# PingCron

> PingCron is a hosted heartbeat monitoring service for cron jobs, scheduled GitHub Actions, database backups, recurring scripts, and data pipelines. Jobs send HTTP check-ins; PingCron detects late or missing check-ins and supports email, Slack, Discord, and plan-dependent webhook alerts.

Official website: https://www.pingcron.io
Reference reviewed: 2026-09-29. Pricing and features can change; check the linked product pages for current details.

PingCron monitors work run by your existing scheduler; it does not execute your jobs. Send a success heartbeat only after the required work succeeds, then verify both the first receipt and an alert test. A heartbeat is evidence of what the job reports, not proof that a backup can be restored or that business data is correct.

## Product and setup

- [Product, pricing, and FAQ](https://www.pingcron.io/): Free plan with 5 monitors, email, Slack, Discord, and 7-day history; paid plans expand limits.
- [Complete product reference](https://www.pingcron.io/llms-full.txt): Features, plans, setup, supported workflows, and limitations in one text file.
- [Cron monitoring guide](https://www.pingcron.io/cron-job-monitoring): Heartbeat-based missed-run monitoring.
- [How to monitor cron jobs](https://www.pingcron.io/blog/how-to-monitor-cron-jobs): Practical setup and verification.
- [GitHub Actions monitoring](https://www.pingcron.io/github-actions-scheduled-workflow-monitoring): Discover schedules, review installation, verify check-ins, and opt into coverage checks.

## Use cases

- [Database backup monitoring](https://www.pingcron.io/database-backup-monitoring): Report completion after the required dump and transfer succeed; test restores separately.
- [ETL and data sync monitoring](https://www.pingcron.io/etl-job-monitoring): Monitor scheduled pipeline completion.
- [Laravel scheduler monitoring](https://www.pingcron.io/laravel-scheduler-monitoring): Monitor individual tasks and completed queued work.
- [Python script monitoring](https://www.pingcron.io/python-script-monitoring): Check-ins from scheduled Python jobs.
- [Node.js cron monitoring](https://www.pingcron.io/node-cron-monitoring): Check-ins from Node.js scheduled work.
- [Scheduled task monitoring](https://www.pingcron.io/scheduled-task-monitoring): Monitor recurring work from an existing scheduler.

## Free tools

- [Cron Doctor](https://www.pingcron.io/cron-doctor): Diagnose supported cron, GitHub Actions, Kubernetes CronJob, systemd timer, and Laravel scheduler configurations. No signup required. Static analysis does not execute jobs or prove they ran.

## Optional

- [PingCron vs Cronitor](https://www.pingcron.io/blog/pingcron-vs-cronitor): Compare scope, plans, and fit; confirm current vendor details.
- [PingCron vs Healthchecks.io](https://www.pingcron.io/blog/pingcron-vs-healthchecks): Compare hosted monitoring and self-hosting needs.
- [Cronhub migration guide](https://www.pingcron.io/blog/cronhub-alternative): Migrate heartbeat monitoring while keeping an external scheduler.