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Distill Web Monitor

distill.io

From $15/mo Free plan WebWindowsmacOSLinuxiOSAndroid
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Spec score 9.3 #1 of 55 in Website Monitoring Software

What it is

Distill Web Monitor tracks selected website or document content on a schedule, compares it for changes, and sends alerts. Local monitors run in a browser or on the user's computer; cloud monitors run on Distill's servers without requiring the device to stay on. Users can select a whole page or a portion visually, then refine the selection with XPath, CSS, regular expressions, or JavaScript. Monitor types include webpages, PDFs, JSON, Word, XML, feeds, uptime, and sitemaps. Alert rules can use text matches, numeric ranges, and regular expressions. Notifications include email, SMS, phone push, Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, and webhooks. Macros can fill forms and click, and API access is available on request. Local checks can run at intervals as short as five seconds; Free cloud checks start at six-hour intervals. The free plan costs nothing and includes 25 monitors, five cloud monitors, 1,000 cloud checks per month, two devices, and 30 email alerts per month. Starter begins at $15 a month. Unused resources expire at the billing period's end, and cloud checks count in ten-second units.

Spec sheet

What it does
Distill monitors webpages and other supported URLs on a schedule, compares versions, and sends alerts when configured changes occur.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Purpose
Distill monitors websites on a schedule, compares page content, and alerts users when it changes.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Intended users
The maker describes Free as suited to testing and non-essential use, Starter for individuals, Professional for advanced individual use, and Flexi for scale and fast updates.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Platforms
The product is offered as a web app, browser extensions, desktop apps, and iOS and Android apps; desktop apps and the Android app are identified as public beta.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Integrations
Slack, Discord, and Microsoft Teams actions use incoming webhooks and are available to paid customers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
API access
An API is available for developers and teams on request, and the terms direct users to contact support for API documentation.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Automation and developer tools
Features include macros for actions such as filling forms and clicking, plus API access on request.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Browser and mobile availability
Extensions are offered for Chrome, Firefox, Edge, and Opera, with iOS and Android apps; the Android app is identified as public beta.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Change history
Distill stores detected versions and provides highlighted diffs and version history for monitored content.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Conditions
Single and compound conditions can filter alerts using text, numeric ranges, and regular-expression matches.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Configuration format
Monitor configurations are exposed as editable JSON, and monitors can be imported or exported as JSON or CSV.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Content selection
Users can visually select all or part of a webpage and refine selections with XPath, CSS, regular expressions, and JavaScript.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Custom intervals
Local checks can run as often as every five seconds, while cloud intervals depend on the subscription plan.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Desktop requirements
Desktop downloads are offered for Windows x64, macOS Apple Silicon, macOS Intel, and Linux Flatpak; the desktop app is in public beta.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Documentation and support
Distill publishes documentation, tutorials, a community forum, blog, webinars, and email support; TechRadar says phone and live-chat support are absent.Read 15 Oct 2026 · techradar.com
Enterprise support
Distill advertises 24×7 support from a dedicated team for Enterprise and says it will respond to enterprise inquiries in 2–3 days.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Filtering
Conditions can filter alerts using individual or combined rules such as text matches, numeric ranges, or regular expressions.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Google Play listing
The Android listing shows 50K+ downloads, encrypted data in transit, no third-party data sharing, and user-requested deletion.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Independent affordability assessment
TechRadar calls Distill affordable, highlights its free plan, macros, visual selector, and conditional alerts, but says support options are limited.Read 15 Oct 2026 · techradar.com
JSON monitoring
JSON monitors support GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, and DELETE requests plus configurable query parameters and headers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Legal entity
The terms identify Neemb LLC as a Delaware-incorporated limited liability company, while the Google Play listing names Neemb Web Services Pvt Ltd in Bengaluru as the developer.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Licence
The terms state that the platform, software, APIs, and related intellectual property are licensed rather than sold and remain owned by Neemb LLC.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Limit: false positives or missed changes
Apple reviewers report false change emails and one 2025 reviewer said a merchandise drop was not detected despite a ten-minute schedule.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Limit: interface and learning curve
G2 reviewers call the interface dated or in need of improvement, while an independent review says the selector and conditions require more learning than competitors.Read 15 Oct 2026 · monitoringdaddy.com
Limit: local monitoring dependency
Independent review coverage says local monitoring stops when the browser is closed, so unattended monitoring requires cloud checks and their quotas.Read 15 Oct 2026 · monitoringdaddy.com
Limit: subscription complaint
Trustpilot has one review alleging an almost-$100 unexpected charge and refusal of a refund; the page shows a 3.2 average from one review.Read 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Local and cloud modes
Local monitors run in a browser extension or desktop app and require the device to stay on, while cloud monitors run on Distill servers with the device off.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Local check limit
Local checks can run at intervals as low as five seconds, while the web app's cloud interval starts at six hours on Free and reaches two minutes on Flexi.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Macros
Recorded macros automate actions such as clicks, scrolling, form filling, filters, and logins before a check.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Maker company facts
LinkedIn lists Distill.io as a privately held Bengaluru company founded in 2014 with 2–10 employees.Read 15 Oct 2026 · ch.linkedin.com
Monitor types
Supported monitor sources include webpages, PDFs, JSON, Word documents, XML, feeds, uptime checks, and sitemaps.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Monitoring modes
Local monitors run on the user's browser or computer, while cloud monitors run on Distill's servers and do not require the user's device to stay on.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Notable quota rule
Unused resources expire at the end of the current billing period, and cloud checks are counted in ten-second units.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Notable release
The Google Play September 2026 release notes describe a rebuilt app with a diff-engine overhaul, change feed, AI monitor setup, offline access, and bulk actions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · play.google.com
Notifications
Alert channels include email, SMS, browser or phone push notifications, Discord, Slack, Microsoft Teams, and webhooks.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Notifications and integrations
Alerts can use email, SMS, phone push, Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, and webhooks for other platforms.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Praise: precise monitoring and support
Apple reviewers praise selecting exact page elements, dependable stock alerts, Discord or email notifications, and responsive help with difficult pages.Read 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Praise: usability and alerts
G2 reviewers repeatedly describe the extension as easy to install and useful for immediate or automatic change alerts.Read 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Apple App Store
4.3 out of 5 from 185 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · apps.apple.com
Rating on Chrome Web Store
3.9 out of 5 from 1,500 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · chromewebstore.google.com
Rating on G2
4.6 out of 5 from 4 reviewsRead 15 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Rating on Trustpilot
3.2 out of 5 from 1 reviewRead 15 Oct 2026 · trustpilot.com
Security and privacy
Neemb says it uses technical, organizational, and administrative safeguards, but also states that no service can guarantee complete security.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Security statement
The privacy policy says Distill uses administrative, physical, and technical safeguards but cannot guarantee complete security.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Selector languages
Monitor selection can be refined with XPath, CSS, regular expressions, and JavaScript.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Supported content
Distill lists webpage, PDF, JSON, Word, XML, feed, uptime, and sitemap monitors.Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Visual selector
Users can select whole pages or specific page elements visually and exclude unwanted content.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Webhook extensibility
Paid monitors can send HTTP POST payloads with monitor identifiers, names, URLs, timestamps, text, and HTML, with custom headers for authentication.Read 15 Oct 2026 · distill.io

Plans and prices

Free Free 25 monitors (5 cloud) · 1,000 cloud checks/month · 2 devices · 30 email alerts/month Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Free Free 25 monitors (5 cloud) · 6-hour cloud interval · 1,000 cloud checks/month · 2 devices · 30 email alerts/month · 100 push notifications/month Read 15 Oct 2026 · site.distillweb.dev
Starter $15 a month monthly 50 monitors · 10-minute cloud interval · 30,000 cloud checks/month · 3 devices · 2,000 email alerts/month · 100 SMS/month · 10 version-history entries Read 15 Oct 2026 · site.distillweb.dev
Starter $15 a month $15/mon; annual option advertises 20% discount 50 monitors · 10-minute minimum cloud interval · 30,000 cloud checks/month · 3 devices Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Professional $35 a month monthly 150 monitors · 5-minute cloud interval · 100,000 cloud checks/month · 3 devices · unlimited email alerts · 250 SMS/month · 100 local macro actions · 20 version-history entries Read 15 Oct 2026 · site.distillweb.dev
Professional $35 a month $35/mon; annual option advertises 20% discount 150 monitors · 5-minute minimum cloud interval · 100,000 cloud checks/month · 3 devices Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Flexi $80 a month monthly plus metered overages 500+ monitors · 2-minute cloud interval · 200,000+ cloud checks/month · 4+ devices · unlimited email alerts · 500+ SMS/month · 300+ local macro actions · 20 version-history entries Read 15 Oct 2026 · site.distillweb.dev
Flexi $80 a month $80+/mon 500+ monitors · 2-minute minimum cloud interval · 200,000+ cloud checks/month · 4+ devices; extra usage billed separately Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io
Enterprise Priced on request Contact sales Shared watchlist and centralized billing; unlimited cloud monitors; multiple user accounts Read 10 Oct 2026 · distill.io

Every Distill Web Monitor plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Monitors webpages, PDFs, JSON, and more.
  • Local checks can run every five seconds.
  • Alerts support email, SMS, and messaging services.
  • Visual selection can be refined with CSS or XPath.
  • A free plan is listed.

Limits

  • Free cloud checks start at six-hour intervals.
  • Unused resources expire at billing period end.
  • Cloud checks count in ten-second units.
  • Starter costs $15 a month.

Who it suits

Distill may suit people who need scheduled change alerts for pages or documents, from individuals to users needing faster cloud checks. The maker positions Free for testing and non-essential use, Starter for individuals, Professional for advanced individual use, and Flexi for scale and fast updates.

Distill Web Monitor in depth

Read the full write-up

Overview

Distill Web Monitor checks pages on a schedule and alerts you when selected content changes. It is a strong fit for individuals and teams that need fine-grained control over what they watch; the trade-off is that cloud speed and usage quotas vary substantially by plan.

Key features

Local monitors run in a browser or on a computer, with checks as frequent as every five seconds. That can suit fast tracking when a device can stay on, but it is not unattended monitoring. Cloud monitors run on Distill’s servers instead. The web app’s cloud interval begins at six hours on Free and reaches two minutes on Flexi, so readers who need frequent checks without keeping a device running will need a higher tier.

Users can select a whole page or a specific area visually, then refine the target with XPath, CSS, regular expressions, or JavaScript. Alert conditions can combine text matches, numeric ranges, and regular expressions. This precision is valuable for pages with frequent irrelevant changes, though the rule options will matter most to users willing to configure what counts as a meaningful update.

Distill supports monitors for webpages, PDFs, JSON, Word, XML, feeds, uptime, and sitemaps. Notifications include email, SMS, phone push, Slack, Discord, Microsoft Teams, and webhooks. Macros can fill forms or click controls; API access is available on request, and page health checks are supported. The breadth makes Distill useful beyond simple page-change alerts.

Cloud checks are counted in ten-second units, and unused resources expire at the end of the billing period. Those rules make the headline quota less straightforward than a simple count of pages: frequent cloud polling can consume resources quickly, and unused capacity does not carry forward. Neemb says it uses technical, organizational, and administrative safeguards, while acknowledging that no service can guarantee complete security.

Pricing

Free costs nothing and includes 25 monitors, of which five can be cloud monitors, 1,000 cloud checks per month, two devices, and 30 email alerts per month. It is appropriate for testing or non-essential tracking, but the six-hour minimum cloud interval and small cloud allowance limit it for time-sensitive use.

Starter costs $15 a month, billed $15/mon, with an annual option advertising a 20% discount. It provides 50 monitors, a 10-minute minimum cloud interval, 30,000 cloud checks per month, and three devices. This is the practical entry tier for an individual who needs more capacity than Free and can accept ten-minute cloud polling.

Professional costs $35 a month, billed $35/mon; its annual option also advertises a 20% discount. It raises the allowance to 150 monitors and 100,000 cloud checks per month, with a five-minute minimum interval and three devices. Advanced individual users who need faster cloud checks and more monitors have a clear step up here, though the device allowance stays the same as Starter.

Flexi costs $80 a month, billed $80+/mon, and includes 500+ monitors, a two-minute minimum cloud interval, 200,000+ cloud checks per month, and 4+ devices. Extra usage is billed separately. It is the tier for scale and faster updates, but the starting price and variable usage make quota planning important.

Enterprise has custom pricing. It includes a shared watchlist, centralized billing, unlimited cloud monitors, and multiple user accounts. Distill advertises 24×7 support from a dedicated team for Enterprise and says it responds to enterprise inquiries in 2–3 days. This is the relevant option for organizations needing shared administration rather than an individual subscription.

Platforms

Distill is available on Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, Windows, the web, and as a browser extension. That range accommodates desktop and mobile users as well as browser-based monitoring.

Who it's for

Distill suits people who need to monitor particular page content rather than treat every page change as equally important. Free is aimed at testing and non-essential use; Starter targets individuals, Professional advanced individual use, and Flexi larger workloads and faster updates. Readers who need unattended checks should compare cloud intervals and quotas against their monitoring frequency before choosing.

Pros and cons

Pros: Precise visual selection plus XPath, CSS, regular-expression, and JavaScript refinement helps target only relevant page content.

Pros: A broad set of monitored content types and alert channels covers more than ordinary webpage changes.

Pros: Local checks can run every five seconds, while cloud monitoring continues without the user’s device.

Cons: Free cloud checks start at a six-hour interval, making the free tier unsuitable for rapid unattended updates.

Cons: Cloud checks count in ten-second units and unused resources expire each billing period, so frequent monitoring can use quotas quickly without carryover.

Cons: Flexi bills extra usage separately, which adds cost variability for workloads that exceed its included allowance.

Alternatives

Readers comparing website-monitoring tools can browse Website Monitoring Software.

Visual Sentinel is another freemium option with a free plan and free trial, on Android, iOS, API, and web.

OnWebChange is worth comparing for its free tier of three page trackers with basic daily monitoring, or its €0.89 monthly Lite plan for ten trackers.

Dotcom-Monitor may suit readers prioritizing target checks from multiple locations: its free plan covers up to 25 targets, five-minute monitoring, and two locations.

Downdetector is a different fit for tracking service outages, with a free plan for up to five favorites and limited outage notifications through the Speedtest app.

HostTracker is an option for readers whose needs fit its free two-monitor plan, which checks every 30 minutes.

Tallwatch may be a better match for team-oriented status monitoring: its free plan includes ten monitors, 60-second checks from three regions, up to three team members, and email and Slack alerts.

WebSite-Watcher offers a Windows-focused alternative with a free plan of ten bookmarks and a one-hour minimum check interval.

WebSitePulse is another option for readers comparing paid monitoring plans, with an HTTP performance plan at $9 a month and a 10-minute interval from one monitoring location.

Verdict

Choose Distill if you need detailed control over the content being watched, multiple alert routes, and the choice between device-dependent fast local checks and unattended cloud monitoring. Its main limitation is the need to match cloud interval and quota carefully to the work: readers who need frequent checks at scale should budget for Flexi or custom-priced Enterprise, while casual users can start on Free.

Verdict

Distill combines local and cloud monitoring with a wide range of content types, filters, and alert channels. Check the cloud interval, usage quotas, and resource-expiry rule for the plan you are considering.

Where Specifiction places it

Alternatives to Distill Web MonitorAll alternatives →