Compare · Monito vs Datadog Synthetics

Monito vs Datadog Synthetics

Datadog Synthetic browser tests record steps with the Datadog Record Test extension in Chrome or Edge. A User Specified Locator is an optional custom CSS or XPath selector when the recorder picks the wrong element. Monito takes a plain-English description of what a user does and what must be true afterwards, runs it in Chromium, and returns Passed, Failed or Error with screenshots, console messages and network requests. If your recordings rarely break and you need 1-minute intervals or private locations, stay. If you keep repairing selectors on a few journeys, move those.

Competitor facts last checked: 2026-11-09.

Side by side

Datadog Synthetics compared with Monito
	Datadog Synthetics	Monito
Test authoring	Browser tests are recorded from Google Chrome with the Datadog Record Test extension. The Chrome extension can also be installed in Microsoft Edge. A User Specified Locator is an optional custom CSS or XPath selector when the recorder picks the wrong element. Recorder · Locator	A plain-English scenario: what the user does, and what must be true afterwards. There is no Datadog browser-test configuration importer.
Schedules	Browser test intervals range from every one minute to once per week. Tests run from managed locations or private locations. Source	Monito offers a single us-east region and an hourly minimum schedule. Schedule presets are hourly, every 6 hours, daily and weekly, in UTC.
Browsers and devices	A browser test can run on Chrome, Firefox and Edge, and on device sizes such as laptop, tablet and mobile. Source	Desktop Chromium only. No Firefox, WebKit, or device-size matrix.
CI	CI can run Synthetic tests with datadog-ci synthetics run-tests from the @datadog/datadog-ci package, or through the Synthetics API. The documented GitHub Action is DataDog/synthetics-ci-github-action@v4.1.1. CLI · GitHub Action	A deploy webhook queues runs after deployment. For a blocking GitHub check, use the documented CLI project run workflow. Both integrations require Pro or Team. The hosted MCP server can run a check after a change.
Bits Testing	Bits Testing takes a plain-language description of the coverage you want and can generate regular Synthetic tests. Generated tests run every 5 minutes by default. Source	The scenario stays plain English for every run. Monito does not generate a separate recorded test.
Run evidence	Datadog can link a browser test run to the APM trace from that run when the test URL is allowed for APM integration headers. Source	Read the run report's measured checks, screenshots, network and console evidence. Recording is off for signed-in runs; masked screenshots are captured instead. Keep old traces, videos and screenshots separately; a new scenario starts its own run history. A public status page on Pro can show selected journeys.
Monitoring	Creating a Synthetic test also creates an associated monitor that can notify when the test fails. Creating a Synthetic test feeds out-of-the-box dashboards, including a Browser Test Performance dashboard. Monitors · Dashboards	Keep Datadog when those monitors and dashboards are why you run the test. A Monito status page reports selected journeys. It does not replace APM.
Pricing	A browser test run is one simulation of a transaction of up to 25 steps. A longer test counts as more than one run. Private locations have no extra setup charge. Runs there are billed like runs to a managed location. Source	Free, Pro $79/month, Team $199/month, Managed $750/month.

Pro is $79/month for 700 credits, counted on the pricing page as about 600 test runs and 5 Discoveries. A test run is 1 credit and Discovery is 20, so the same 700 credits are 700 test runs if you skip Discovery. Team is $199/month for 1,800 credits (about 1,500 tests and 15 Discoveries). Yearly plans cost ten monthly payments ($790 and $1,990) and grant twelve months of credits upfront. If Monito caused the error, that run is free. 50 free test credits every month. Your balance refills to 50 on the 1st of each month (UTC), counting credits reserved by running tests. Unused credits are not added again; purchased credits are kept. Your signup credits count as the first month. Free includes one daily schedule. Verify your email to receive monthly refills. Any schedule other than that one daily schedule, a deploy webhook, GitHub Actions, and a public status page need Pro. Plans and credit usage

Who should stay on Datadog Synthetics

Stay when any of these are the point of the test:

You need a 1-minute interval. Browser test intervals range from every one minute to once per week. Tests run from managed locations or private locations. Source
You need a private location or more than one region. Browser test intervals range from every one minute to once per week. Tests run from managed locations or private locations. Source
You need Firefox, Edge, or several device sizes. A browser test can run on Chrome, Firefox and Edge, and on device sizes such as laptop, tablet and mobile. Source
The test exists so a failure shows up in APM, a Synthetic monitor, or a Synthetic dashboard. APM · Monitors · Dashboards

Runs execute in us-east. You cannot select multiple regions. An environment selects the target app and login, not the runner's region. Monito has no private-location worker. Monito offers a single us-east region and an hourly minimum schedule. Schedule presets are hourly, every 6 hours, daily and weekly, in UTC. Monito has no private-location worker.

Who should move a journey

Move a journey when a small team, often shipping with a coding agent, keeps repairing recorded selectors after UI changes. The replacement says what should happen, not which element to click, and the same run holds the screenshots, console messages and network requests for the bug report. That team also has to be able to live with hourly or slower checks in us-east.

The migration playbook maps a recording to a scenario, including logins, schedules and the CI cutover.

How to move one journey

Open the Datadog browser test and read the recorded steps, assertions, and any User Specified Locator. Note the start URL. Leave secrets in Datadog.
In Monito, write one scenario: what the user does, and what must be true afterward. Put the login on an environment login role. How to write the scenario.
Run it. Read the screenshots, console and network evidence. An error means Monito could not verify the scenario. It is not a pass.
Replace datadog-ci synthetics run-tests or DataDog/synthetics-ci-github-action@v4.1.1for that journey with Monito's project run, or add a deploy webhook if the pipeline does not need to wait. The playbook has the current CLI command. A coding agent can run the same check through MCP.
When the Monito run covers the failure you cared about, pause the Datadog schedule for that test. Leave the monitors and dashboards you still need where they are.

Pricing · Reliability

Questions

Can Monito import Datadog Synthetics tests?

No. Monito does not import Datadog browser-test recordings or configuration. You rewrite what the user does and what must be true afterward. The migration playbook walks through one journey. Source

Does Monito run every minute?

No. Schedule presets are hourly, every 6 hours, daily and weekly, in UTC. The smallest interval is hourly. Source

Can a coding agent run Monito?

Yes. The hosted MCP server lets a coding agent run a check and read the evidence. Localhost checks use the local MCP server or the CLI, not the hosted server. Source

Is there a free plan?

50 free test credits every month. Your balance refills to 50 on the 1st of each month (UTC), counting credits reserved by running tests. Unused credits are not added again; purchased credits are kept. Your signup credits count as the first month. Free includes one daily schedule. Verify your email to receive monthly refills. Any schedule other than that one daily schedule, a deploy webhook, GitHub Actions, and a public status page need Pro. Source

What about Bits Testing?

Review Bits Testing before deciding that a new vendor is required solely to change authoring. It accepts a plain-language coverage description and generates regular Synthetic tests, which run every 5 minutes by default. Compare those checks with your intervals and locations before choosing a path. Source

Sources

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