Uptime Kuma is a free, open-source, self-hosted monitoring tool by Louis Lam that watches websites, ports, services, and certificates, then alerts you through more than 90 notification channels. It pairs the checks with a fast reactive dashboard and public status pages you can put a custom domain on.[1]
Quick verdict
Self-hosters who want free uptime monitoring with a real status page get the most from Uptime Kuma: broad monitor types, 90-plus notification channels, and custom-domain pages in one MIT-licensed container. The decisive constraint is that you own hosting, backups, and the monitor's own availability, so teams with no one to run it or needs beyond uptime checks should choose a hosted SaaS instead.[1][2]
Key features
Broad monitor types Broad monitor types: HTTP and keyword checks plus ping, DNS records, ports, push monitors, Docker containers, game servers, and messaging protocols such as MQTT, all managed from one dashboard.[1]
Ninety-plus notification channels Ninety-plus notification channels: alerts fan out to Telegram, Discord, email, webhooks, and dozens more integrations instead of locking you into one chat tool.[1]
Public status pages Public status pages with custom domains: publish one or more pages per monitor group so customers check status themselves instead of opening tickets.[1]
Maintenance windows Maintenance windows and scheduling: planned work suppresses alerts and marks the status page, so deploys do not read as outages.[1]
Ping chart and certificate info Ping chart and certificate info: response-time history and TLS expiry are visible per monitor, catching slow degradation and lapsing certificates early.[1]
Proxy support Proxy support: checks can run through an HTTP or SOCKS proxy, which keeps monitoring working from restricted or segmented networks.[1]
Two-factor authentication Two-factor authentication: the admin login supports 2FA, which matters once the dashboard that watches everything becomes a target itself.[1]
Multi-language interface Multi-language interface: the UI ships in many community-contributed languages, so mixed-language on-call teams each read alerts comfortably.[1]
Who will love it
Homelab and side-project owners Homelab and side-project owners who want one container that watches everything and a status page they can link to, with no subscription.[1]
Small teams replacing a status-page subscription Small teams replacing a paid status-page subscription: the bundled pages with custom domains remove the second billing line most teams end up paying for.[1][2]
Teams that want simple uptime truth Teams that want simple uptime truth next to heavier tools: it answers is-it-up in seconds while your metrics platform answers why.[1]
Who should avoid it
Teams with nobody to host it Teams with nobody to host it: a self-hosted monitor needs patching, backups, and its own availability plan, which is real on-call work.[1]
Teams needing full observability Teams needing full observability: there is no APM, log analytics, or distributed tracing here, so Datadog-style platforms remain the answer when uptime checks are not enough.[1]
Buyers needing SaaS guarantees Buyers needing SaaS guarantees: there is no vendor SLA, uptime warranty, or compliance-audited delivery, so regulated procurement should stay with hosted vendors.[1]
Alternatives and compatibility
Against Datadog Against Datadog: Datadog sells a full observability SaaS from about $31 per host per month, while Uptime Kuma is free software you host; pick the SaaS when you need metrics, traces, and logs, and Kuma when uptime checks plus a status page suffice.[1]
Against hosted status pages Against hosted status pages: SaaS pages spare you hosting and carry the vendor's availability, while Kuma trades that convenience for zero subscription cost and full data control.[1]
Sits alongside existing stacks Sits alongside existing stacks: because notifications cover 90-plus channels, Kuma drops into whatever chat or incident tooling you already use without a migration.[1]
Questions worth asking
What is the best Uptime Kuma alternative for non-technical users?
Is Uptime Kuma really no-code?
Partly. Day-to-day use is a point-and-click web UI, but installing and keeping it running needs Docker or Node.js plus a server and backups, so it is not no-code end to end.[1]
How much does Uptime Kuma cost per month?
Can you self-host Uptime Kuma?
Yes. It is built for self-hosting: one Docker command starts it, and a documented non-Docker Node.js path exists. You keep the data and the availability burden, including upgrades and backups.[1]
Sources and editorial review
Source research. Reviewed on October 9, 2026. Written by Sanjib Sah. AI assisted; reviewed by a human editor.
We have not run or tested this product.
- Uptime Kuma README (official)
official · Observed October 9, 2026
Official repository README: monitor types, 90-plus notification integrations, status pages, maintenance windows, proxy support, 2FA, multi-language UI, Docker and non-Docker install, MIT license, 70k-plus stars, community links.
- Top 5 Statuspage Alternatives, Hyperping (vendor comparison)
official · Observed October 9, 2026
Vendor comparison of status-page tools: Uptime Kuma listed as free self-hosted open-source with status pages; Datadog listed from $31 per host per month; community-report aggregation on ease, cost, and self-hosting trade-offs.