UptimeRobot is $7/mo (Pro). Outpost is a self-hosted alternative at $0.99/mo. Here's when each makes sense.
| Outpost | UptimeRobot | |
|---|---|---|
| Hosting | Self-hosted, your infra | Managed SaaS (cloud only) |
| Data location | Your server, your disk | UptimeRobot's cloud |
| Free tier | 5 monitors | Paid only |
| Pro pricing | $0.99/mo | $7/mo (Pro) |
| Dependencies | None (single binary + SQLite) | N/A (managed) |
| Setup time | ~30 seconds | Account signup |
| Dashboard | Built-in at /ui | Cloud dashboard |
| License | BSL 1.1 | Proprietary SaaS |
Outpost is a single Go binary with embedded SQLite. Install it with one command, and you are running in under a minute. Your data stays on your server.
curl -fsSL https://stockyard.dev/outpost/install.sh | sh
The pricing math between Outpost and UptimeRobot changes depending on team size. UptimeRobot at $7/mo (Pro) is reasonable for a solo user. At ten seats, the difference compounds. Outpost is a flat $0.99/mo regardless of seats — the binary does not count how many people use it. For growing teams, this makes Outpost progressively cheaper while UptimeRobot gets progressively more expensive.
The operational difference is significant. UptimeRobot requires you to trust their infrastructure, their security practices, and their business continuity. Outpost requires you to run a process and keep the data directory backed up. If your server dies, restore the binary and the SQLite file to a new server. The entire recovery procedure fits in a single paragraph because there is nothing else involved.
The migration path from UptimeRobot depends on how much history you need to bring over. If you only need active records, a manual re-entry through Outpost's dashboard might be faster than writing a migration script. If you need full history, export from UptimeRobot and use Outpost's POST API to import records. Either way, the process is measured in hours, not weeks.
Single binary. Free to start. $0.99/mo for Pro.