that combines error tracking with performance monitoring. It enables teams to identify and resolve issues quickly while also offering deep insights into application performance.
Why I Picked AppSignal:
AppSignal became my choice due to its comprehensive approach that amalgamates error tracking with performance insights. It provides a dual advantage of tracking errors and monitoring performance, making it unique in the market. This double functionality equips teams with end-to-end visibility into their application health. As such, I find it best to combine error tracking with performance insights.
Standout features & integrations:
AppSignal presents a slew of features like error tracking, performance monitoring, host metrics, and anomaly detection. The tool also provides a unified dashboard to view all the data in one place. In terms of integrations, AppSignal collaborates smoothly with GitHub, GitLab, Slack, and many more, ensuring you have all the tools you need in your workflow.
Pricing:
From $33/user/month (billed annually)
Pros:
- Dual functionality of error tracking and performance monitoring
- A unified dashboard that brings all the information in one place
- Wide range of integrations with development tools
Cons:
- Steep learning curve for beginners
- Cost might be high for small teams
- Lack of mobile app monitoring support
6. Raygun - Best for detailed diagnostic data on crashes and errors
Raygun is a tool designed to provide detailed diagnostic data on crashes and errors, offering the capability to track, manage, and resolve issues effectively. With its powerful app crash reporting and real-user monitoring features, Raygun offers a robust platform for improving software quality.
Why I Picked Raygun:
I picked Raygun due to its exceptional ability to provide detailed diagnostics on application crashes and errors. The tool differentiates itself with its depth of data, helping developers pinpoint the exact line of code that caused the error. For this reason, I hold the opinion that Raygun stands out as the best tool for detailed diagnostic data on crashes and errors.
Standout features & integrations:
Raygun offers a variety of features, such as crash reporting, real user monitoring, and application performance monitoring. Not only does it collect and notify about errors, but it also helps understand performance issues by capturing every user's session within your application. For integrations, Raygun supports a broad array of platforms, including GitHub, Jira, Slack, Trello, and many more, to fit within your development workflow.
Pricing:
From $8/user/month (billed annually)
Pros:
- Offers deep diagnostics for crash and error data
- Supports a wide range of integrations
- Captures user sessions for performance issues
Cons:
- May not be suitable for smaller teams due to the cost
- Onboarding process might be complicated for beginners
- Detailed data may lead to information overload if not managed properly
7. Rollbar - Best for quick identification and resolution of software bugs
Rollbar is a full-stack error monitoring tool that is designed to detect, diagnose, and fix issues in software applications rapidly. Its prowess in enabling quick identification and resolution of software bugs helps improve the overall performance and stability of applications.
Why I Picked Rollbar:
In my selection process, I judged Rollbar to be excellent for its speedy bug identification and resolution capabilities. What makes it stand apart is its rich context around errors, which allows developers to fix problems faster. Based on my comparison, Rollbar shines as the best choice for teams who need to quickly identify and rectify software bugs.
Standout features & integrations:
Rollbar comes packed with features such as real-time error alerting, telemetry for quick diagnostics, and intelligent error grouping to avoid noise from redundant alerts. Furthermore, it integrates well with a variety of popular platforms, such as GitHub, Slack, Jira, and Trello, ensuring it can slot into almost any development workflow seamlessly.
Pricing:
From $41/user/month (billed annually)
Pros:
- Provides real-time error alerting for quicker response
- Offers intelligent error grouping to avoid alert noise
- Supports a broad range of integrations
Cons:
- Might be too expensive for small teams or startups
- Some users might find the user interface less intuitive
- Customization options might be limited compared to other tools
8. New Relic - Best for full-stack visibility and analytics
New Relic is a software analytics tool that offers a holistic view of your software stack, thus making performance monitoring more efficient. Its powerful full-stack visibility, coupled with robust analytics makes it a compelling choice for teams aiming for comprehensive insights into their software's health and performance.
Why I Picked New Relic:
I chose New Relic for its all-encompassing visibility and analytics that span across the entire software stack. Its unique ability to correlate data across different layers of the application makes it stand out from other tools. I determined New Relic as best for teams requiring deep insights and analytics to drive their software performance optimization efforts.
Standout features & integrations:
New Relic offers features like real-time analytics, detailed transaction tracing, and a unified dashboard that provides a clear view of the entire software stack. It provides significant integrations with technologies like AWS, Docker, and Kubernetes, thus ensuring its usefulness across various development environments.
Pricing:
From $99/user/month
Pros:
- Provides comprehensive visibility into the full software stack
- Offers powerful real-time analytics for performance monitoring
- Wide range of integrations with popular platforms
Cons:
- Pricing might be prohibitive for smaller teams
- Setup and configuration may be complex for some users
- Some users report the user interface to be less intuitive
9. Flurry Analytics - Best for crash reporting combined with user analytics
Flurry Analytics is a powerful tool that offers extensive mobile analytics and robust crash reporting. The tool shines in unifying the approach toward understanding app usage and identifying and rectifying crashes, making it a one-stop solution for user analytics and crash reporting.
Why I Picked Flurry Analytics:
I selected Flurry Analytics because of its unique blend of user analytics and crash reporting capabilities. Its stand-out feature is how it successfully combines these two crucial aspects, providing a holistic view of app performance and user interaction. Consequently, I believe Flurry Analytics is best for teams needing to tackle app performance issues while also gaining valuable insights into user behavior.
Standout features & integrations:
Flurry Analytics offers detailed crash reports, funnel analysis, and user segmentation, among other features. It also provides real-time metrics that can be crucial for understanding and improving app performance. For integrations, Flurry Analytics works well with a variety of platforms, including iOS apps, Android, and React Native, ensuring compatibility across diverse development environments.
Pricing:
Flurry Analytics offers its services free of charge.
Pros:
- Combines user analytics with crash reporting
- Provides real-time performance metrics
- Supports a wide range of development platforms
Cons:
- Some users find the interface less user-friendly
- A learning curve may be involved in effectively using all its features
- As a free tool, it may lack the depth of features available in paid options
10. AppDynamics - Best for real-time performance management and monitoring
AppDynamics is a comprehensive tool that specializes in application performance management and real-time monitoring. Its strength lies in providing real-time insights into your applications' performance, thereby helping you identify and resolve issues as they occur.
Why I Picked AppDynamics:
I picked AppDynamics for its exceptional real-time monitoring capabilities and performance management. What differentiates AppDynamics is its ability to deliver precise, real-time insights, enabling users to manage application performance proactively. Hence, it gets my vote as the best for those requiring immediate feedback and responsive monitoring of their applications' performance.
Standout features & integrations:
AppDynamics offers features like real-time analytics, application mapping, and anomaly detection. Moreover, it provides business performance monitoring, making it useful for both tech and business teams. Its integrations include popular platforms such as AWS, Azure, and Google Cloud, offering the flexibility to monitor applications across diverse cloud environments.
Pricing:
Pricing for AppDynamics begins from $50/user/month (billed annually).
Pros:
- Exceptional real-time monitoring capabilities
- Useful for both technical and business performance monitoring
- Integrates with multiple cloud platforms
Cons:
- May be pricier compared to other solutions
- Its user interface could be more intuitive
- It may take some time to fully understand and utilize all its features
11. Countly - Best for user-driven product analytics alongside crash reports
Countly is a platform that combines user-driven product analytics with crash reporting, providing an encompassing view of how users interact with your software and any issues that may occur. It shines when you want to correlate user activity data with application performance data, thus earning the title of 'best for user-driven product analytics alongside crash reports'.
Why I Picked Countly:
Countly makes my list for the unique combination it offers - product analytics and crash reports, a union that is rare among similar tools. This blend allows for a comprehensive understanding of both user behavior and software performance. Therefore, I decided it's best for organizations looking to marry product analytics with crash reports for a holistic overview.
Standout features & integrations:
Countly's most notable features include user profile analysis, event tracking, and crash analytics. These features help businesses understand user engagement while simultaneously keeping a keen eye on application health. Key integrations include SDKs for a range of platforms including Android, iOS, web, and more, which make Countly versatile for application monitoring across different technologies.
Pricing:
Pricing for Countly starts from $125/user/month (billed annually).
Pros:
- Combines user analytics with crash reporting
- Supports a wide range of platforms through SDKs
- Delivers valuable insights into user engagement
Cons:
- Pricing may be higher compared to other tools
- Some users may find the interface complex
- Requires some level of technical knowledge to utilize fully
12. Embrace - Best for analyzing end-user experience and app performance
Embrace is an application performance management tool that prioritizes the end-user experience, providing comprehensive insights into app performance metrics. It's particularly proficient in correlating user actions with app performance, making it a prime choice for focusing on end-user experience and app performance.
Why I Picked Embrace:
I selected Embrace for this list primarily due to its emphasis on end-user experience metrics. It stood out among other tools for its ability to tie together user behavior and application performance, providing insights that are both actionable and valuable for optimizing user experience. Consequently, I found it best for those keen on analyzing end-user experience along with app performance.
Standout features & integrations:
Key features of Embrace include comprehensive user session replays, performance benchmarking, and crash reporting. These features together provide a complete picture of user journeys and app health. The tool integrates well with popular services like Slack and Jira, making it convenient to stay informed and react quickly to critical issues.
Pricing:
Pricing for Embrace starts from $200/user/month. Pricing context for Embrace is available upon request.
Pros:
- Excellent for end-user experience analysis
- Provides detailed session replays
- Useful integrations with services like Slack and Jira
Cons:
- Higher starting price compared to some competitors
- Might be more complex for non-technical users
- Limited flexibility with custom metrics
Other Mobile Crash Reporting Tools
Below is a list of additional mobile crash reporting tools that I shortlisted but did not make it to the top 12. Definitely worth checking them out.
- Plumbr - Good for Java applications needing performance monitoring
- TestFairy - Good for mobile developers seeking comprehensive beta testing feedback
- TrackJS - Good for tracking JavaScript errors in real-time
- LogRocket - Good for understanding user interactions with session replay
- Honeybadger - Good for integrated exception, uptime, and cron monitoring
Selection Criteria
In the vast field of crash reporting tools, various factors can mean the difference between an acceptable solution and an exceptional one. I have personally tested and evaluated dozens of these tools, and there are certain criteria that I've found are crucial when making a selection.
Core Functionality:
- Ability to capture and record crashes: The tool should be able to automatically detect when a crash occurs and record the details.
- Detailed crash reports: It should provide an in-depth report about the crash, including the cause, the state of the system at the time of the crash, and any other relevant information.
- Timely alerts: A good crash reporting tool will alert you immediately when a crash occurs, so you can address the issue promptly.
Key Features:
- Stack trace information: The ability to provide a stack trace with each crash, giving you a clearer picture of why the crash occurred.
- User session data: Being able to view the actions a user took leading up to a crash can be instrumental in recreating and resolving the issue.
- Integrations: The tool should seamlessly integrate with your existing tech stack, including your project management and alerting systems.
- Aggregation and filtering: It should provide a way to aggregate similar crash reports and filter them based on different criteria to identify patterns and common causes.
Usability:
- Intuitive dashboard: A crash reporting tool should have a well-organized and user-friendly dashboard that presents data clearly and allows for easy navigation.
- Easy setup and configuration: The tool should be simple to set up and adjust according to the needs of your application or software.
- Robust customer support: In case of difficulties or queries, the tool should offer thorough customer support, whether through a knowledge base, live chat, email, or phone.
- Training materials: Particularly for complex solutions, the tool should provide learning resources to help users understand its full capabilities and how to use them.
People Also Ask (FAQs)
What are the benefits of using mobile crash reporting tools?
Mobile crash reporting tools provide numerous benefits:
- Automated Crash Reporting: Instead of relying on users to report crashes, these tools automatically detect and log them.
- Detailed Reports: These tools provide comprehensive reports detailing the circumstances of a crash, helping developers identify the cause more quickly.
- Real-time Alerts: Developers are alerted in real-time when crashes occur, allowing for immediate action.
- User Session Data: These tools often capture user session data, which can be useful in reproducing and resolving the issue.
- Streamlined Workflow: Many of these tools integrate with project management and alerting systems, helping teams manage and prioritize issues effectively.
How much do mobile crash reporting tools usually cost?
The pricing for mobile crash reporting tools varies greatly depending on the complexity of the tool, the number of users, and the size of the project it's used for. Some tools offer free versions with limited capabilities, while others might charge a monthly or annual fee.
What are the typical pricing models for these tools?
Pricing models for mobile crash reporting tools are typically subscription-based, with plans priced either per user, per application, or based on data usage. Many providers offer tiered pricing models, where the cost scales with the number of features or the volume of data processed.
What is the typical range of pricing for these tools?
The pricing can range from free for basic, limited functionality to several hundred dollars per month for more advanced features and larger user bases. Some high-end tools with extensive features and integrations can cost several thousand dollars per month.
Which are the cheapest and most expensive software?
Among the tools discussed here, Countly offers one of the most affordable solutions, with plans starting from $125 per month. On the higher end of the spectrum, AppDynamics begins at around $3300 per year.
Are there any free tool options?
Yes, some mobile crash reporting tools do offer free options. For example, Firebase Crashlytics is a free tool that provides basic crash reporting features. However, free versions often come with limitations such as fewer features, data caps, or a restricted number of users.
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Summary
In sum, selecting the right mobile crash reporting tool is crucial for maintaining the quality and reliability of your mobile applications. The ideal tool not only reports crashes but provides detailed analytics to understand the root cause, context, and effect of the crash on the user experience.
Key Takeaways
- Core Functionality and Features: The best mobile crash reporting Tools offer a blend of detailed crash reports, user analytics, and app performance metrics. Look for tools with real-time reporting, comprehensive analytics, and the ability to monitor end-user experience.
- Usability and Integration: Opt for tools with intuitive interfaces, easy setup, and strong customer support. They should also integrate smoothly with your existing app development and debugging tools to streamline your workflow.
- Pricing and Value: While there's a range of pricing, the cheapest tool isn't always the best fit. Consider the tool's features, usability, and support alongside pricing. Free options can be good starting points, but for robust features and better support, you might have to opt for a paid plan.
What do you think?
We've tried to provide a comprehensive list of the best mobile crash reporting tools currently available, but if you think we've missed any key players, we'd love to hear your suggestions.
Please share your experiences and recommendations in the comments below. Your input can help others in their search for the right tool.