Side by side
Better Stack vs Downdetector
Both stand on website 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 AndroidAPIiPhone+1
Better Stack combines incident response and monitoring with telemetry, error tracking, and status pages. The free plan provides a limited starting set of monitoring and data allowances, while paid offerings include annual-billed Responder and separately priced telemetry plans.
Visit Better Stack Free plan AndroidAPIiPhone+1
Downdetector combines public outage reporting with monitoring and communication tools for organizations. The free plan is limited by favorite and notification caps, while Explorer and Communicate add business-focused capabilities.
Visit DowndetectorThe facts
| Better Stack | Downdetector | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Open source | Not published | Not published |
| Runs on | Android, API, iPhone, Web | Android, API, iPhone, Web |
| Lowest paid plan | Responder: $29 per license a month | Pro: $13.99 a month |
| Plans published | 6 | 3 |
| Maker | Not published | Not published |
| Website | betterstack.com | downdetector.com |
| On website monitoring software | #1 of 55 | #5 of 55 |
Better Stack: what it does well
- AI SRE agent investigates incidents from several telemetry sources.
- Uptime checks cover HTTP(S), ports, SSL, and DNS.
- Logs and traces support VRL, PromQL, and SQL.
- Free plan includes monitors, status page, and exceptions.
What to know first
- Better Stack states it is not HIPAA compliant.
- Free-plan logs and traces are retained for three days.
- Custom data locations are available for enterprise accounts.
Downdetector: what it does well
- Status updates every four minutes
- Free plan supports up to five favorites
- Explorer offers geographic breakdowns and alerts
- Communicate supports customer-facing status updates
What to know first
- Free notifications have daily limits
- Pro costs $13.99 a month
- Ookla licenses Downdetector data to business customers
Alternatives to Better Stack Alternatives to Downdetector The whole list