Aviationstack is a scalable REST API for real-time flight tracking, historical flight data, airport info, and global aviation data.
from $49.99/mo
About Dead Mans Snitch
What is Dead Man's Snitch?
Dead Man's Snitch is a simple cron job monitoring service that ensures your scheduled tasks—like backups, emails, or hourly jobs—actually run. It gives each task a unique URL; when the task executes, it pings that URL. If the ping doesn't arrive on time, Dead Man's Snitch alerts you.
Why you need it
Silent failures are a common pain point: a backup fails or a monthly email doesn't send, and you don't know until it's too late. Dead Man's Snitch eliminates that uncertainty by notifying you the moment a scheduled task doesn't run as expected.
Who it's for
It's ideal for developers, IT teams, and small businesses that rely on cron jobs, Heroku Scheduler, or similar scheduled tasks. It's not for monitoring website uptime or application performance—it's strictly about scheduled jobs.
Real use cases
Teams like Harvest and GoCardless use Dead Man's Snitch to monitor daily backups, weekly reports, and automated emails. It's also useful for ensuring data syncs and batch processes complete on time.
Key features
- Snitch URLs — Each job gets a unique URL to ping; simply curl or visit it after job completion.
- Interval monitoring — Set expected intervals (e.g., hourly, daily) and get alerts if the job doesn't run.
- Alerting — Receive email or push notifications via the mobile app when a snitch is missed.
- Team collaboration — Unlimited team members can be added on paid plans, so everyone stays informed.
- Integrations — Connect with tools like Slack for notifications (available on paid plans).
- API access — Programmatically manage snitches and integrate with your own systems.
SaaSpartout Score
7.4
/10
Editorial score from our review methodology — not user ratings.
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Dead Mans Snitch Pricing
Dead Mans Snitch pricing: from $5/mo.
For comparison: the median starting price in Developer Tools is $19.99/month, measured across 301 tools we track. See the full SaaS Pricing Index →
Free Plan — The Lone Snitch
1 snitch, basic intervals, no cost. Perfect for trying the service.
Little Birdy — $5/month
3 snitches, basic intervals, API access, unlimited team members.
Private Eye — $19/month
100 snitches, enhanced intervals, integrations, unlimited team members.
Surveillance Van — $49/month
300 snitches, enhanced intervals, smart alerts, error notices, integrations.
All paid plans include a free trial. Contact for on-premise hosting or more jobs.
Frequently asked questions
Is Dead Man's Snitch free?
Yes, there is a free plan called 'The Lone Snitch' that includes 1 snitch with basic monitoring.
How much does Dead Man's Snitch cost?
Paid plans start at $5/month for 3 snitches, $19/month for 100 snitches, and $49/month for 300 snitches. All paid plans offer a free trial.
What is Dead Man's Snitch used for?
It's used to monitor cron jobs and scheduled tasks. You get a unique URL for each task, and if it doesn't ping on schedule, you're alerted.
Who is Dead Man's Snitch best for?
It's best for developers, IT teams, and small businesses that rely on scheduled jobs like backups, emails, or data syncs and need to catch failures quickly.
What are the top alternatives to Dead Man's Snitch?
Common alternatives include Cronitor, Healthchecks.io, and Better Uptime, but Dead Man's Snitch stands out for its simplicity and ease of setup.
Does Dead Man's Snitch support Heroku Scheduler?
Yes, it explicitly supports Heroku Scheduler. You can monitor any scheduled task that can make an HTTP request.
