Quick answer
SweetUptime - SweetUptime wins for most builders who want a larger free monitoring bundle, while Pulsetic is better if you need more status-page control and richer alerting integrations on the free tier.
How the free tiers compare
These two free tiers solve the same job, but they emphasize different parts of the uptime workflow. SweetUptime gives you more raw monitoring capacity out of the box: 20 uptime monitors, 20 domain and SSL checks, 10 servers, 5 status pages, and a 1-minute interval. That makes it the easier starter choice for teams that want to watch more endpoints before paying. Pulsetic is tighter on count but broader on incident workflow details: 10 monitors, 3 status pages, custom domains, 3 monitoring regions, 3 months of history, email alerts, webhooks, and a free plan that explicitly includes 2FA. When you outgrow free, both move to simple flat pricing, but Pulsetic’s next step is $9 for 10+ monitors with more regions and longer history, while SweetUptime’s $9 mini plan jumps to 50 monitors and more pages. SweetUptime is cheaper in practice for monitor-heavy starter setups; Pulsetic is stronger if alerting and status-page operations matter more than raw quota.
Pulsetic vs SweetUptime free tier, side by side
| PulseticFTV 51 | SweetUptimeFTV 47 | |
|---|---|---|
| Uptime monitors / monitorsPulsetic uses a combined monitor/heartbeat/domain limit; SweetUptime separates uptime and domain/SSL checks. | Up to 10 monitors, heartbeats, or domains | 20 uptime monitors |
| Domain and SSL checksSweetUptime makes domain and SSL capacity explicit on free. | Included only indirectly as monitors/domains | 20 domain and SSL checks |
| Status pagesPulsetic also says custom domains are included on free. | 3 status pages | 5 status pages |
| Monitoring regions / locationsSweetUptime advertises its check network size, but the free-plan row does not give a free-region cap beyond the interval. | 3 monitoring regions | 260+ global locations |
| Monitoring intervalSweetUptime checks more frequently on the free tier. | 5-minute check intervals | 1-minute monitor interval |
| Historical uptime and logsPulsetic states retention explicitly; SweetUptime free-plan retention is not provided. | 3 months | Not specified |
| Alert channelsPulsetic lists a broader set of integrations in the product description, but the free-tier items only confirm email alerts and 1 webhook per monitor. | Email alerts included, plus webhooks | Downtime alerts |
After you outgrow the free tier
Both products use flat pricing after free, so the main difference is how much capacity each step unlocks. Pulsetic starts at $9/month for 10+ monitors, then $19 and $49 with more monitors, regions, and longer history. SweetUptime also starts at $9/month, but its mini plan jumps much harder to 50 uptime monitors, 50 domain and SSL checks, 20 servers, and 10 status pages. For small teams that just need a few monitors, Pulsetic’s paid ladder is gentler; for monitor-heavy setups, SweetUptime gives more capacity per dollar at the first paid step.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | Pulsetic | SweetUptime |
|---|---|---|
| 10 monitors / small starter setupBoth free tiers can cover this, though Pulsetic caps at 10 and SweetUptime has room above that. | Free (within tier) | Free (within tier) |
| 20 uptime monitorsPulsetic would need the first paid tier once you exceed 10; SweetUptime free includes 20 uptime monitors. | ~$9/mo | Free (within tier) |
| 50 uptime monitorsPulsetic jumps to Team at $19 for 50+ monitors; SweetUptime mini covers 50 monitors at $9. | ~$19/mo or higher | ~$9/mo |
| 100 uptime monitorsPulsetic would need Organization at $49 for 300+ monitors; SweetUptime ADVANCED is $19 for 100 monitors. | ~$49/mo or higher | ~$19/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick Pulsetic when…
- You only need around 10 monitors but care about 3 monitoring regions and longer retention on the free plan.
- You want email alerts plus webhook support from a free uptime tool.
- You need custom domains on public status pages without paying first.
- You prefer a free plan that includes 2FA and incident/status-page basics over larger monitor counts.
Pick SweetUptime when…
- You want the most monitors on a free plan for a small server or website fleet.
- You need free coverage for both uptime monitors and separate domain/SSL checks.
- You want 5 free status pages and a 1-minute interval without paying.
- You expect to scale into 50-monitor pricing quickly and want the cheapest flat paid step to be as roomy as possible.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, SweetUptime is the better free-tier pick because it gives more monitors, more status pages, and a faster 1-minute interval before charging. Pulsetic is the better choice if your free setup needs more monitoring regions, explicit history retention, custom domains on status pages, and alert plumbing like webhooks. Once paid, both stay simple and flat-priced, but SweetUptime is the cheaper path for monitor-heavy usage, while Pulsetic makes more sense for smaller teams focused on incident workflow.
Read the full listings: Pulsetic 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.