Best Uptime Monitoring Tools in 2026: Complete Comparison

Choosing the right uptime monitoring tool can feel overwhelming. With dozens of options available, how do you know which one is right for your needs?

In this comprehensive comparison, we'll analyze the top uptime monitoring tools available in 2026, comparing their features, pricing, and ideal use cases. If you're new to monitoring, check out our complete guide to uptime monitoring first.

Quick Comparison Table

Detailed Tool Reviews

Wakestack

Best for: Small to medium teams wanting an all-in-one solution

Wakestack is a modern uptime monitoring platform that combines website monitoring, server monitoring, status pages, and incident management in one tool.

Pros:

• All-in-one platform (monitoring + status pages + incidents)
• Beautiful, customizable status pages included
• Server monitoring with Go agent
• Clean, modern interface
• Competitive pricing

Cons:

• Newer to the market
• Fewer integrations than established players

Pricing:

• Free: 5 monitors, 5-minute intervals
• Pro: $29/mo for 50 monitors, 1-minute intervals
• Enterprise: $99/mo for unlimited monitors

Best for: Teams that want monitoring and status pages without managing multiple tools.

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UptimeRobot

Best for: Budget-conscious teams needing basic monitoring

UptimeRobot is one of the most popular free monitoring tools, offering a generous free tier that works for many small projects.

Pros:

• Very generous free tier (50 monitors)
• Simple and easy to use
• Been around since 2010
• Good API

Cons:

• Status pages are a paid add-on
• Interface feels dated
• Limited advanced features
• No server/infrastructure monitoring

Pricing:

• Free: 50 monitors, 5-minute intervals
• Pro: $7/mo for 50 monitors, 1-minute intervals
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Best for: Bootstrapped startups and side projects that need basic uptime checks.

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Pingdom (SolarWinds)

Best for: Enterprises with established budgets

Pingdom is a veteran in the monitoring space, now owned by SolarWinds. It's a solid enterprise solution but comes with enterprise pricing.

Pros:

• Mature, well-tested platform
• Excellent RUM (Real User Monitoring)
• Strong enterprise features
• Detailed performance analytics

Cons:

• Expensive compared to alternatives
• Status pages are a separate product
• Interface can be overwhelming
• Owned by SolarWinds (security concerns post-2020 breach)

Pricing:

• Synthetic: Starting at $15/mo for 10 monitors
• RUM: Starting at $10/mo
• Status Pages: Separate pricing

Best for: Large enterprises already in the SolarWinds ecosystem.

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Better Stack (formerly Better Uptime)

Best for: DevOps teams wanting modern monitoring

Better Stack is a modern monitoring platform that combines uptime monitoring with incident management and on-call scheduling.

Pros:

• Beautiful, modern interface
• Excellent incident management
• On-call scheduling built-in
• Good Slack integration
• 30-second check intervals

Cons:

• No server monitoring
• Can get expensive at scale
• Newer platform

Pricing:

• Free: 10 monitors, 3-minute intervals
• Pro: $29/mo per seat
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Best for: DevOps teams that want monitoring integrated with incident response.

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Datadog Synthetics

Best for: Teams already using Datadog for APM

Datadog's synthetic monitoring is powerful but works best as part of the broader Datadog platform.

Pros:

• Deep integration with Datadog APM
• Powerful API testing
• Browser testing capabilities
• Excellent dashboards

Cons:

• Expensive, especially standalone
• Complex pricing model
• Overkill for simple monitoring
• Steep learning curve

Pricing:

• Synthetic tests: From $5 per 10K test runs
• API tests: From $7.20 per 10K test runs
• Browser tests: From $12 per 1K test runs

Best for: Teams already invested in the Datadog ecosystem.

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Checkly

Best for: Developers who want code-first monitoring

Checkly takes a developer-first approach, letting you write monitoring checks in JavaScript/TypeScript.

Pros:

• Code-first approach (Monitoring as Code)
• Playwright browser checks
• Great CI/CD integration
• Private locations support

Cons:

• No status pages
• Requires coding knowledge
• Limited alerting options
• More complex setup

Pricing:

• Free: 5 API checks, 1 browser check
• Pro: From $30/mo
• Enterprise: Custom pricing

Best for: Developer teams who want to manage monitoring as code alongside their application.

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Feature Comparison Matrix

Monitoring Capabilities

Alerting & Notifications

Status Pages

How to Choose the Right Tool

Choose Wakestack if you:

• Want monitoring + status pages in one tool
• Need server monitoring alongside uptime checks
• Value modern UI and experience
• Are a small to medium-sized team

Choose UptimeRobot if you:

• Have a limited budget
• Only need basic uptime monitoring
• Don't need status pages
• Want a simple, no-frills solution

Choose Pingdom if you:

• Are an enterprise with budget
• Need Real User Monitoring (RUM)
• Want detailed performance analytics
• Are already in the SolarWinds ecosystem

Choose Better Stack if you:

• Need integrated on-call scheduling
• Want modern incident management
• Have a DevOps-focused team
• Value beautiful design

Choose Datadog if you:

• Already use Datadog for APM
• Need advanced API testing
• Want everything in one platform
• Have budget for enterprise tooling

Choose Checkly if you:

• Want Monitoring as Code
• Need Playwright browser tests
• Have strong developer skills
• Want CI/CD integration

Our Recommendation

For most small to medium teams, we recommend starting with a tool that combines monitoring and status pages:

1. Best Value: Wakestack Pro ($29/mo) - 50 monitors, status pages, and server monitoring
2. Best Free: UptimeRobot Free - 50 monitors if you don't need status pages
3. Best for DevOps: Better Stack - If incident management is a priority

The key is matching the tool to your specific needs. Don't pay for features you won't use, but don't skimp on critical functionality like alerting and status pages.

Conclusion

The uptime monitoring landscape in 2026 offers excellent options at every price point. Whether you're a bootstrapped startup or an enterprise, there's a tool that fits your needs.

Our advice: Start with a free tier to test the waters, then upgrade as your monitoring needs grow. The most important thing is to have some monitoring in place—any of these tools is better than flying blind.

Ready to get started? Try Wakestack free and set up your first monitor in under 2 minutes. Check our pricing page to compare plans.

Related Reading

• How to Monitor Website Uptime: A Complete Guide - Learn the fundamentals of uptime monitoring
• 10 Status Page Design Best Practices - Create a status page that builds trust
• Wakestack Documentation - Get started with your first monitor