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PM2

pm2.keymetrics.io

From $79/mo Free plan Open source WebWindowsmacOSLinuxAPISelf-hosted
Visit pm2.keymetrics.io
Spec score 9.0 #2 of 26 in Process Monitoring Software

What it is

PM2 is a daemon process manager for managing applications and keeping them online. PM2 Runtime is an open-source process manager; PM2 Plus adds monitoring for Node.js production applications. Runtime supports cluster mode, zero-downtime reloads, watch and restart, startup scripts, log management and memory-based reloads. For containers, pm2-runtime can run Node.js applications with process fallback, flow control, monitoring and source-map support. PM2 Plus lists a web monitoring interface, application overview, issue tracking, custom metrics, server health checks and Node.js V8 monitoring. Its alerts include email and Slack notifications, while Enterprise adds rule-based alerting. The AI Assistant connects Claude, Cursor and other MCP-compatible assistants to monitoring data through OAuth with a PM2.io account. Documentation covers Docker, cloud providers, Heroku, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Nginx and deployment workflows. Runtime costs nothing, and Plus costs $79 a month.

Spec sheet

What it does
PM2 is a daemon process manager intended to keep Node.js applications running continuously in production.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Purpose
PM2 is a daemon process manager that helps manage applications and keep them online.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Deployment
The deployment system provisions bare-metal servers, updates releases, executes commands, supports rollback and can target multiple hosts.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Trial
The pricing FAQ says a trial is possible by contacting the sales team through the form.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Integrations
Official integration documentation covers Docker, Heroku, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, cloud providers, Nginx, transpilers and Capistrano-style deployments.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Security
The PM2 AI Assistant page says access to monitoring data is secured by OAuth with a PM2.io account.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Headquarters
Paris, FranceRead 23 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
AI integration
PM2 advertises an OAuth-secured MCP endpoint for Claude, Cursor and other compatible assistants, with 44 AI tools.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Alerts
PM2 Plus lists email and Slack notifications; Enterprise adds advanced rule-based alerting.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Cluster mode
Cluster mode spreads networked Node.js applications across available CPUs without application code changes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Company attribution
The site footer identifies PM2 and shows a 2014–2026 copyright notice.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Company facts
LinkedIn lists Keymetrics as founded in 2014, headquartered in Paris and employing 11–50 people.Read 14 Oct 2026 · linkedin.com
Company legal structure
The terms identify KEYMETRICS as a French SAS in Paris and a wholly owned subsidiary of KEYMETRICS Inc. in New York.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Container integration
The pm2-runtime command acts as a container-oriented replacement for the Node binary and handles process signals and graceful shutdown.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Container use
PM2 documents pm2-runtime as a way to run Node.js applications in containers with process fallback, flow control, monitoring, and source-map support.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Documentation depth
The documentation includes runtime guides, CLI reference, configuration, cluster mode, deployment, integrations, advanced APIs, modules, FAQ and troubleshooting.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Enterprise deployment
Enterprise lists cloud-shared or on-premise installation, Go and Python integration, profiling, transaction tracing, and up to one year of data retention.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Extensibility
Keymetrics publishes an API client, monitoring agents, server monitoring and log-rotation modules in its public GitHub organization.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
External status check
SaaSHub’s unofficial status page reported PM2 up, 100% availability over its displayed 30-day period and no reported issues in the prior 24 hours.Read 14 Oct 2026 · saashub.com
Licence
PM2 Runtime is free software distributed under the GNU Affero General Public License version 3.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Limit: GUI free tier
A G2 reviewer wanted a free graphical interface tier for managing processes and helping small projects or nontechnical users.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Limit: process overages
The pricing FAQ says processes beyond a plan limit are automatically ignored, with the excess selected randomly.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Limit: stateless applications
The cluster documentation warns that applications should be stateless and use shared stores such as Redis or MongoDB for sessions and other state.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Limits
The pricing FAQ says that when a plan's process limit is exceeded, the system automatically ignores randomly chosen excess processes.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Log management
The CLI provides standard, raw, JSON and formatted log output plus commands to flush and reload logs.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Memory protection
PM2 can reload an application when it exceeds a configured human-readable memory threshold, with checks running every 30 seconds.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Monitoring
PM2 Plus lists a web monitoring interface, application overview, issue tracking, custom metrics, server health checks, and Node.js V8 monitoring.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Notable release
The PM2 7 release added native Bun support, OpenTelemetry tracing and dependency-supply-chain reductions.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Official Docker image
Docker Hub describes keymetrics/pm2 as an official PM2 runtime image supporting clustering, graceful shutdown, log management and health endpoints.Read 14 Oct 2026 · hub.docker.com
Praise: ease of use
A G2 reviewer praised how quickly and easily PM2 manages or tracks processes.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Praise: operational features
G2 reviewers highlighted the built-in load balancer, monitoring and metrics, deployment workflow and ecosystem integration.Read 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Process features
PM2 supports cluster mode, zero-downtime reloads, watch and restart, startup scripts, log management, and memory-based reloads.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Process management
PM2 starts, stops, restarts, monitors and groups application processes from its command line.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Public API
PM2 exposes a JavaScript API with connect, start, restart, list, describe, delete, daemon control and interprocess messaging methods.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Rating on G2
5.0 out of 5 from 2 reviewsRead 14 Oct 2026 · g2.com
Runtime support
The documentation describes first-class Bun support and management of Deno, Python, Ruby and other interpreters.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Security updates
PM2 7 reports fixes for CVE-2025-5891, CVE-2026-27699, command-injection vectors and prototype-pollution handling.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Self-hosting
The runtime is installed locally with npm or Yarn, and Enterprise documentation includes an on-premise version.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.io
Startup persistence
PM2 generates startup scripts for systemd, upstart, systemv, openrc, launchd, rcd and smf and can save the process list for reboot recovery.Read 14 Oct 2026 · github.com
Support and monitoring scale
The official site states that its monitoring service has more than 50,000 applications monitored and a 99.9% uptime SLA.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
System requirements
PM2 7 requires Node.js 20 or newer and supports Bun; the project README lists Linux, macOS and Windows support.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Target users
The site describes PM2 Runtime as an open-source process manager and PM2 Plus as monitoring for Node.js production applications.Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Watch and restart
Ecosystem configuration can watch files for changes and automatically reload applications.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Zero-downtime reloads
Cluster-mode reload replaces workers one at a time and targets zero downtime, with fallback to a normal restart if reloading fails.Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io

Plans and prices

PM2 Runtime Free open-source process manager · real-time web interface · zero-downtime reloads · terminal monitoring Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Runtime Free Open source process manager · real-time web interface Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Plus $79 a month Essential monitoring features for Node.js production applications Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
PM2 Plus $79 a month Starts at $79/ Month web monitoring · bug and exception tracking · custom metrics · V8 monitoring · email/Slack notifications · server health checks · AI Assistant (MCP) Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
Enterprise Priced on request Advanced optimization and profiling features · contact for details Read 29 Sep 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io
PM2 Enterprise Priced on request Contact us for more details profiling · transaction tracing · up to one year retention · shared cloud or on-premise installation · rule-based alerting · custom dashboards · Go and Python integration Read 14 Oct 2026 · pm2.keymetrics.io

Every PM2 plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Runtime is an open-source process manager.
  • Supports zero-downtime reloads and memory-based reloads.
  • PM2 Plus includes custom metrics and server health checks.
  • Email and Slack notifications are listed.
  • Container support includes process fallback and flow control.

Limits

  • Plus costs $79 a month.
  • Excess processes may be randomly ignored when plan limits are exceeded.

Who it suits

PM2 Runtime suits users who need an open-source process manager for applications. PM2 Plus is aimed at teams monitoring Node.js production applications, while Enterprise lists additional integrations and profiling features.

PM2 in depth

Read the full write-up

Overview

PM2 is a daemon process manager for keeping applications online, with its strongest fit in teams operating Node.js services. The free Runtime plan covers process controls; production monitoring and deeper operational features sit behind paid plans.

Its combination of restarts, reloads and monitoring suits developers who want to manage application processes and observe them remotely. If all you need is a general-purpose system monitor, PM2’s Node.js production focus may be more than you need. For a wider comparison, see Process Monitoring Software.

Key features

Process controls

Cluster mode, zero-downtime reloads, watch-and-restart, startup scripts, log management and memory-based reloads give operators several ways to keep services running and manage changes. That makes PM2 a practical choice for applications that need automatic recovery or controlled reloads. The trade-off is that process limits matter: when a plan’s limit is exceeded, the system automatically ignores randomly chosen excess processes. A workload above its cap therefore risks inconsistent coverage.

For Node.js applications in containers, pm2-runtime provides process fallback, flow control, monitoring and source-map support. Documentation also covers Docker, cloud providers, Heroku, AWS Elastic Beanstalk, Nginx and deployment workflows, making PM2 relevant to teams using those deployment patterns.

Monitoring and integrations

Plus adds a web monitoring interface, application overview, issue tracking, custom metrics, server health checks and Node.js V8 monitoring. Email and Slack notifications provide a route to operational alerts. Enterprise adds advanced rule-based alerting, along with profiling, transaction tracing, Go and Python integration, and up to one year of data retention. Those capabilities make the higher tier more relevant to teams diagnosing production behavior across a broader stack than Node.js alone.

The PM2 AI Assistant connects Claude, Cursor and other MCP-compatible assistants to monitoring data through OAuth with a PM2.io account. That can fit teams that want assistant access to monitoring information; OAuth is the stated security mechanism.

Pricing

Runtime costs nothing and includes an open-source process manager and real-time web interface. It is the sensible starting point for users who chiefly need process controls, but its process cap should be checked against the workload rather than assumed to cover every process.

Plus costs $79 a month and targets essential monitoring for Node.js production applications. It is the clearer fit when remote visibility, issue tracking, custom metrics and alerts justify a recurring fee. Enterprise has custom pricing and adds optimization and profiling features, including advanced alerting and up to one year of data retention; it is aimed at organizations needing those deeper capabilities rather than a published entry-level price.

A trial is possible by contacting the sales team through its form. The process-limit behavior applies whichever plan is chosen: excess processes may be ignored at random, so select a tier whose limit accommodates the deployment.

Platforms

PM2 supports Linux, macOS and Windows, and offers a web dashboard. Its platform range gives mixed-OS teams options for process management and remote monitoring, while the container runtime documentation is specifically for Node.js applications.

Who it's for

PM2 is best suited to developers and production teams running Node.js applications who want process recovery and reload controls, with the option to add monitoring as operational needs grow. Runtime fits users focused on those controls. Plus is for teams that need production visibility and notifications; Enterprise is for teams that need advanced alerting, profiling, tracing or integration beyond Node.js. It is a weaker fit for people seeking only a broad system monitor or anyone whose process count may exceed the selected plan’s limit.

Pros and cons

Pros: Runtime combines process controls such as zero-downtime reloads and memory-based restarts at no cost, making it useful for maintaining application availability without starting with a paid monitoring tier.

Pros: Plus brings application, server and V8 monitoring together with email and Slack notifications, which is relevant to Node.js production operations.

Pros: Container support and documentation for several deployment environments make PM2 applicable across common Node.js operations workflows.

Cons: Randomly ignored excess processes make exceeding a plan limit a reliability concern, not merely a reduced feature set.

Cons: Plus is $79 a month, so teams needing production monitoring must weigh that recurring cost against the free Runtime’s more limited scope.

Cons: Enterprise pricing is custom, which makes the cost of its advanced optimization and profiling capabilities less straightforward to assess.

Alternatives

Choose Process Lasso if you want a Windows-focused process utility with a free plan and paid options starting at $4.95 a month for one PC.

Glances is a better fit for free, cross-platform system monitoring, including Android and self-hosted use; some optional features require extra dependencies.

bottom (btm) is a free option for Linux, macOS and Windows users looking for a system-monitoring tool.

Monit suits users seeking free, open-source software under the GNU Affero General Public License on Linux, macOS or self-hosted systems.

Supervisor is another free option for Linux, macOS, self-hosted and web environments.

Ambih Monitor is a Windows alternative with live monitoring and a free plan limited to five-session history per project; its Pro plan adds unlimited session history for $10 a month billed annually.

OpenProcMon is a free, MIT-licensed choice for 64-bit Windows, though live capture requires Administrator privileges.

Remote Process Explorer is a Windows alternative with a free personal license for non-commercial use on one computer.

Verdict

Choose PM2 if you run Node.js applications and want process controls now, with a path to production monitoring and advanced operational tools. Its free Runtime plan is a strong starting point; the reasons to look elsewhere are the Plus subscription cost or a process count that could trigger random exclusions above the plan limit.

Verdict

PM2 offers process controls in Runtime and adds production monitoring in Plus. Check the plan’s process limit before relying on it for a workload, since excess processes may be ignored.

Where Specifiction places it

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