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Site Monitor vs ManageWP and MainWP

Facts checked August 2026 · Prices in USD

If you run a WordPress agency you probably already use ManageWP or MainWP for updates and backups, and both offer uptime monitoring as an add-on. The question is whether that add-on is enough once you charge clients for it, and what it costs once you white-label it.

This page covers both. ManageWP is a hosted service billed per site; MainWP is a plugin you host on your own WordPress install. Site Monitor is a standalone monitor that works for any URL, WordPress or not.

Side by side

Compared at 100 client sites, which is where the per-site add-ons start to add up.

ManageWP and MainWP figures from their public pricing as of August 2026. Add-on pricing changes; check their sites before you decide.
 ManageWPMainWP ProSite Monitor Agency Plus
Monitoring for 100 sitesUptime add-on $1/site/mo — about $100/mo$29/mo flat, self-hosted$99/mo ($0.99/site)
White-labelExtra $1/site/mo; the bundle lands around $150/mo for 100 sitesIncluded — it runs on your own domainIncluded — alerts, reports and status pages
Alert emails from your own domainWith the white-label add-onYes, your server sends themYes — custom SMTP, included
Non-WordPress sitesWordPress only (requires the Worker plugin)WordPress only (requires the Child plugin)Any URL
HostingHosted by ManageWPYou host, update and secure the dashboardHosted
Uptime reports to clientsPart of the maintenance client reportThrough reporting extensionsUptime-focused, weekly or monthly, your logo
Public status pagesNoNoIncluded on Agency plans
Alert channelsSee ManageWP's current feature listSee MainWP's current extensionsEmail, Slack, webhook; SMS on Agency Plus
Updates, backups, security scansYes — that is the core productYes — that is the core productMonitoring only
Team usersCollaborators includedWordPress users on your installUnlimited on Agency plans

Where ManageWP and MainWP win

They do far more than monitoring. Plugin updates, backups, security scans, performance checks and a client report that rolls all of it up — that is the reason you pay for them, and monitoring is a convenient add-on. If your care plan is mostly maintenance and every site you manage is WordPress, the built-in uptime check may be all you need, especially on MainWP where it costs nothing extra.

MainWP also keeps everything on your own server. For agencies with strict data-residency promises, that matters more than any feature on this page.

Where Site Monitor wins

Monitoring is the whole job here, so it goes deeper: outage duration in every recovery alert, a calendar view of uptime per site, scheduled reports that a client can read without knowing what a plugin is, and status pages you can hand to a client. Alerts route to Slack, any webhook, or a phone, not just an inbox.

It also covers the sites the WordPress managers can't: the client's Squarespace landing page, the booking system on a subdomain, the custom app your developer built. One list, one report, one price.

On cost, Site Monitor at $49/mo for 25 sites ($1.96/site) or $99/mo for 100 sites ($0.99/site) sits below ManageWP's white-labeled bundle at 100 sites, and above MainWP's flat $29/mo — the difference buying you hosting, support and the reporting layer.

Verdict

Stay with ManageWP or MainWP if everything you manage is WordPress, your care plan is built around updates and backups, and "site is up" is enough detail for your clients.

Add Site Monitor if monitoring is a line item clients pay for, you manage sites outside WordPress, or you want uptime reports and alerts that carry your brand without a per-site add-on. Many agencies run both: MainWP for maintenance, Site Monitor for the alerts and the monthly report.

Also compared: UptimeRobot · Freshping alternative