Instatus vs Upwarden
Two modern status page tools. Different trade-offs.
Instatus is a well-designed status page tool with a generous free tier and built-in monitoring. Upwarden takes a different approach: EU-hosted infrastructure, predictable subscriber limits, automatic status page updates from monitors, and a full REST API. Here's how they compare.
Create free status pageFeature comparison
| Feature | Instatus | Upwarden |
|---|---|---|
| Status pages | ||
| Built-in uptime monitoring | ||
| Automatic status updates | ||
| EU data hosting | ||
| Unlimited subscribers on Pro/Agency | 5,000 cap on Pro | Pro/Agency |
| Unlimited team seats | 50 cap on Pro | |
| REST API | ||
| Heartbeat monitoring | ||
| Multiple themes | ||
| Custom domains | Coming soon | |
| Incident management | ||
| Free tier | 15 monitors, 2-min | 2 monitors, 10-min |
Common pain points — and how Upwarden solves them
EU data residency
Problem: Instatus is US-hosted. EU teams need Standard Contractual Clauses and additional legal review for GDPR compliance.
Solution: Upwarden stores core app data on Hetzner servers in Germany. Downloadable DPA on all plans, no sales call needed.
Subscriber and seat caps
Problem: Instatus caps subscribers at 5,000 and team seats at 50 on their Pro plan. Growing teams hit these limits.
Solution: Upwarden includes 100 subscribers on Starter and unlimited subscribers on Pro and Agency. All paid plans include unlimited team members.
Automatic status updates
Problem: Instatus has monitoring, but the connection between monitors and status page components requires manual configuration.
Solution: Upwarden monitors automatically update status page components when failures are detected — no manual steps.
REST API access
Problem: Instatus doesn't offer a public REST API for programmatic management of monitors, incidents, or status pages.
Solution: Upwarden has a full REST API with API key auth, OpenAPI docs, and embeddable SVG status badges.
Pricing
Instatus has a more generous free tier (15 monitors, 2-minute intervals vs Upwarden's 2 monitors, 10-minute intervals). Upwarden Starter is €9.99/month, Pro is €29.99/month, and Agency is €79.99/month. Instatus Pro is $20/month with a 5,000 subscriber cap and 50 seat cap.
Frequently asked questions
Which has better monitoring — Instatus or Upwarden?
Instatus offers more monitors on the free tier (15 vs 2). Upwarden supports more monitor types (HTTP, TCP, ping, heartbeat, WebSocket, keyword) and automatically updates status page components from monitoring results.
Is Instatus or Upwarden better for EU teams?
Upwarden is EU-hosted on Hetzner in Germany with a downloadable DPA. Instatus is US-hosted, requiring additional legal measures for GDPR compliance. For EU data residency, Upwarden is the clear choice.
Can I switch from Instatus to Upwarden?
Yes. Create your Upwarden status page, add your monitors, and update your status page URL. The migration takes about 5 minutes.
Does Instatus have an API?
Instatus does not currently offer a public REST API. Upwarden has a full REST API with API key authentication and OpenAPI documentation for programmatic access.
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Ready to switch?
Free tier includes 2 monitors and a status page. First status page live in under 5 minutes.
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