What is website monitoring software?

It is a tool that automatically tests your website at regular intervals from external servers, tracking uptime, response time, and errors, then notifies you when something breaks or slows down.

How often does website monitoring check a site?

Most services check every 1 to 5 minutes on paid plans and every 5 to 30 minutes on free tiers. Higher-frequency checks detect outages faster but usually cost more.

What is the difference between synthetic and real user monitoring?

Synthetic monitoring runs scripted tests from servers on a schedule to simulate visits, while real user monitoring (RUM) captures performance data from actual visitors' browsers. Synthetic catches issues proactively; RUM shows real-world experience.

Best Website Monitoring Tools 2026

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