12happy vs Better Stack
Uptime monitoring, without paying per responder.
Better Stack is a whole observability platform, and it's priced like one: a $29 licence for each person who gets alerted, plus $21 for every 50 monitors. If uptime is what you need, 12happy Pro covers 100 monitors for $12.
Why people switch
- 01
One price, not a calculator
100 monitors on Better Stack come to about $71 a month for a single responder. On 12happy Pro they cost $12, with three users included.
- 02
Smart checks with no scripting
Going beyond HTTP on Better Stack means writing Playwright scripts, billed by the minute. A 12happy smart monitor works out what to check from the URL.
- 03
A bigger free plan
Free covers 50 monitors and a smart monitor. Better Stack's free plan covers 10 monitors and heartbeats combined.
12happy and Better Stack, side by side
| Feature | 12happy | Better Stack |
|---|---|---|
| 100 monitors | Pro — $12/mo yearly, $15 monthly | About $71/mo yearly — 1 responder + 2 monitor packs |
| 500 monitors | Agency — $39/mo yearly | About $239/mo yearly |
| Free plan | 50 monitors + 1 smart monitor | 10 monitors and heartbeats, combined |
| People who get alerted | 3 on Pro, unlimited on Agency | $29/mo for each responder |
| Checks beyond "did it answer" | Smart monitors, set up from a URL | Playwright scripts you write, $1 per 100 minutes |
| Fastest check interval | 15 seconds (Agency) | 30 seconds |
| Branded status page | Own domain on Pro; no 12happy branding on Agency | Own domain included; removing their branding is $208/page/mo |
| Phone-call alerts | Not offered; SMS on paid plans | Unlimited calls and SMS per responder |
| Logs, traces, on-call and incident management | Not offered — 12happy does monitoring | All in one platform |
| Check types | HTTP, keyword, TCP, ping, DNS, SSL, heartbeat, smart | HTTP, keyword, TCP/UDP, ping, DNS, SSL, SMTP/IMAP/POP3, heartbeat, browser |
Ahead on this row
When Better Stack is the better fit
- You want logs, traces, on-call scheduling and incident management in the same tool as your monitors.
- Your responders need unlimited phone-call alerts.
- You already script multi-step browser checks in Playwright.
Moving over
- Step 1
Add your most important sites
Paste each URL. Every one is checked on the spot, so you see results before you commit to anything.
- Step 2
Run both side by side
Keep Better Stack running for a week. If both agree on every outage, you have your answer.
- Step 3
Move alerts, then downsize
Point your alert channels and status page at 12happy, then drop the responder licences and monitor packs you no longer need.
Questions
Do I lose anything by moving uptime off Better Stack?
If you use their logs, on-call or incident tools, keep those; 12happy only replaces the monitoring. Many teams run both and drop the monitor packs.
Is there a free plan?
Yes. 50 monitors and a smart monitor, commercial use included, for as long as you like.
Paste a URL. See for yourself.
No account needed for the first check.
Check my site →Facts about Better Stack come from its public pages, checked on October 17, 2026:Better Stack pricing. Prices are in USD. Better Stack is a trademark of its owner, and 12happy is not affiliated with it. Spotted something out of date? Tell us and we'll fix it.