Gatus vs exit1.dev
Health checks in a YAML file on your own server, vs a hosted monitor your agent can configure.
Gatus is an open-source health dashboard for people who like their monitoring in version control. You describe endpoints and conditions in a YAML file, run the container, and get a status page with alerting. exit1.dev does the core job as a hosted service: 50 monitors free, and you create checks from the dashboard, the REST API, or an MCP server that lets Claude or Cursor do it for you.
Best known for: config-as-code health checks with a built-in status page.
The short version
Gatus fits if you want monitoring defined in Git and you are happy to host it. It is free, Apache-2.0 licensed, and speaks more protocols than most hosted tools. exit1.dev fits if you want the same checks without a server: Free covers 50 monitors, and Nano gives 250 monitors at 30-second checks for $9/mo. Gatus's own managed plan starts at $10/mo for 30 endpoints at 2-minute checks.
Free vs self-hosted
exit1.dev's free plan next to Gatus on your own server.
| Feature | exit1.devFree | GatusSelf-hosted |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $0 | $0 plus your server |
| Hosting | Hosted for you | You run it (Docker or binary) |
| Configuration | Dashboard, REST API or MCP | YAML file |
| Monitors | 50 | No limit |
| Check interval | 5 min (15 sec on Pro) | You set it (60 sec default) |
| Protocols | HTTP, TCP, UDP, ICMP, WebSocket | HTTP, ICMP, TCP, UDP, DNS, SSH, TLS, WebSocket, gRPC |
| Response validation (status, body, JSON) | ||
| Monitors private services | ||
| Alerting | Email + 1 webhook | 40+ providers |
| Status page | 1 | Built in |
| MCP server | Hosted, official | None published |
- Price
- $0
- Hosting
- Hosted for you
- Configuration
- Dashboard, REST API or MCP
- Monitors
- 50
- Check interval
- 5 min (15 sec on Pro)
- Protocols
- HTTP, TCP, UDP, ICMP, WebSocket
- Response validation (status, body, JSON)
- Monitors private services
- Alerting
- Email + 1 webhook
- Status page
- 1
- MCP server
- Hosted, official
- Price
- $0 plus your server
- Hosting
- You run it (Docker or binary)
- Configuration
- YAML file
- Monitors
- No limit
- Check interval
- You set it (60 sec default)
- Protocols
- HTTP, ICMP, TCP, UDP, DNS, SSH, TLS, WebSocket, gRPC
- Response validation (status, body, JSON)
- Monitors private services
- Alerting
- 40+ providers
- Status page
- Built in
- MCP server
- None published
Hosted vs hosted
exit1.dev Nano ($9/mo, $7 annual) vs the managed Gatus.io Standard plan ($10/mo, $108/yr).
| Feature | exit1.devNano, $9/mo | GatusStandard (gatus.io), $10/mo |
|---|---|---|
| Monitors included | 250 | 30 endpoints |
| Minimum check interval | 30 sec | 2 min |
| Status pages | 5 | 1 |
| MCP server | Hosted, official | None published |
| Free trial | 7 days | 7 days |
- Monitors included
- 250
- Minimum check interval
- 30 sec
- Status pages
- 5
- MCP server
- Hosted, official
- Free trial
- 7 days
- Monitors included
- 30 endpoints
- Minimum check interval
- 2 min
- Status pages
- 1
- MCP server
- None published
- Free trial
- 7 days
Gatus.io plan figures from gatus.io/pricing, checked 2026-11-14. Self-hosted Gatus is free under the Apache-2.0 license.
Where exit1.dev wins
- Nothing to host or upgrade, and the checks run from outside your infrastructure.
- 250 monitors at 30-second checks for $9/mo. Gatus.io Standard gives 30 endpoints at 2 minutes for $10/mo.
- A REST API and a hosted MCP server on every plan, so an agent can create checks and alerts for you.
- A dashboard for the people on your team who will never open a YAML file.
Where Gatus wins
- Monitoring as a YAML file in Git, reviewed and deployed like the rest of your config.
- Free and open source with no monitor limit when you host it yourself.
- More protocols out of the box, including gRPC, SSH and STARTTLS.
- It can reach services behind your firewall. exit1.dev only checks public endpoints.
Gatus vs exit1.dev — FAQ
Is there a hosted alternative to Gatus?
Yes. exit1.dev is a hosted uptime monitor with a free plan of 50 monitors, plus a REST API and MCP server for people who want to script their setup. Gatus also sells its own managed service at gatus.io, starting at $10/mo for one status page with 30 endpoints at 2-minute checks.
Can I keep monitoring as code with exit1.dev?
You can script it. Every plan includes the REST API with full create, update and delete for checks, so a deploy script or CI job can keep monitors in sync with your services. There is no YAML file format like Gatus has.
Does Gatus have an MCP server?
Gatus does not publish one as of November 2026. exit1.dev ships an official hosted MCP server at app.exit1.dev/mcp/v1 on every plan, Free included, with 14 tools for reading and changing your monitoring.
Try exit1.dev free — no credit card
50 monitors, every protocol, SSL monitoring, and instant alerts on the free plan. Scale to 1,000 monitors and 15-second checks on Pro whenever you're ready.