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Ask HN: Idea feedback on cheaper website/API uptime alerting

3 points by start123 ↗ HN
I am currently researching the idea to build a simple uptime monitoring tool to monitors websites and APIs.

Features:

    Up to 10 monitors.

    Sms(50 per month) Alerts, Email, Callback URLs.

    1 min interval

    Easy configuration
Pricing:

Looking to price it around 2.99$ or less per month to undercut the competition. Though the larger players have great(and more) features, I think there is a good enough market for a lighter and more cheaper alternative.

Target Audience:

Startups, Single owner websites.

7 comments

[ 2.8 ms ] story [ 23.8 ms ] thread
adamlangsner
I might use something like this, I have a few small sites. The cheapest pingdom plan is $15/mo which seems like too much for what I'd need.

How did you determine that there's a market for this? I ask because I'm trying to learn how to validate demand.

start123
I used Google docs heavily. I started with a list of 10 uptime monitoring competitors with features, pricing, and weaknesses. I figured out that all of them were charging ludicrous amounts of money to do a simple task like alerts via SMS or email. While they do offer much more features - I realized, after having built a couple of websites that I don't really need fancy features. I also did a SWOT analysis of the idea and where my app would lie in the spectrum, and the amount I could charge to a customer.
adamlangsner
Cool. Have you thought about acquisition channels? Maybe Heroku elements would be a good place to distribute this
start123
Not yet, the acquisition strategy would be my next logical step I think. I am not aware of Heroku elements, will check it out. Thanks.
mtmail
Follow https://twitter.com/sinequanonh He sometimes posts revenue numbers of his https://hyperping.io/ service.

With the low price point you'd attract users who bail at any price increase. It leaves little money for customer acquisition and support cost. Spending 10 minutes on a customer email ("do you plan to add feature X?") or dealing with failed credit card transaction (month 6 fine, month 7 "insuffient funds" error) already wipes any earnings the customer might have brought.

I'd try doing only yearly payment like https://servercheck.in/pricing

start123
I agree so, the plan is to roll out slowly, and give it to a handful of customers initially, and then see how the usage and adoption goes from there.
start123
Also, I have been thinking to launch with a basic plan and then, any new additional feature will go into a new pro-plan. So, people that had signed up will not witness a price rise but will have enough incentive to upgrade.