Quick answer
SweetUptime - SweetUptime wins for most builders because its free tier is much larger, does not require a credit card, and leaves far more room to grow before you have to pay.
How the free tiers compare
These two products are both uptime monitoring tools, but the free tiers are aimed at very different starting points. DigitalOcean Uptime is a minimal entry plan: one free uptime monitor, four monitoring regions, 1-minute checks, alerting, and not much else. It is best when you only need to watch a single service and you already use DigitalOcean. SweetUptime is a broader starter bundle: 20 uptime monitors, 20 domain and SSL checks, 10 servers, 5 status pages, and a 1-minute interval, with no credit card required. That makes it much more practical for a small app, several client sites, or a team that wants room to add monitors without immediately hitting the paywall. After the free tier, DigitalOcean charges per monitor, while SweetUptime uses flat monthly tiers, so DigitalOcean stays cheaper for one extra check but SweetUptime scales better as monitoring needs grow.
DigitalOcean Uptime vs SweetUptime free tier, side by side
| DigitalOcean UptimeFTV 38 | SweetUptimeFTV 47 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free uptime monitorsDigitalOcean’s free tier is capped at one uptime check; SweetUptime includes 20 uptime monitors. | 1 per month | 20 |
| Monitoring regions / locationsSweetUptime advertises far broader geographic coverage. | 4 monitoring regions | 260+ global locations |
| Check intervalBoth support 1-minute monitoring intervals. | 1 minute | 1 minute |
| Alerts included in free tierSweetUptime’s input specifically mentions downtime alerts in the plan features; the free-tier items do not list channels. | Email and Slack alerting | Downtime alerts |
| Domain and SSL checksDigitalOcean’s paid features include SSL expiry alerts, but the free tier items do not include separate domain/SSL monitor quotas. | Not listed in free tier items | 20 domain and SSL monitors |
| Status pagesStatus pages are part of SweetUptime’s free bundle. | Not listed | 5 status pages |
| Credit card required for free tierOnly state this because the field is explicitly present for both products. | Yes | No |
After you outgrow the free tier
DigitalOcean Uptime uses per-unit pricing after the free monitor, at $1 per additional uptime check per month. That makes it very cheap for tiny setups, but costs rise linearly as you add monitors. SweetUptime uses flat monthly tiers: $9, $19, and $29, plus custom and dedicated plans by contact sales. For one or a few extra checks, DigitalOcean is cheaper; once you need multiple monitors, SweetUptime’s bundled tiers become the better value. No usage-based rates were provided for SweetUptime, so custom scenarios beyond the listed flat tiers cannot be calculated.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | DigitalOcean Uptime | SweetUptime |
|---|---|---|
| 1 additional uptime check/month beyond freeSweetUptime’s free plan already includes 20 uptime monitors. | $1/mo | Free (within tier) |
| 5 uptime monitors totalDigitalOcean charges per monitor after the free check; SweetUptime still fits inside the free bundle. | ~$5/mo | Free (within tier) |
| 20 uptime monitors totalSweetUptime’s free tier includes 20 uptime monitors, while DigitalOcean would be per-check after the first free monitor. | ~$20/mo | Free (within tier) |
| 50 uptime monitors totalSweetUptime’s mini tier covers 50 uptime monitors. | ~$50/mo | $9/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick DigitalOcean Uptime when…
- You only need to watch one main website or API endpoint.
- You already run most infrastructure on DigitalOcean and want a simple add-on monitor.
- You want the cheapest way to add a single extra uptime check after the free tier.
- You do not need many separate monitors, status pages, or broader coverage.
Pick SweetUptime when…
- You need to monitor multiple websites, endpoints, or client projects from day one.
- You want SSL and domain checks bundled into the free plan.
- You need status pages without paying immediately.
- You prefer a free tier with no credit card required.
- You expect to grow beyond a single monitor and want flat-price plans instead of per-check pricing.
Bottom line
For the most common builder case, SweetUptime is the better free-tier pick because it gives you a usable monitoring bundle without a card and with enough quota to cover a real project or several small ones. DigitalOcean Uptime only wins when you want the absolute cheapest way to monitor one extra endpoint and you are already comfortable inside DigitalOcean’s ecosystem. If you expect to monitor more than one thing, SweetUptime is the easier and cheaper place to start.
Read the full listings: DigitalOcean Uptime and SweetUptime. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.