Alertbase vs Distill
Distill is the tool people reach for when they want to watch a page that only lives behind their own login. Alertbase is the tool teams reach for when they want a cloud first monitor that filters noise on its own and sits next to their cron and uptime checks. This page covers the differences in detail.
Last reviewed May 19, 2026
You need a personal browser tab to do the watching
Your monitoring is a one person workflow where you want the page checked only when your own browser is open, and built in SMS delivery on the paid tier is non negotiable.
You want a cloud monitor that runs without you
You want monitors that run whether your laptop is on or off, alerts that only fire on real changes, and one tool for page monitoring plus cron and uptime instead of three.
Side by side
The biggest split is architecture. Distill leads with a browser extension. Alertbase leads with a hosted cloud runtime. The rest of the differences flow from that choice.
Where each tool wins
Sourced from public product pages. Read both columns before deciding, because the right answer depends on what kind of pages you are watching.
Where Distill wins
- Browser extension modelDistill Web Monitor runs inside your existing browser session, which is a different shape from cloud monitoring. Alertbase supports click, type, and cookie actions for cloud monitors and can authenticate into pages without an open browser tab.
- Free plan with 25 local monitorsThe free tier covers 25 local extension monitors plus 5 cloud monitors. Hobbyists and individuals can run a lot of low frequency monitors at zero cost.
- Macros for repeated interactionsDistill supports macros for repeated interactions like login flows starting on the Starter plan, with higher counts on Professional and Flexi. Useful when you need the browser to do something specific before each check.
- SMS notifications baked inDistill offers SMS as a delivery channel on paid plans. Alertbase routes critical alerts via webhooks, which can hit an SMS service, but Distill bundles it directly.
Where Alertbase wins
- Pure cloud, nothing to installMonitors run on Alertbase infrastructure 24 hours a day. Your laptop can be off, your browser can be closed, and the alerts still flow. Distill local monitors only run while the extension is open in your browser.
- Relevant alerts with less noiseTell Alertbase what counts as a change in plain language. Layout reshuffles, cookie banners, and tracking pixels are filtered before notifications go out, so alerts stay focused on the change you asked to watch.
- Cron and uptime in the same productHeartbeat monitors and uptime checks live next to page monitors. Distill stays focused on page change monitoring and leaves cron and uptime to other vendors.
- Lower entry price with uptime and cronAlertbase Starter is $9.99 per month and includes page, uptime, and cron monitor capacity in one bill. Distill Starter at $15 per month focuses on page monitoring with a 10 minute minimum cloud interval.
- Plain language intentSkip writing per element rules or per macro logic. Write the condition the way you would tell a teammate: alert me when this product is back in stock, or tell me when the price drops below $299.
How they price
Both vendors use tiered subscription pricing. Distill separates local extension monitors from cloud monitors in its plan limits. Pricing changes often, so check the live pages before deciding.
Alertbase
Starter from $9.99 per month with 25 monitoring jobs, 10 unique websites, plus uptime and cron monitors.
Growth from $24.99 per month, Pro from $49.99 per month, Premium from $149.99 per month. Enterprise on request.
14 day free trial, no credit card required.
See current pricing at alertbase.ai/pricing.
Distill
Free plan with 25 local extension monitors and 5 cloud monitors at a 6 hour minimum interval.
Starter at $15 per month, Professional at $35 per month, and Flexi from $80 per month with scale add ons for extra monitors, checks, SMS, and devices.
Pricing changes often. Verify the current numbers on distill.io before deciding.
Common questions
Is Alertbase a one for one replacement for Distill?
For cloud monitoring of public and authenticated pages, yes. Alertbase supports configurable click, type, and cookie actions so monitors can sign in and check pages without an open browser tab. The Distill extension is a different shape: it watches whatever is loaded in your active browser session.
Can Alertbase watch a page behind a login?
Yes, for supported cloud monitors. Alertbase can run click, type, and cookie actions before a check, so monitors authenticate and run on their own schedule without an open browser tab.
What happens to my Distill monitors if my laptop is off?
Local Distill Web Monitor checks only run while the extension is loaded in your browser. Cloud monitors run on the Distill servers regardless. Alertbase is cloud only, so every monitor runs 24 hours a day on the schedule you set.
How does pricing compare?
Distill is free for light use with 5 cloud monitors at a 6 hour minimum interval. Starter is $15 per month, Professional is $35, and Flexi starts at $80 per month. Alertbase Starter is $9.99 per month with 25 monitoring jobs, 10 unique websites, plus uptime and cron monitors. Verify both on the live vendor sites before committing.
Can I try Alertbase before moving off Distill?
Yes. Start a 14 day free trial with no credit card. Run your most important monitors in both tools for two weeks and compare what each one actually sends.
Move the pages that matter to a cloud first monitor
Keep Distill running for the logged in tabs you watch from your own browser. Move your team owned monitors, cron jobs, and uptime checks into Alertbase and let them run on their own.
14 day free trial. No credit card required.
Comparison built from public product pages on distill.io and live Alertbase documentation as of May 19, 2026. Vendors update features and pricing often. Verify the points that matter to your decision on each vendor site before committing.