Self-hosted open source vs managed SaaS. Both are great - depends on how you want to run your monitoring.
Last updated: January 2026
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Uptime Kuma is a fantastic open-source, self-hosted monitoring tool. Free, beautiful UI, 90+ notification integrations. If you can self-host, it's excellent.
PerkyDash is managed SaaS. No server to maintain, status pages included, visual diff monitoring. You pay monthly, but you don't manage infrastructure.
Choose Uptime Kuma if:
You can self-host and want free, full-control monitoring.
Choose PerkyDash if:
You want managed monitoring + status pages without server maintenance.
Before comparing, credit where it's due:
Uptime Kuma is one of the best open-source monitoring tools available. It's:
If you can self-host and maintain a server, Uptime Kuma is genuinely excellent. This comparison isn't about which is "better" - it's about self-hosted vs managed.
Two valid approaches with different tradeoffs
Neither is objectively better. It depends on your priorities, skills, and time.
A realistic look at what's involved
Self-hosting sounds great until you consider:
If your monitoring server goes down, you won't know your other services are down. You're monitoring your services, but who monitors the monitor?
If you're already managing servers and comfortable with Docker, self-hosting is easy. If not, managed SaaS saves you headaches.
Detailed comparison
| Feature | PerkyDash | Uptime Kuma |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Cost | $9.99-39.99/mo | Free (+ hosting costs) |
| Monitoring | ||
| HTTP/HTTPS | ||
| TCP/Ping | ||
| DNS | ||
| SSL certificates | ||
| Keyword monitoring | ||
| Push/heartbeat | ||
| Docker container health | ||
| Database monitoring | PostgreSQL, MySQL, etc. | |
| Steam game servers | ||
| Unique to PerkyDash | ||
| Visual diff monitoring | ||
| API flow (multi-step) | ||
| Status Pages | ||
| Status pages | ||
| Custom domain | Self-configured | |
| Emergency status page | Free tool | |
| Infrastructure | ||
| Check interval | 1 minute | 20 seconds |
| Monitoring locations | Multiple global | Single (your server) |
| Notifications | ||
| Email/Slack/Discord | ||
| Total integrations | 10+ | 90+ |
| Operations | ||
| Server maintenance | Not needed | Required |
| Automatic updates | Manual | |
| Multi-user/RBAC | Single user | |
| API | In development | |
| White-label | Agency plan | |
Where self-hosted shines
No monthly costs. Just hosting (which can be $0 if you have existing infrastructure).
Faster detection than PerkyDash's 1-minute minimum.
Telegram, Discord, Gotify, Pushover, Matrix, Rocket.Chat, and 85 more.
Your data stays on your server. No third-party access.
Monitor container health directly. PerkyDash can't do this.
PostgreSQL, MySQL, MariaDB, MSSQL, MongoDB health checks.
Monitor internal services not exposed to internet.
One of the best-looking monitoring UIs available, open source or not.
Where managed SaaS shines
No server to maintain, update, or troubleshoot.
Automatically catch visual/layout changes. Uptime Kuma doesn't have this.
Multi-step sequences (login → token → request). Uptime Kuma monitors single endpoints.
Uptime Kuma monitors from one location (your server). PerkyDash monitors from multiple global locations.
If one monitoring node fails, others continue. Self-hosted = single point of failure.
Team access with roles. Uptime Kuma is single-user.
For agencies. Uptime Kuma doesn't offer this.
Problems? We help. Self-hosted = you troubleshoot.
Money, time, and everything in between
Or: $0/mo if using existing infrastructure
If your time is worth $50/hour and you spend 2 hours/month on maintenance, that's $100 in time. Suddenly $9.99/mo is cheaper.
But if you enjoy server management or have existing infrastructure, Uptime Kuma's effective cost is near zero.
No tool is perfect
Uptime Kuma is excellent, but has real limitations:
No role-based access control. Anyone with dashboard access can modify or delete anything. Problematic for teams.
Can't automate adding/removing monitors programmatically yet. Manual management only.
Your server is the only checkpoint. Network issues between your server and target can cause false positives.
If your Uptime Kuma server goes down, all monitoring stops and you get no alerts.
Updates, security patches, backups, troubleshooting - all on you.
If you're not comfortable with Docker, servers, and troubleshooting, self-hosting adds stress rather than saving money.
Choose based on your situation
Uptime Kuma for internal/private services, PerkyDash for public-facing monitoring + status pages. Totally valid approach.
Migration notes
Export your monitor list manually (no API yet), recreate in PerkyDash. Status pages need recreation. Takes 30-60 minutes for typical setups.
Set up Uptime Kuma server, recreate monitors. No data migration needed - monitoring is stateless.
Many teams run Uptime Kuma for internal services and a SaaS tool for public monitoring. Totally valid approach.
Everything you need to know
Uptime Kuma is one of the best open-source monitoring tools available. Beautiful, powerful, free. If you can self-host, it's an excellent choice.
PerkyDash is managed SaaS with features Uptime Kuma doesn't have (visual diff, API flows, multi-location, white-label). You pay monthly but skip server management.
This isn't about which is better. It's about:
Both are valid. Choose based on your skills, time, and priorities.
14-day free trial. All features included. Visual diff monitoring. No server required.
No credit card required • No server required • Visual diff included
Prefer self-hosted? Uptime Kuma is excellent:
Check out Uptime Kuma on GitHub →