Quick answer
Xitoring - Xitoring wins for most builders because its free path is broader in practice, with a true free program for eligible groups and a much cheaper entry paid ladder for teams that outgrow the free path.
How the free tiers compare
These two products solve the same general monitoring problem, but they start from very different places. UptimeToolbox gives you a straightforward no-card free tier with a usable starter bundle: 5 monitors, one status page, server monitoring, SSL checks, and some alert credits. It is a smaller, clearly capped on-ramp that looks best for simple website uptime plus a status page. Xitoring is more expansive: its public free path is a 14-day trial, but it also has separate free programs for students, startups, non-profits, and open-source projects. After that, its paid ladder is much cheaper at the low end, starting at $4.99/month and adding features like teammates, custom dashboards, heartbeat and cronjob monitoring, and SSO at higher tiers. UptimeToolbox is the cleaner free starter. Xitoring is the better long-term fit for builders who expect to scale or need more monitoring types.
UptimeToolbox vs Xitoring free tier, side by side
| UptimeToolboxFTV 56 | XitoringFTV 37 | |
|---|---|---|
| Free monitorsXitoring's public free path is time-limited unless you qualify for one of its free programs. | 5 monitors | 14-day free trial, or special free programs for eligible groups |
| Check intervalUptimeToolbox's free tier is slower than Xitoring's paid ladder. | Every 3 minutes | 1-minute intervals on paid plans |
| Status pagesUptimeToolbox includes a free status page; Xitoring scales further on paid plans. | 1 status page | 1 status page on Solo, up to unlimited on Business+ |
| ServersThe input does not provide a free-server quota for Xitoring. | 1 server | Server metrics via Xitogent, quota not specified in the provided free-trial items |
| Data retentionDifferent retention wording makes this only a rough comparison. | 3 months of historical data, 7 days high-resolution retention | 1-year data retention on paid plans |
| Custom domainsXitoring's paid features list includes custom dashboards and related advanced features. | Included in free tier | Available on paid plans such as Starter and above |
| SSL monitoringBoth can cover SSL checks, but UptimeToolbox includes it for free. | Included in free tier | Included on Starter and above |
| Team membersXitoring gives clearer team scaling. | Included | 1 teammate on Starter, 5 on Pro, unlimited on Business and Business+ |
After you outgrow the free tier
UptimeToolbox uses flat monthly pricing, with the first paid plan at $29/month and a jump to $99/month for the next tier. Xitoring also uses flat monthly pricing, but its ladder starts much lower at $4.99/month and steps up through $9.99, $19.99, $34.99, and $64.99. For small-team usage, Xitoring is materially cheaper once you need more than the free path. UptimeToolbox only gives the pricing shape, not lower-cost intermediate tiers, so its paid entry is simply much steeper.
Cost at real usage
| Usage | UptimeToolbox | Xitoring |
|---|---|---|
| 20 uptime monitors, 1 status page, 1-minute checksXitoring's Solo plan covers this usage. | No exact paid tier match in the provided data; free tier allows 5 monitors, paid starts at $29/mo | $4.99/mo |
| 50 uptime monitors, 1 teammateXitoring's Starter plan covers 50 monitors and 1 teammate. | No exact paid tier match in the provided data; free tier is capped at 5 monitors | $9.99/mo |
| 120 uptime monitors, 2 status pages, 5 teammatesXitoring's Pro plan covers this usage. | No exact paid tier match in the provided data | $19.99/mo |
| 300 uptime monitors, 3 status pages, unlimited teammatesXitoring's Business plan covers this usage. | No exact paid tier match in the provided data | $34.99/mo |
Estimates, not quotes. Usage-based rates change - verify with the vendor's pricing page before committing.
When to pick each one
Pick UptimeToolbox when…
- You want a no-card starter tier for a small website or personal service.
- You only need a few monitors, one status page, and basic SSL or domain-expiration-style checks.
- You care about including SMS and voice credits in the free tier.
- You want custom domains and white labeling available before paying.
- You are mainly monitoring Linux servers and want a simple starter setup.
Pick Xitoring when…
- You qualify for one of Xitoring's special free programs as a student, startup, non-profit, or open-source project.
- You want a broader monitoring stack that includes uptime, server metrics, API endpoints, heartbeat jobs, and cron jobs.
- You expect to need teammates, custom dashboards, or more than one status page soon.
- You want a much cheaper first paid plan once you outgrow the free path.
- You are planning for scale and may need SSO/SAML, unlimited status pages, or more subscribers later.
Bottom line
For the most common builder use case, Xitoring is the better long-term pick because it gives you a much cheaper paid ramp and a wider monitoring menu once the free path ends. UptimeToolbox is still attractive if you want a simple no-card free tier with a real status page, SSL checks, and some alerting included. But if you expect to scale beyond a handful of checks, Xitoring is the easier product to grow into.
Read the full listings: UptimeToolbox and Xitoring. Scores use the FTV methodology at /ftv. Browse more head-to-heads on /compare, or see the top-ranked free tiers on /top.