The present invention provides a rubber composition that can enhance the fuel economy, wet-grip performance, abrasion resistance, and processability in a balanced manner, and also provides a pneumatic tire using this rubber composition. The present invention relates to a rubber composition that contains a rubber component, silica, and a compound represented by formula (1) below, wherein the rubber component contains, based on 100% by mass of the rubber component, not less than 5% by mass of a conjugated diene polymer containing a constituent unit based on a conjugated diene and a constituent unit represented by formula (I) below, at least one terminal of the polymer being modified with a specific compound; and an amount of the silica is 5 to 150 parts by mass per 100 parts by mass of the rubber component.