APIAssert vs UptimeRobot#

UptimeRobot is one of the most popular uptime monitoring tools. Here's how it compares to APIAssert for API monitoring.

Overview#

When to Choose APIAssert#

Choose APIAssert if you need:

• Deep response validation — verify JSON structure, values, and types
• GraphQL monitoring — queries, mutations, error detection
• API contract testing — ensure responses match expected schemas
• Response time assertions — alert when APIs slow down
• Header validation — verify authentication, caching headers

APIAssert is built specifically for APIs. If you need to know more than "is it up?" — if you need to know "is it returning correct data?" — APIAssert is the better choice.

When to Choose UptimeRobot#

Choose UptimeRobot if you need:

• Simple uptime monitoring — is the page loading?
• Keyword monitoring — does the page contain specific text?
• Website monitoring — HTML pages, not APIs
• Maximum free tier — 50 free monitors
• Established platform — longer track record

UptimeRobot is great for basic website monitoring. For APIs that return JSON and need response validation, APIAssert is purpose-built.

Feature Comparison#

Response Validation#

APIAssert:

• ✅ JSONPath assertions ($.user.status == "active")
• ✅ Header validation (Content-Type, Cache-Control)
• ✅ Response time assertions (< 500ms)
• ✅ Status code validation (200, 201, 204)
• ✅ JSON schema validation

UptimeRobot:

• ✅ Keyword presence (page contains "OK")
• ✅ Keyword absence (page doesn't contain "error")
• ❌ No JSON parsing
• ❌ No header validation
• ❌ No response time assertions

Monitoring Types#

APIAssert:

• REST APIs (GET, POST, PUT, DELETE, PATCH)
• GraphQL (queries, mutations, subscriptions)
• Webhooks validation
• Custom headers & authentication

UptimeRobot:

• HTTP(s) websites
• Ping (ICMP)
• Port monitoring
• Keyword monitoring
• Heartbeat monitoring

Alerting#

APIAssert:

• Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams
• PagerDuty, Opsgenie
• Email, Webhooks
• Customizable alert rules

UptimeRobot:

• Email
• SMS (paid)
• Voice calls (paid)
• Integrations via Zapier

Pricing#

APIAssert:

UptimeRobot:

Real-World Comparison#

Scenario: E-commerce API#

You have an API endpoint that returns product inventory:

{
  "product_id": "SKU123",
  "in_stock": true,
  "quantity": 42,
  "price": 29.99
}

UptimeRobot can check:

• Is the endpoint returning HTTP 200?
• Does the response contain "in_stock"? (keyword match)

APIAssert can check:

• Is $.in_stock equal to true?
• Is $.quantity greater than 0?
• Is $.price a number?
• Is the response time under 500ms?
• Is the Content-Type header application/json?

Scenario: Authentication API#

Your login endpoint returns:

{
  "success": true,
  "token": "eyJhbGc...",
  "expires_in": 3600
}

UptimeRobot: Can only check if "success" appears in the response text.

APIAssert: Can verify $.success == true, token format, and expiration value.

Migration Guide#

Moving from UptimeRobot to APIAssert:

1. Export your monitors from UptimeRobot (Settings → Export)
2. Identify API monitors that need response validation
3. Create monitors in APIAssert with appropriate assertions
4. Set up alert channels (Slack, PagerDuty, etc.)
5. Run both in parallel for a week to verify
6. Disable UptimeRobot monitors for APIs moved to APIAssert

The Bottom Line#

UptimeRobot is excellent for basic uptime monitoring — checking if websites and services are reachable. It's been around longer and has a generous free tier.

APIAssert is purpose-built for API monitoring. If your APIs return JSON and you need to validate that the data is correct (not just that the endpoint is up), APIAssert offers the validation capabilities you need.

Use both if needed: Many teams use UptimeRobot for website uptime and APIAssert for API validation.

Try APIAssert free — no credit card required.