SiteBot vs Uptime Kuma
Hosted SaaS vs Self-Hosted: Two different approaches to uptime monitoring. Learn which one fits your needs and technical requirements better.
SiteBot (Hosted)
Sign up, add monitors, done. We handle servers, updates, backups, and security. You focus on your business.
Uptime Kuma (Self-Hosted)
Deploy on your own server. Full control over your data. Requires technical knowledge and ongoing maintenance.
SiteBotRecommended
A fully managed uptime monitoring service. No servers to maintain, no updates to apply.
- Start monitoring in under 1 minute
- No server or Docker knowledge required
- Automatic updates and security patches
- Built-in backups and disaster recovery
- 99.9% uptime SLA for monitoring infrastructure
- No hidden costs (server, bandwidth, time)
Uptime Kuma
An excellent open-source self-hosted monitoring tool with extensive features and integrations.
- 100% free and open source (MIT License)
- Complete control over your data
- 90+ notification service integrations
- Requires server setup and maintenance
- Manual updates and security patches
- Your monitoring depends on your server uptime
The Self-Hosting Challenge
Self-hosting Uptime Kuma is a great learning experience and gives you full control. But it comes with responsibilities that many teams underestimate:
Initial Setup
- • Provision a server (VPS, cloud instance)
- • Install Docker or Node.js
- • Configure reverse proxy (Nginx/Caddy)
- • Set up SSL certificates
- • Configure firewall rules
- • Set up backup strategy
Ongoing Maintenance
- • Monitor server health
- • Apply security updates
- • Update Uptime Kuma versions
- • Manage SSL certificate renewals
- • Handle server outages
- • Scale as needs grow
The irony: If your self-hosted monitoring server goes down, you won't get alerts about your other services being down.
Detailed Feature Comparison
A comprehensive look at what each platform offers
| Feature | SiteBot | Uptime Kuma |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting & Setup | ||
| Hosting Type | Fully Managed (SaaS) | Self-Hosted |
| Setup Time | Instant (< 1 min) | 30+ minutes |
| Server Required | ||
| Docker Knowledge Required | ||
| Database Management | ||
| SSL Certificate Setup | ||
| Maintenance | ||
| Automatic Updates | ||
| Automatic Backups | ||
| Security Patches | Automatic | Manual |
| Server Maintenance | ||
| Uptime of Monitoring System | 99.9% SLA | Depends on your server |
| Monitoring Types | ||
| HTTP(s) Monitoring | ||
| TCP Port Monitoring | ||
| Ping Monitoring | ||
| DNS Monitoring | ||
| Keyword Monitoring | ||
| Docker Container Monitoring | ||
| Steam Game Server | ||
| MQTT Monitoring | ||
| Push / Heartbeat | Coming Soon | |
| Notifications | ||
| Email Alerts | ||
| Slack Integration | ||
| Telegram Integration | ||
| Discord Integration | Coming Soon | |
| Webhook Support | Coming Soon | |
| 90+ Notification Services | ||
| Status Pages | ||
| Public Status Pages | ||
| Password Protection | ||
| Custom Domain | Requires setup | |
| Incident Management | ||
| Maintenance Windows | Coming Soon | |
| Other Features | ||
| Uptime Badges | ||
| API Access | ||
| Multi-Language UI | ||
| 2FA Authentication | ||
| Open Source | ||
| Proxy Support | ||
| Cost | ||
| Software Cost | Free tier available | Free (Open Source) |
| Server Cost | $0 | $5-20+/month |
| Maintenance Cost | $0 | Your time |
| Total Cost of Ownership | Low & Predictable | Variable |
Total Cost of Ownership
Looking beyond the sticker price
SiteBot (1 Year)
Uptime Kuma Self-Hosted (1 Year)
Who Should Choose Which?
Choose SiteBot If You...
- Want to start monitoring immediately without setup
- Don't want to manage servers or infrastructure
- Need reliable monitoring that doesn't depend on your infrastructure
- Prefer predictable costs over variable expenses
- Value your time over learning DevOps skills
- Are a small team or solo developer
Choose Uptime Kuma If You...
- Need to monitor internal/private services
- Require complete control over your data
- Have DevOps expertise and time to maintain
- Need 90+ notification integrations
- Want to monitor Docker containers or game servers
- Prefer open-source solutions
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use both SiteBot and Uptime Kuma together?
Absolutely! Many teams use SiteBot for external monitoring (websites, APIs) and Uptime Kuma for internal services. This gives you the best of both worlds - reliable external monitoring with no maintenance, and self-hosted monitoring for internal systems.
Is my data safe with SiteBot?
Yes. We take security seriously with encrypted connections, secure data storage, and regular security audits. We only store the minimum data needed to provide the service - your monitor configurations and uptime history.
What happens if I outgrow the free plan?
Our paid plans offer more monitors, team features, and additional capabilities. Upgrading is seamless - all your existing monitors and history are preserved. No data migration needed.
Can I export my data from SiteBot?
Yes, you can export your monitoring data through our API. We believe in data portability - your data is yours. We're also working on a one-click export feature for easier data downloads.
Why not just use a free VPS for Uptime Kuma?
Free VPS tiers (like Oracle Cloud, Google Cloud free tier) can work, but they often have limitations: unpredictable availability, resource constraints, and the risk of service changes. For something as critical as monitoring, reliability matters.
Ready to try SiteBot?
Skip the server setup. Start monitoring in seconds. No credit card required, no Docker knowledge needed.