Uptime Kuma vs openstatus
openstatus vs Uptime Kuma compared side-by-side. Both open-source, but openstatus offers managed SaaS + 28-region global monitoring. Uptime Kuma is self-hosted only from 1 location.
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TL;DR: Both are open-source. Openstatus offers managed SaaS hosting and monitors from 28 global regions simultaneously. Uptime Kuma is self-hosted only and checks from one server location. Choose openstatus for global coverage without infrastructure, Uptime Kuma for fully free self-managed monitoring.
If you love the open-source ethos of Uptime Kuma but want managed hosting and global coverage, openstatus gives you both. Monitor from 28 regions across 3 cloud providers without maintaining your own server — or self-host it if you prefer. Either way, you get multi-region checks that Uptime Kuma's single-server architecture can't provide.
Openstatus and Uptime Kuma are both open-source uptime monitoring tools, making this a comparison between two projects with shared values but different architectures. The fundamental difference is the hosting model: Uptime Kuma is self-hosted only — you run it on your own server and it monitors from that single location. Openstatus is available both as a managed SaaS and for self-hosting, and checks from 28 regions worldwide.
If you want zero infrastructure responsibility and global multi-region checks, openstatus is the natural choice. If you want a completely free, self-managed tool with full control and no external dependencies, Uptime Kuma is a solid option.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | openstatus | Uptime Kuma |
|---|---|---|
| Open-source | Yes | Yes |
| Hosting model | SaaS or self-hosted | Self-hosted only |
| Multi-cloud | 3 cloud providers | Single server |
| Multi-region | 28 regions | 1 (your server location) |
| OTel Export | Yes | No |
| GitHub Action | Yes | No |
| Team members | Unlimited | Unlimited |
| Managed SaaS option | Yes | No |
| Monitoring as code | Yes | No |
Pricing Comparison
| openstatus | Uptime Kuma | |
|---|---|---|
| Software cost | Free (Hobby), $30/mo (Starter), $100/mo (Pro) | Free |
| Infrastructure cost | $0 (managed SaaS) | Your server cost ($5-20+/mo VPS) |
| Maintenance | None (managed) | You manage updates, backups, uptime |
| Multi-region | Included (28 regions) | Requires additional server per region |
| Status page | Included | Included |
Uptime Kuma is free software, but running it requires a server. A basic VPS costs $5-20/month, and you're responsible for updates, backups, and keeping the monitoring server itself online. Openstatus's managed SaaS eliminates that overhead. To get multi-region monitoring with Uptime Kuma, you'd need to run separate instances in each region.
When to Choose openstatus
- You want managed SaaS with no infrastructure to maintain
- You need 28-region global monitoring from multiple cloud providers
- You want monitoring as code via YAML and GitHub Actions
- You need OpenTelemetry export or a tightly integrated status page
- You want to talk to the founders directly (bootstrapped, small team)
When to Choose Uptime Kuma
- You want completely free monitoring with no usage limits
- You are comfortable running your own server
- You need monitoring behind a firewall with no external SaaS dependency
- You prefer a single-location check from your own infrastructure
Switching from Uptime Kuma to openstatus
- Sign up for a free openstatus account — no credit card required
- Recreate your monitors — use the dashboard or monitoring-as-code (YAML + CLI) to define your HTTP, TCP, and DNS checks
- Set up your status page — openstatus includes a branded status page with custom domain support
- Configure alerts — openstatus supports Slack, Discord, Email, PagerDuty, OpsGenie, and more
- Decommission your server — once your monitors are running on openstatus, you can shut down your Uptime Kuma instance and stop paying for the VPS
If you prefer to self-host openstatus instead, check the GitHub repository for Docker setup instructions.
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