Healthchecks.io vs Cronitor vs CronPulse: Cron Monitoring Compared
An honest comparison of the three most popular cron monitoring tools. We publish this on the CronPulse blog, so we'll be upfront about our biases.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Healthchecks.io | Cronitor | CronPulse |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 20 checks | 5 monitors | 10 checks |
| Starting price | $20/mo | ~$40/mo | $5/mo |
| 100 checks | $20/mo | ~$200/mo | $15/mo |
| Self-host option | Yes (open source) | No | No |
| Infrastructure | Traditional servers | Traditional servers | Cloudflare edge (300+ PoPs) |
| Notification types | 20+ integrations | 10+ integrations | Email, Webhook, Slack |
| Cron expression parsing | Yes | Yes | Interval-based |
Healthchecks.io
Best for: Teams that want maximum integrations or need self-hosting.
Healthchecks.io is the grandfather of heartbeat monitoring. Open source, battle-tested, and packed with integrations. The free tier is generous at 20 checks. The UI is functional but dated.
Strengths: Open source, self-hostable, 20+ notification integrations, cron expression parsing, mature and stable.
Weaknesses: UI feels dated, no edge-based architecture, pricing jumps from free to $20/mo.
Cronitor
Best for: Enterprise teams that need deep cron analysis and SDK integrations.
Cronitor is the enterprise option. It offers SDKs for multiple languages, cron expression parsing, and detailed analytics. It's also the most expensive option by a significant margin.
Strengths: Language SDKs, deep cron analysis, enterprise features, strong documentation.
Weaknesses: Expensive (especially at scale), minimum $40/mo for paid, complex for simple use cases.
CronPulse
Best for: Developers and small teams who want simple, affordable monitoring with global edge performance.
CronPulse is the newest entrant, built entirely on Cloudflare's edge network. Every ping is received at the nearest of 300+ global locations with sub-5ms response time. The tradeoff is fewer integrations and features compared to mature alternatives.
Strengths: Cheapest paid tier ($5/mo), global edge network, simple setup, fast ping response.
Weaknesses: Newer (less battle-tested), fewer integrations, no cron expression parsing, no self-host option.
The Bottom Line
- Need self-hosting? → Healthchecks.io is your only option
- Need enterprise features and SDKs? → Cronitor is worth the premium
- Want simple, affordable monitoring? → CronPulse starts at $5/mo
- Just want free? → Healthchecks.io (20 checks) or CronPulse (10 checks)
All three tools solve the core problem: knowing when your cron jobs fail. Pick the one that matches your needs and budget, and set it up today. The cost of not monitoring is always higher.