Today, I am listing free uptime monitors that has 1 minute to 5 minute check/polling frequency. I have personally tested these non-trial services myself and I found them to be really good and reliable in monitoring downtime, uptime, and as well as response time of a blog or website. I evaluated each service by my personal preference and the features and weak point/s stated are also based on my own judgement.
Uptime Robot
Although Uptime Robot only provides 5 min check frequency, it is my favorite since the dashboard is easy to navigate. You can add a maximum of 50 monitors for free. If you need 1 min check frequency or more monitors, you can pay for it. Paid plans start at $4.50/month.
Features:
- 5 min check frequency
- 50 monitors
- Response Time graph (24 hours)
- 2 months log retention
- Easy API integration
- Downtime Alert via Email
Weak point/s:
- No Public reporting, but you can have your own by integration of its API.
Uptime Doctor
Uptime Doctor provides a 1-min checking frequency and you can setup a maximum of 5 monitors. The user interface does not appeal that much but one of the strength of this free service is that you can set it up to check your website or blog every 1 minute and setup a public report page.
Features:
- 1 min check frequency
- 5 monitors
- Response Time graph
- Public report page
- Weekly, Monthly Email Report
- Downtime Alert
- Server Monitoring
Weak point/s:
- No API
- Not that attractive interface
Status Cake
Status cake provides 5 min check frequency for as many monitors you want to setup. It provides virtually unlimited tests with limited features for free. If you want to have more features, you need to pay $14.99 per month. Status Cake public report page looks very nice though.
Features:
- 5 min check frequency
- Unlimited monitors
- Response Time Graph
- Downtime Alert
- Easy to navigate and appealing user interface
- Nice Public Report page
- Uptime badges
- API integration
Weak point/s:
- No way to view total uptime and downtime percentages
- Response time provided in estimates (seconds instead of milliseconds)
Anturis
Anturis provides 1 min check frequency for up to 5 monitors for free. This service has the most complicated but the complete way to setup a monitor. You need to create a infrastructure then put a server/component then finally a monitor. To get more monitors and features, you need to pay $9.50 monthly or $.750 if paid yearly. Basically, you do not need to opt for a paid plan because the free plan is more than enough for a normal blogger. The main advantage of Anturis from the listings above is that in one monitor, you can select 3 locations you want where your blog or website be checked.
Features:
- 1 min check frequency
- 5 monitors
- Selectable locations (up to 3 locations per monitor)
- Server monitoring
- Downtime and uptime alert via Email
Weak point/s:
- Overwhelming interface especially for non-technical persons
- No API
- No Public reporting
FINAL VERDICT
If you are a non-technical and/or normal blogger, the best monitor to use is Uptime Robot or if you like fancy user interface in exchange of the weak points of Status Cake, it will still provide good and reliable statistics for you.
If you are still a non-technical and/or normal blogger that does not care about user interface and just want to get accurate and precise monitoring statistics, Uptime Doctor is for you.
And finally, if you want a complete solution with a free price tag and you are person who is technically inclined and willing to learn about real IT monitoring, Anturis is the best way to go.
I am still on search for more uptime monitors that provides free plan for basic monitor service. This post will be updated if I found another that qualifies for my preference.