18 rules in 4 groups, worth 100 points in all. They were set before any product was scored and apply the same way to all 10.
Version 1, published 9 Oct 2026
In short
Each rule is a yes-or-no fact, a list (such as the systems with an app) or a number with published thresholds, read from the vendor's own pages.
A fact the vendor does not publish earns nothing. A feature in beta or preview does not count.
The list follows the points. A tie goes to the lower price on "entry plan price", then to the name.
Hosted website and API uptime monitors for small teams, used in a browser. Self-hosted tools, observability suites and bundle-only products are left out. "Entry plan" means the cheapest paid plan with at least 10 uptime monitors, billed yearly at its regular price. A feature the vendor lists without naming a plan limit counts for every plan.
Monitoring 41 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Fastest check on the entry plan
The shortest time between two uptime checks of one monitor on the entry plan, as the vendor's plan page states it. 30 seconds or less earns 10 points, 60 seconds or less 8, 120 seconds or less 5, 300 seconds or less 2. Faster checks sold as a paid add-on do not count.
10
Check types
The vendor lists each kind of check beyond a plain HTTP(S) request for the entry plan: ping (ICMP), a TCP port check, a DNS check, and a keyword or response-content check. A check type listed without a plan limit counts. Each one earns 2 points.
8
Check locations
The number of locations (cities or regions) the vendor lists as available for checks on the entry plan. 30 or more earns 5 points, 15 or more 4, 6 or more 2, 3 or more 1.
5
SSL certificate expiry alerts
The entry plan alerts you before an SSL/TLS certificate expires, as documented on a vendor page.
5
Cron job (heartbeat) monitoring
The entry plan can alert you when a scheduled job fails to ping a URL on time (heartbeat, push or cron monitoring), generally available.
8
Multi-step or browser checks
The entry plan can run a multi-step (transaction) check or a real-browser check, such as logging in or an API call sequence, generally available, not beta. A single HTTP request with a keyword match does not count.
5
Alerts and status page 25 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Alert channels
The vendor lists each named channel as an alert or integration option for the entry plan. An integration list that names no plan limit counts for every plan. Email is expected everywhere and earns nothing. SMS and phone calls count even when the credits are sold separately. Each channel earns 2 points.
12
Public status page
The entry plan includes a status page hosted by the vendor that your customers can open without an account.
6
Status page on your own domain
The entry plan lets you serve the status page from your own domain name, such as status.example.com.
3
On-call schedules or escalation
The entry plan has on-call rotations or escalation rules built in, so an unanswered alert goes to the next person.
4
Team and trust 18 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
SAML single sign-on
SAML single sign-on is listed on a public plan or a priced add-on. A plan that is only sold by quote does not count.
5
SOC 2 Type II or ISO 27001
The vendor names a SOC 2 Type II report or an ISO/IEC 27001 certification for this product or the company running it.
4
Written uptime guarantee
The vendor's terms or plan page commit in writing to an uptime percentage for the monitoring service itself, with service credits or a refund, on any public plan. Not stated means null.
3
Public API
A documented public API lets you create and change monitors, available on the entry plan.
3
Three or more team members
The entry plan's price includes at least three people who can sign in to the same account, without paying per extra seat.
3
Free plan and price 16 points
Rule
What it takes
Points
Monitors on the free plan
The number of uptime monitors on a free plan that is not a trial. 50 or more earns 6 points, 20 or more 5, 10 or more 4, 5 or more 2. A product with no free plan records 0.
6
Entry plan price
The entry plan (cheapest paid plan with at least 10 uptime monitors) at its regular price, in US dollars a month, billed yearly, for the smallest team the plan allows. Priced per monitor or per user, add up the cost of 10 monitors and one user. $12 or less earns 6 points, $21 or less 4, $30 or less 2, $45 or less 1. Euro prices are converted at the build's rate.
6
Price with 50 monitors
The cheapest way to get at least 50 uptime monitors with checks every 60 seconds or faster, including any priced monitor add-on, in US dollars a month, billed yearly. $15 or less earns 4 points, $25 or less 3, $40 or less 2, $60 or less 1.