Side by side
Aura Monitoring vs Metric Tower
Both stand on dns monitoring software. Which one you can start free with, which one lets you read the code, and what each costs once you pay.
Free plan Web
Choose Aura if you need synthetic checks, multi-region verification, and status pages with alert routing. The free plan covers 10 monitors, including HTTP and heartbeat checks; SSL, DNS, and domain-expiry monitoring start with the $19/mo paid plan. Teams seeking real user monitoring should look elsewhere.
Visit Aura Monitoring Free plan APISelf-hostedWeb
Metric Tower combines scanning, monitoring, and response features with a free tier and self-hosted Docker Compose deployment. Consider its stated retention periods and compliance status when evaluating it.
Visit Metric TowerThe facts
| Aura Monitoring | Metric Tower | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Web | API, Self-hosted, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Paid plan: $19 a month | Free or on request |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | auramonitoring.com | metrictower.com |
| On dns monitoring software | #4 of 36 | #14 of 36 |
Aura Monitoring: what it does well
- Checks HTTP and API endpoints as often as every minute.
- Monitors DNS record changes across five record types.
- Routes alerts through chat, email, SMS, and webhooks.
- Provides on-call schedules and quiet hours.
- Status pages support incidents, maintenance, and customer subscriptions.
What to know first
- The free plan is limited to 10 monitors.
- SSL, DNS, and domain-expiry monitors require a paid plan.
- It does not provide real user monitoring.
Metric Tower: what it does well
- 98 scanner modules across eight categories.
- Nine monitor types cover DNS, SSL, uptime, and more.
- 12 notification channels and escalation policies.
- Findings integrate with nine named ticketing systems.
- Free tier includes 10,000 lookups per day.
What to know first
- Free activity logs and cron history last 30 days.
- Cloud metric snapshots are retained for seven days.
- Kubernetes deployment reference is on the roadmap.
- Formal SOC 2 audit is not complete.
Alternatives to Aura Monitoring Alternatives to Metric Tower The whole list