UptimeRobot
Free uptime monitoring for hobby projects with HTTP, ping, port, and keyword checks.
Best for hobbyists and side projects who need simple uptime monitoring at scale.
Use Cases
Free Tier
50 monitors, 5-minute checks, HTTP/ping/port/keyword monitoring
How to Maximize the Free Tier
UptimeRobot's 50 free monitors are the most generous in the monitoring space — use them liberally. The 5-minute check interval means you won't catch blips under 5 minutes, but that's fine for hobby projects. Alerts are email-only on the free tier (no SMS or push), so set up email-to-Slack forwarding for faster notification. Skip UptimeRobot for client-facing status pages — you'll need a separate service for that.
Getting Started
Sign up → add URL → choose monitor type (HTTP, ping, port) → set keyword to check for → done. Alerts sent to email. 50 monitors included on free tier.
Pros
- Monitor count: 50 monitors on the free tier — the most generous monitor allowance of any uptime monitoring service
- Setup simplicity: Add a URL and get alerts — no agents, no configuration, no complex setup required
- Check types: Supports HTTP, ping, port, and keyword monitoring — covers the essential monitoring use cases
Cons
- Check interval: 5-minute check interval is the slowest among free tiers — a full 2 minutes slower than Better Stack
- Outdated UI: The interface feels dated compared to modern alternatives like Better Stack — clunky navigation
- No status pages: No status page functionality on the free plan — you'll need to use a separate service for that