hostnag vs Uptime Kuma

Uptime Kuma is a free, open-source, self-hosted monitor with a wide range of monitor types and Docker-aware checks, at no subscription cost for anyone willing to run and patch the server themselves. One hosted timeline of what will break (certificates, domains, mail setup) and what is broken, with nothing to install, patch or keep running yourself.

Start free See pricing

Free for five hosts. No card, nothing to install.

Side by side

Uptime Kuma read from its public documentation on 2026-09-15. Tell us if it changed.

What breaks, and whether Uptime Kuma or hostnag covers it
What breaks	Uptime Kuma	hostnag
A host goes downwebsite, API, VPN, mail, gateway	YesHTTP(S), TCP, Websocket and Ping monitors report uptime.	Yes
Uptime Kuma: HTTP(S), TCP, Websocket and Ping monitors report uptime.
A certificate expiresdays-before thresholds, daily inside the last window	YesCertificate info is shown per monitor with expiry warnings at configurable thresholds (14 and 7 days by default).	Yes
Uptime Kuma: Certificate info is shown per monitor with expiry warnings at configurable thresholds (14 and 7 days by default).
A domain lapsesregistration expiry from RDAP	UnknownThe README's feature list does not mention domain (WHOIS) registration expiry.	Yes
Uptime Kuma: The README's feature list does not mention domain (WHOIS) registration expiry.
A certificate is swappedfingerprint changed, wrong host, chain not trusted	UnknownThe README documents certificate info and expiry only; it does not say whether a fingerprint, hostname or chain change is detected.	Yes
Uptime Kuma: The README documents certificate info and expiry only; it does not say whether a fingerprint, hostname or chain change is detected.
A DNS record driftsexpected answer missing or changed	YesA DNS Record monitor checks a chosen record against an expected value you configure and alerts when the resolved value no longer matches.	Yes
Uptime Kuma: A DNS Record monitor checks a chosen record against an expected value you configure and alerts when the resolved value no longer matches.
An ISP link dropsthe public address from several locations, confirmed by a ping from inside the site	UnknownNo combined outside-check-plus-inside-confirmation monitor for an office or ISP link is documented.	Yesoutside and inside
Uptime Kuma: No combined outside-check-plus-inside-confirmation monitor for an office or ISP link is documented.hostnag: outside and inside
Mail stops being deliveredMX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC and blocklists, at the expiry cadence of your plan	UnknownEmail (SMTP) appears only as an outgoing notification method in the README, not as an MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC or blocklist check.	Yes
Uptime Kuma: Email (SMTP) appears only as an outgoing notification method in the README, not as an MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC or blocklist check.
Someone issues a certificate for your domainnew certificates in the transparency logs, daily	UnknownNo certificate transparency log watch is in the README's feature list.	Yes
Uptime Kuma: No certificate transparency log watch is in the README's feature list.
A scheduled job stops runningcron, backups, workers: a heartbeat that goes quiet	YesA Push monitor type expects a periodic ping to a unique URL, the same heartbeat pattern as a cron job monitor.	Yes
Uptime Kuma: A Push monitor type expects a periodic ping to a unique URL, the same heartbeat pattern as a cron job monitor.
Your nameservers or registrar changenameservers, registrar, DNSSEC, certificate issuer, DNS answers, redirect targets	UnknownThe README's feature list does not describe watching nameservers, a registrar, DNSSEC or a redirect target for a change.	Yes
Uptime Kuma: The README's feature list does not describe watching nameservers, a registrar, DNSSEC or a redirect target for a change.

UNKNOWN means their documentation did not say either way on the day we read it. PARTLY is covered with a limit noted in the cell.

What Uptime Kuma has that we don't

Self-hosting under the MIT license: no subscription, run it on your own server or Docker host.
Docker container monitoring over the Docker socket or a TCP connection to the daemon.
90+ notification service integrations, including Telegram, Gotify and Pushover.
Steam game server monitoring.

Switching

01Export a 1.x backup (Settings, Backup) and upload the JSON file in the import dialog; it never leaves your browser except to hostnag's own server.
02HTTP, keyword, port and DNS monitors carry over with their type and target; JSON query monitors import as plain HTTP checks with a note that the query assertion was dropped.
03Push (heartbeat) monitors get a new hostnag ping URL to point the job at after the import.
04Ping (ICMP), Websocket, Steam Game Server and Docker container monitors are not supported and are listed with a note instead of silently dropped.
05Check intervals snap up to the nearest hostnag preset (1, 5, 15, 60, 360 or 1440 minutes).
06Monitors are created up to your plan's limit; the rest stay listed in the preview so nothing disappears silently.

Pricing

Free and open source under the MIT license; there is no subscription, only the cost of the server you run it on.

Free

$0/ mo

For your own handful of hosts.

Monitors: 5
Groups: 1
Status pages: 1
Seats: 1
Every: 5min
Locations: 1
History: 30days
Channels: Email

Start free

Pro

$19/ mo

For a team's sites, APIs and gateways.

Monitors: 50
Groups: 10
Status pages: 10
Seats: 5
Every: 1min
Locations: 3
History: 90days
Channels: Email, Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, Telegram, Webhook

Start with Pro

Business

$79/ mo

For many groups: clients, products or offices.

Monitors: 500
Groups: ∞
Status pages: ∞
Seats: 25
Every: 1min
Locations: 4
History: 365days
Channels: Email, Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, Telegram, Webhook, SMS, PagerDuty, Opsgenie

Start with Business

Sources

Read on 2026-09-15.

Bring your Uptime Kuma monitors. Hear about the next outage first.

Start free