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Logging · head to head

CloudWatch vs UptimeRobot

CloudWatch logo

CloudWatch

Logging

AWS Monitoring and Observability

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
UptimeRobot logo

UptimeRobot

Technology

Uptime monitoring for hobby and non-profit projects, up to enterprise

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: CloudWatch the free tier covers 5 GB of log ingestion and 10 custom metrics a month, after which log ingestion is $0.50 per GB from 5 to 30 GB; UptimeRobot free plan is limited to a 5 minute check interval; sub-minute checking (60 seconds) requires the paid Solo plan and faster intervals (30 or 15 seconds) require Team or Scale

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which CloudWatch and UptimeRobot actually diverge.

Attributes where CloudWatch and UptimeRobot differ
AttributeCloudWatchUptimeRobot
Pricing modelusage-basedfreemium
PlatformsWeb, ApiWeb
CategoryLoggingTechnology
Founded2006Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in CloudWatch

  • Metrics collection
  • Log aggregation
  • Dashboards
  • Alarms and notifications
  • API
  • Webhooks
  • REST
  • Web support

Only in UptimeRobot

Nothing recorded that CloudWatch does not also cover.

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

CloudWatch

  • Metrics and log collection for AWS workloadsnot UptimeRobot
  • Alarming on thresholds across AWS servicesnot UptimeRobot
  • Querying logs with Logs Insightsnot UptimeRobot
  • Live tailing logs during an incidentnot UptimeRobot
  • Distributed tracing alongside X-Raynot UptimeRobot

UptimeRobot

  • Freelancers monitoring personal websites and client projectsnot CloudWatch
  • Small teams managing production services and infrastructurenot CloudWatch
  • Agencies tracking high-volume client monitoring needsnot CloudWatch
  • Enterprises requiring custom compliance and SLA managementnot CloudWatch
  • Background job monitoring via heartbeat checksnot CloudWatch

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

CloudWatch

  • The free tier covers 5 GB of log ingestion and 10 custom metrics a month, after which log ingestion is $0.50 per GB from 5 to 30 GB
  • Custom metrics are $0.30 each for the first 10,000, so instrumenting broadly gets expensive before volume discounts apply
  • Each custom dashboard beyond the free three is $3 a month
  • Alarms are billed at $0.10 per alarm metric a month, with high-resolution alarms costing more
  • Log storage beyond the free 5 GB is $0.03 per GB per month on top of the ingestion charge

UptimeRobot

  • Free plan is limited to a 5 minute check interval; sub-minute checking (60 seconds) requires the paid Solo plan and faster intervals (30 or 15 seconds) require Team or Scale
  • Team plan includes only 3 seats; additional seats are not covered in the base $41/$35 per month price
  • Enterprise pricing and faster-than-15-second intervals are custom and require contacting sales

Pricing, plan by plan

CloudWatch

Free
  • Pay-as-you-goFree
    • Logs ingestion: $0.50/GB (first 5GB free), down to $0.05/GB at scale
    • Logs storage: $0.03/GB/month
    • Live Tail: $0.01/minute after 1,800 free minutes
  • Free tierFree
    • 5GB logs ingestion per month
    • 10 custom metrics
    • 3 custom dashboards

UptimeRobot

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the UptimeRobot review.

Which should you pick?

Choose CloudWatch if

  • You need metrics collection.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Api.
  • You also want log aggregation.
CloudWatch review

Choose UptimeRobot if

  • You want to start without paying.
UptimeRobot review

Questions people ask

Is CloudWatch or UptimeRobot better?
Neither clearly leads. CloudWatch starts at Free and UptimeRobot at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, CloudWatch or UptimeRobot?
CloudWatch starts at Free and UptimeRobot at Free.
Does CloudWatch or UptimeRobot run on more platforms?
CloudWatch runs on Web, Api. UptimeRobot runs on Web.
Can I use CloudWatch for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is CloudWatch best used for?
CloudWatch is most often used for metrics and log collection for aws workloads, alarming on thresholds across aws services, querying logs with logs insights, live tailing logs during an incident. Of those, metrics and log collection for aws workloads and alarming on thresholds across aws services are not what UptimeRobot is typically brought in for.
What can CloudWatch do that UptimeRobot cannot?
CloudWatch covers Metrics collection, Log aggregation, Dashboards, Alarms and notifications.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

CloudWatch: How much does Amazon CloudWatch cost?

CloudWatch uses pay-as-you-go pricing with no upfront commitment. Logs ingestion costs $0.50/GB (first 5GB free), logs storage is $0.03/GB/month, custom metrics cost $0.30/metric/month (first 10,000), custom dashboards are $3/month, and standard alarms are $0.10/metric/month.

Source
UptimeRobot: What is UptimeRobot's refund policy?

UptimeRobot offers a 14-day money-back guarantee for new subscriptions and upgrades.

Source
CloudWatch: Does CloudWatch offer a free tier?

Yes, CloudWatch free tier includes 5GB logs ingestion, 10 custom metrics, 3 custom dashboards, and 10 alarm metrics per month at no charge. Usage beyond these limits incurs pay-as-you-go fees.

Source
UptimeRobot: Can I cancel my subscription anytime?

Yes. You can cancel at any time by turning off auto-renewal. Your subscription remains active until the end of the current billing cycle.

Source
CloudWatch: What are CloudWatch's pricing tiers for high-volume usage?

CloudWatch offers tiered pricing with volume discounts: logs ingestion starts at $0.50/GB and decreases to $0.05/GB at higher volumes; custom metrics start at $0.30/metric/month and decline to $0.05 at higher volumes; Application Signals cost $1.50 per million traces initially, declining to $0.30.

Source
UptimeRobot: What payment methods does UptimeRobot accept?

UptimeRobot accepts major credit and debit cards (Visa, Maestro, MasterCard, Discover, Diners Club, American Express) as well as wire transfers.

Source
UptimeRobot: What are the monitor limits by plan?

Free: 50 monitors | Solo: 50 | Team: 100 | Scale: 200-500

Source
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