Overview

Checkmate brings availability checks, server metrics, PageSpeed tracking and public status dashboards into a self-hosted package. It covers a wide range of check types, from HTTP and DNS to gRPC and WebSocket, and supports more than 100 game server types. That breadth makes it useful for mixed environments, while the self-hosted model will be a poor fit for teams seeking managed cloud operations.

Operators retain control of where metrics, logs, incidents and user accounts are stored: the maker says they remain in the database configured by the operator, with no phone-home or telemetry pipeline. Checkmate uses the AGPL-3.0 license, and its source can be read, forked and audited. The corresponding cost is operational ownership: users deploy and maintain it themselves, and there is no one-click migration import.

Key features

Availability checks: Monitor HTTP, ping, TCP, gRPC, WebSocket and DNS, alongside SSL and more than 100 game server types. That range suits services beyond standard websites.
Server metrics: The Capture agent reports CPU, memory, disk, temperature and network metrics. Checkmate supports VM and service monitoring, as well as agentless monitoring.
PageSpeed tracking: Track Lighthouse scores and Core Web Vitals over time, giving site owners a view of performance alongside uptime.
Status pages: Publish dashboards with per-service uptime, incident history and custom branding. These can communicate service health without requiring users to interpret internal monitoring data.
Alerts: Send notifications through 12 channels, including email, Slack, Discord, Telegram, Twilio SMS, PagerDuty, Microsoft Teams and webhooks. The range supports different team workflows, though operators still need to configure and run the system.
Deployment and API: Documentation covers Docker Compose and Kubernetes/Helm; the image runs on x86, Apple Silicon and Raspberry Pi. A JSON-capable API supports bulk monitor setup, with a REST API reference for integrations.

Pricing

Checkmate has one Free plan at 0.00 USD per free. It includes all features, unlimited monitors, self-hosting and 12 alert channels. The absence of a monitor cap makes it suitable for users with many checks, without a paid tier to unlock the listed feature set.

There is no free trial because the product is free, and no paid support tier. Help is available through Discord, identified as the fastest channel, and GitHub issues for bugs and feature requests. The free plan does not remove the costs of operating your own deployment or the effort of migrating existing monitors.

Platforms

Checkmate is available for API, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, web and Windows environments. Its deployment options include Docker Compose and Kubernetes/Helm, and its image supports x86, Apple Silicon and Raspberry Pi. This flexibility is useful for varied infrastructure, but it does not turn Checkmate into a managed service.

Who it's for

Checkmate is a strong fit for homelabs, SaaS founders, agencies, sysadmins, DevOps teams, e-commerce operators and open-source maintainers who want broad monitoring without per-monitor limits and are willing to run the software. Its data-control model will also appeal to operators who want metrics and incident records kept in their configured database.

Look elsewhere if your priority is managed cloud monitoring or a one-click move from another product. Checkmate leaves deployment and migration work to the operator, and support is community-based rather than a paid service tier.

Pros and cons

Pro: No monitor limits on the free plan make it practical to expand coverage without hitting a listed monitor quota.
Pro: Availability, infrastructure, PageSpeed, status pages and 12 alert channels cover several monitoring needs in one self-hosted tool.
Pro: Operator-configured data storage and no phone-home or telemetry pipeline give users direct control over where monitoring data stays.
Con: Self-hosting means the operator owns deployment and ongoing operations; there is no managed cloud option.
Con: No one-click migration import makes switching more work for teams bringing monitors from another service.
Con: There is no paid support tier, so teams looking for contractual support should consider another option.

Alternatives

For a self-hosted uptime service with a defined small-team quota, consider SolidPing: its free plan allows 5 team members, 10 check executions per minute, 100 monitors and 1 private-location agent. Choose it when those limits are sufficient and the team-member allowance matters more than Checkmate's unlimited monitors and broader listed monitoring scope.

Uptimia may suit small websites that prefer a hosted web service: its Basic plan is 9.00 USD per month, billed annually, and includes 10 uptime checks, a 1-minute interval, 1 advanced check, 1 server and 1 status page. That is a more constrained, paid starting point than Checkmate's free self-hosted plan.

UptimeRobot is an alternative for hobby and non-profit projects: its free plan includes 50 monitors with a 5-minute monitoring interval and requires no credit card. Prefer it when that allowance and its listed mobile platforms suit the need better than operating a self-hosted service.

HetrixTools offers a free-for-life plan with 15 uptime monitors, 15 server monitors, 1-minute checks and 4 monitoring locations, subject to account activity. It is a fit when those fixed quotas and monitoring locations are a better match than Checkmate's unlimited self-hosted plan.

Hyperping is worth considering for a compact hosted setup: its free plan has 1 seat, 20 monitors, 5-minute checks, 1 server monitoring agent and 1 basic status page, with HTTP, port, ping and keyword monitoring. Choose it when that bounded scope is enough and a web-based option is preferable to self-hosting.

openstatus is another open-source, self-hosted option, but its Hobby plan is limited to 1 monitor, 1 status page, 3 components and 10-minute minimum checks. It may fit a small project that needs only that scale; Checkmate offers more room for monitor growth on its free plan.

Dotcom-Monitor offers a free plan for up to 25 targets, checks as frequent as every 5 minutes, 2 monitoring locations and email alerts. Consider it when those target and location limits suit the use case better than running Checkmate yourself.

Kuvasz Uptime is another free, open-source, self-hosted option with unlimited monitors, status pages and multiple notification channels.

For more options, browse Uptime Monitoring Software, Container Monitoring, Infrastructure Monitoring and DNS Monitoring Software.

Verdict

Choose Checkmate if you want broad infrastructure and uptime monitoring, unlimited monitors on a free plan, and control over your deployment and data. Its range of checks, server metrics, PageSpeed tracking, status pages and alert channels is compelling for technically capable operators. Look elsewhere if you want managed cloud, one-click migration or paid support: Checkmate expects you to run it yourself.

	Checkmate	DNSai
Free plan	Yes	No
Free trial	No	No
Paid from	Free	—
Open source	No	No
Platforms	api, Linux, macOS, self-hosted, Web, Windows	Web
Free plan	Yes	Yes
Paid from	—	30 /mo
Resolution checks	—	Yes
Record-change alerts	—	Yes
Alert channels	—	webhook

Checkmate vs DNSai

Checkmate

DNSai