BoxWatch vs 360 Monitoring
360 Monitoring is a server and website monitoring service built by the team behind Plesk, with an open-source Python agent (Agent360) that runs on both Linux and Windows. It checks sites from 26 global locations, covers CPU, memory, disk, and process metrics, and integrates natively into Plesk control panels. BoxWatch is a Linux-only SaaS focused on simplicity: a flat monthly fee, a push-model agent with no open inbound ports, and built-in cron/heartbeat monitoring plus synthetic checks that can reach private or firewalled endpoints from your own servers.
Quick verdict
360 Monitoring is the stronger choice if your stack includes Windows servers, you want an open-source agent you can extend, you need a global probe network for public site checks, or you are already a Plesk customer. BoxWatch is the better fit for Linux-focused teams who want cron/heartbeat monitoring, uptime checks against internal endpoints, flat predictable pricing that does not grow with server count, and features like disk-full prediction, a TV dashboard mode, and uptime badges.
Pricing
| Plan | 360 Monitoring | BoxWatch |
|---|---|---|
| Free | Lite: 1 server, 5 sites, 10-min intervals | Hobby: 5 servers, 20 cron checks, 10 processes/server |
| Entry paid | Pro $4.99/mo (1 server, 20 sites) | Pro $13/mo (25 servers, 100 uptime checks) |
| Mid tier | Business $24.99/mo (10 servers, 200 sites) | Team $29/mo (100 servers) |
| Upper tier | Enterprise $99.99/mo (100 servers, 2000 sites) | Scale $79/mo (unlimited servers) |
| Extra servers | $1.19/mo per additional server | Included in plan |
| Pricing model | Per-host metered (add-ons per server/site) | Flat per plan, not per host |
Note: 360 Monitoring API access is restricted to Business and Enterprise plans. BoxWatch API access is included on all paid plans.
Feature comparison
When 360 Monitoring is the better choice
360 Monitoring is the better pick for teams running Windows servers, since its Agent360 is cross-platform (Linux and Windows) while BoxWatch is Linux-only. It is also a strong fit for Plesk users who want monitoring embedded directly in their control panel, and for teams that need external site checks from a large global probe network (26 locations) rather than checks originating from their own agents. The open-source agent on GitHub means you can audit, extend, or self-compile the monitoring code, which some security-conscious operators prefer.
When BoxWatch is the better choice
- Cron and heartbeat (dead-man's-switch) monitoring is built in at all tiers; 360 Monitoring has no equivalent feature.
- Synthetic uptime checks run from your own servers, so they can reach private, firewalled, or VPN-only endpoints that a third-party probe network cannot see.
- Pricing is flat per plan regardless of server count, so a team running 25 servers pays $13/mo instead of accumulating per-server charges.
- Disk-full prediction, a TV/wall dashboard mode, uptime SLA badges, and server comparison charts are all present in BoxWatch and absent from 360 Monitoring.
- Two-factor authentication and scoped API keys are available on all BoxWatch plans; 360 Monitoring does not document 2FA and restricts API access to Business/Enterprise tiers.
FAQ
Does 360 Monitoring support cron job or heartbeat monitoring?
No. 360 Monitoring focuses on active checks outbound from its probe network or the installed agent. There is no inbound ping endpoint (heartbeat/dead-man's-switch) that a cron job can call to prove it ran. BoxWatch includes cron/heartbeat monitoring on all plans.
Can 360 Monitoring check private or internal endpoints?
No. Its website checks originate from 360 Monitoring's own global probe locations, so they cannot reach servers behind a firewall or on a private network. BoxWatch synthetic checks run from the agent on your own server, which means they can reach any endpoint that server can reach, including internal services and private IPs.
How does 360 Monitoring's per-server pricing compare to BoxWatch as my fleet grows?
360 Monitoring's Business plan covers 10 servers for $24.99/mo; each additional server costs $1.19/mo. At 25 servers you would be paying roughly $42/mo (10 included plus 15 add-ons). BoxWatch Pro covers 25 servers for $13/mo flat, and the Team plan covers 100 servers for $29/mo flat, making BoxWatch significantly cheaper as server count grows.