UptimeSaaS vs Checkly: Which Monitoring Tool Should You Choose in 2026?

By Engineering Team | 2026-06-06 | Comparisons

# UptimeSaaS vs Checkly: Which Monitoring Tool Should You Choose in 2026?


Checkly has made a name for itself as a modern monitoring platform built for developers, with strong API and browser check capabilities. UptimeSaaS brings a fresh approach with broader accessibility, WhatsApp alerts, and aggressive pricing.


Here's a head-to-head comparison to help you decide.


Overview of Both Platforms


| Aspect | UptimeSaaS | Checkly |

|--------|-----------|---------|

| Launch year | 2025 | 2019 |

| Focus | General uptime + multi-channel alerting | Developer-centric API & browser monitoring |

| Target audience | SMBs, agencies, e-commerce, SaaS teams | Developers, DevOps, engineering teams |

| Check types | HTTP(S), Ping, Port, SSL, Cron, Domain | API checks, Browser checks (Playwright) |

| Free tier | ✅ 25 monitors, WhatsApp included | ❌ 14-day free trial, no free tier |

| WhatsApp alerts | ✅ Included on all plans | ❌ Not available |


Feature Comparison


| Feature | UptimeSaaS | Checkly |

|---------|-----------|-------------|

| HTTP(S) monitoring | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |

| Browser checks | ❌ Not available (roadmap) | ✅ Playwright-based |

| SSL certificate monitoring | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |

| Domain expiry monitoring | ✅ Included | ❌ Not available |

| Cron job monitoring | ✅ Included | ❌ Not available |

| Status pages | ✅ Custom domain (free) | ✅ Custom domain (paid) |

| Alert channels | Email, WhatsApp, Slack, SMS, Webhooks | Email, Slack, SMS, Webhooks, PagerDuty |

| WhatsApp alerts | ✅ All plans | ❌ Not available |

| Team collaboration | ✅ From Team plan ($29) | ✅ Included on paid plans |

| Public API | ✅ Included | ✅ Included |

| Terraform provider | ❌ | ✅ |

| Multi-location checks | ✅ 10+ global locations | ✅ 10+ global locations |


Check Intervals Compared


Check intervals matter — they determine how quickly you know something's broken.


| Plan | UptimeSaaS | Checkly |

|------|-----------|---------|

| Free / Trial | 5 minutes | 14-day trial only |

| Entry-level paid | 60 seconds ($9/mo) | 1 minute ($25/mo — 10 checks) |

| Mid-tier | 60 seconds ($29/mo) | 1 minute ($65/mo — 25 checks) |

| Enterprise | 30 seconds ($79/mo) | 30 seconds ($175/mo — 50 checks) |


**UptimeSaaS wins on value.** You get 60-second check intervals for $9/month. Checkly's equivalent tier starts at $25/month with far fewer checks included.

Pricing Breakdown


UptimeSaaS Pricing


| Plan | Price | Monitors | Check Interval | Status Pages | WhatsApp Alerts |

|------|-------|----------|---------------|-------------|-----------------|

| Free | $0 | 25 | 5 min | 1 (custom domain) | ✅ |

| Solo | $9/mo | 75 | 60 sec | 5 (custom domain) | ✅ |

| Team | $29/mo | 150 | 30 sec | Unlimited | ✅ |

| Enterprise | $79/mo | 500 | 30 sec | Unlimited | ✅ |


Checkly Pricing


| Plan | Price | Checks (API + Browser) | Check Interval | Status Pages | WhatsApp Alerts |

|------|-------|----------------------|---------------|-------------|-----------------|

| Free | ❌ No free tier | — | — | — | ❌ |

| Starter | $25/mo | 10 API checks | 1 min | ❌ | ❌ |

| Growth | $65/mo | 25 API + 5 browser | 1 min | ✅ Custom domain | ❌ |

| Pro | $175/mo | 50 API + 15 browser | 30 sec | ✅ Custom domain | ❌ |

| Enterprise | Custom | Custom | Custom | ✅ | ❌ |


Alert Channels Comparison


How you get notified matters. Here's how the two stack up:


| Channel | UptimeSaaS | Checkly |

|---------|-----------|-------------|

| Email | ✅ | ✅ |

| WhatsApp | ✅ (All plans) | ❌ |

| SMS | ✅ | ✅ (Add-on) |

| Slack | ✅ | ✅ |

| Webhooks | ✅ | ✅ |

| PagerDuty | ❌ | ✅ |

| Opsgenie | ❌ | ✅ |

| Telegram | ✅ | ❌ |

| No free tier | — | ❌ |


The WhatsApp difference: UptimeSaaS is one of the few monitoring platforms that offers native WhatsApp alerts on every single plan — including the free tier. For teams in India, LATAM, and Europe where WhatsApp is the primary messaging app, this is a massive advantage.


Status Page Comparison


| Feature | UptimeSaaS | Checkly |

|---------|-----------|-------------|

| Free status page | ✅ Custom domain included | ❌ |

| Custom domain | ✅ Free on all plans | ✅ Paid plans only |

| Subdomain | ✅ | ✅ |

| Uptime widget | ✅ | ❌ |

| Public API | ✅ | ✅ |

| Incident history | ✅ | ✅ |

| Subscriber notifications | ✅ Email + WhatsApp | ✅ Email + SMS |


Where UptimeSaaS Wins


  • **WhatsApp alerts** — Not available on Checkly at all. Huge for WhatsApp-heavy markets.
  • **Free tier that matters** — Checkly offers no free tier; UptimeSaaS gives 25 monitors with WhatsApp.
  • **Better value per monitor** — $9 for 75 monitors at 60-second checks vs $25 for 10 API checks.
  • **Domain expiry monitoring** — Unique feature Checkly doesn't offer.
  • **Cron job monitoring** — Included with UptimeSaaS, not available on Checkly.
  • **SSL expiry included** — Automatic on UptimeSaaS.
  • **Telegram alerts** — Additional channel Checkly doesn't support.

    • Where Checkly Wins


  • **Playwright-based browser checks** — Full browser-level monitoring for critical user flows. UptimeSaaS doesn't offer this yet.
  • **Terraform provider** — Infrastructure-as-code monitoring for DevOps teams.
  • **Larger alert channel ecosystem** — PagerDuty, Opsgenie for enterprise teams.
  • **Deeper API testing** — Request chaining, assertions, and response validation is more mature.
  • **Developer-first experience** — CLI tools, GitHub Actions integration, and richer CI/CD workflows.

    • When to Choose UptimeSaaS


  • You want **WhatsApp alerts** as your primary notification channel
  • You need **maximum monitors per dollar** — 75 monitors at $9 vs 10 at $25
  • You're a **small business, agency, or e-commerce team** that doesn't need browser-level testing
  • You want **domain expiry and SSL monitoring** included without extra cost
  • You need **a free tier that actually works** for production use

    • When to Choose Checkly


  • You need **Playwright-based browser checks** for critical user flows
  • Your team runs **infrastructure-as-code** and wants Terraform provider support
  • You're a **developer-heavy team** that values CLI tools and CI/CD integration
  • You need **PagerDuty or Opsgenie** for on-call management

    • The Verdict


    For most SMBs, agencies, and e-commerce teams, UptimeSaaS delivers better value. You get more monitors at lower prices, wider alert channel support (especially WhatsApp), and features like domain expiry and cron monitoring that Checkly charges a premium for — or doesn't offer at all.


    Checkly wins on browser checks and developer tooling, but those features command a significant price premium.


    Bottom line: If you need browser monitoring and developer-centric tooling, stick with Checkly. If you want great value, WhatsApp alerts, and straightforward monitoring that just works — go with UptimeSaaS.


    Try UptimeSaaS free → — 25 monitors with WhatsApp alerts included. No credit card required.


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