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How to Set Up a Free Uptime Monitor for WordPress in Under 15 Minutes

4 min read•
Morten PradsgaardBy Morten Pradsgaard

Step-by-step guide for adding a free uptime monitor to any WordPress site using Exit1.dev plus automation tips.

WordPress Downtime Is Expensive—Here’s the Free Fix

WordPress isn't fragile, people just treat it that way. Install a free uptime monitor and you’ll know about outages before your customers blow up support. This is the no-nonsense way to wire Exit1.dev into any WordPress stack without another bloated plugin.

What You Need On Day Zero

  • WordPress admin access. If you don’t have it, stop reading and get it.
  • URLs for the homepage and the money-making landing pages.
  • A free Exit1.dev account.
  • Optional: Slack or Microsoft Teams for instant alerts instead of inbox purgatory.

Step 1: Audit Your Baseline

  1. Review the last 90 days in your host’s uptime logs. Highlight every hiccup.
  2. Note the common culprits—slow plugins, cheap hosting, reckless cron jobs.
  3. Mark peak traffic windows so you know when alerts must hit instantly.

Step 2: Create Your Exit1.dev Account

  1. Sign up with email or GitHub. Takes a minute, no credit card theatre.
  2. Verify your email to unlock webhooks and invite teammates.
  3. Flip on two-factor auth. Security theater? No. Basic hygiene.

Step 3: Add The First Monitor

  1. Click Add Monitor → HTTP(S).
  2. Paste your primary WordPress URL, like https://example.com.
  3. Set the interval to 30 seconds. Anything slower is lazy.
  4. Select at least three regions: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific.
  5. Enable content verification with a keyword only your homepage shows.

Step 4: Cover Critical WordPress Paths

Set up additional monitors for:

  • /wp-admin to ensure your team can log in when it matters.
  • /checkout or membership flows if you run WooCommerce.
  • Any landing page you spend ad dollars on. Downtime there is lighting cash on fire.

Step 5: Route Alerts Where Action Happens

  1. Jump into Notifications inside Exit1.dev.
  2. Add email alerts for marketing and support—fine, but don’t stop there.
  3. Pipe alerts into Slack or Teams via webhook to ping #ops immediately.
  4. Enable SMS for after-hours coverage if you serve multiple time zones.

Step 6: Build Incident Muscle Memory

  • Configure auto-resolve notices so people stop refreshing status pages.
  • Draft incident templates for "WordPress outage" and "Checkout failure" before chaos hits.
  • Schedule weekly uptime reports to drop straight into client inboxes.

Step 7: Tune The Stack

Monitoring without maintenance is just nagging. Fix the root causes.

  • Plugin audits: Delete the freeloaders. Keep the ones you actually use.
  • Database cleanup: Run WP-CLI to purge transients and overhead.
  • Caching: Full-page cache plus CDN equals faster recoveries.
  • Security: Auto-update core, plugins, and themes. Add malware scanning.

Exit1.dev gives you response time analytics alongside uptime.

  • Watch TTFB after plugin installs.
  • Monitor external API calls that power forms, payments, or CRM syncs.
  • Catch DNS or SSL issues before they nuke trust.

Step 9: Report Like A Pro

  • Embed the public status page in client or stakeholder updates.
  • Export CSVs for SLA proof without manual spreadsheets.
  • Highlight improvements every time you tighten caching or hosting.

Ongoing Checklist

  • Review alert routes monthly so real humans still receive them.
  • Add monitors for every new campaign page before it launches.
  • Refresh content verification whenever you redesign the site.

Final Word

You don’t need another premium plugin to stay online. Wire up Exit1.dev as your free uptime monitor, get 30-second checks, and keep WordPress revenue safe without begging finance for budget.

Morten Pradsgaard is the founder of exit1.dev — the free uptime monitor for people who actually ship. He writes no-bullshit guides on monitoring, reliability, and building software that doesn't crumble under pressure.