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Prefail

prefail.io

From $9/mo Free plan LinuxAPI
Visit prefail.io
Spec score 7.9 #14 of 30 in Disk Health Monitoring Software

What it is

Prefail monitors disk S.M.A.R.T. health across server fleets and sends warnings about problems and possible next steps. Its SENTINEL system weighs more than 25 S.M.A.R.T. attributes to assign each disk a risk score from 0 to 100, with history views showing seven-day changes and whether signals are stable or rising. Alerts include severity, an explanation, and a recommended action, and can be acknowledged, muted, or dismissed in batches. Supported RAID setups include MegaRAID 9260/9361/9460, Adaptec SmartRAID, and Linux mdadm, with visibility into disks behind controllers. Prefail offers Telegram alerts and a Telegram Mini App dashboard, with email as a fallback, plus a weekly PDF fleet report. Its Linux agent is a Bash script that runs smartctl and transmits S.M.A.R.T. output. Prefail says it sends data over TLS and stores it on a dedicated European server. The free tier covers up to two servers; paid plans start at $9/mo. The maker warns that S.M.A.R.T. monitoring cannot catch sudden failures and does not replace backups.

Spec sheet

Purpose
Prefail monitors disk S.M.A.R.T. health and sends alerts about disk problems and recommended actions.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Intended users
Prefail describes itself as a specialist tool for monitoring disk health across server fleets.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Deployment
The Linux agent is an approximately 250-line Bash script that runs smartctl and sends its output with curl.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Integrations
The product provides Telegram alerts and a Telegram Mini App dashboard, with email alerts as a fallback.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Alerts
Alerts include severity, a human-readable explanation, and an actionable recommendation, with options to acknowledge, mute, or batch dismiss.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Data collection
The agent collects only S.M.A.R.T. data and does not access files, scan the network, or list processes.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Data handling
The site says data is stored on a dedicated server in Europe and offers GDPR-ready data export and deletion.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Limits
Prefail warns that S.M.A.R.T. detects gradual degradation, not sudden failures such as power surges, controller burnout, or electrical damage, and says it is not a substitute for backups.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
RAID support
It supports MegaRAID 9260/9361/9460, Adaptec SmartRAID, and Linux mdadm, including individual disk health behind controllers.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Reports
Prefail sends a PDF fleet report every Monday describing degraded disks, changes, and what to replace.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Scoring
Its SENTINEL scoring weighs 25+ S.M.A.R.T. attributes and gives each disk a 0–100 risk score.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Transport security
Prefail says data is sent over TLS using a per-server API token bound to machine_id, with independent authentication for each server.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Trend analysis
Prefail shows score history with 7-day deltas and classifies signals as stable or rising.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
Upcoming features
The site lists maintenance windows, REST API, webhooks, and team access as coming in Q2–Q3 2026 for Business tier and above.Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io

Plans and prices

FREE Free forever Up to 2 servers · PULSE 30–60 min · 7-day score history · Email alerts (1 recipient) Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
PRO $9 a month Up to 20 servers per account · PULSE 5–30 min · 90-day score history · Email alerts (3 recipients) · Weekly PDF digest Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
BUSINESS $39 a month Up to 75 servers per account · PULSE 5–30 min · 180-day score history · Email alerts (5 recipients) · Weekly PDF digest Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
SCALE $149 a month Up to 250 servers per account · PULSE 1–30 min · 365-day score history · Unlimited email recipients · Priority support Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io
ENTERPRISE Priced on request Unlimited servers · PULSE 1 min · Unlimited score history · Unlimited email recipients · Priority support · SLA / SSO / audit log Read 8 Oct 2026 · prefail.io

Every Prefail plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Free tier covers up to two servers
  • Scores disks using 25+ S.M.A.R.T. attributes
  • Supports several RAID setups and Linux mdadm
  • Offers Telegram alerts and weekly PDF reports
  • Agent collects only S.M.A.R.T. data

Limits

  • S.M.A.R.T. cannot detect some sudden failures
  • Free tier limits monitoring to two servers

Who it suits

Prefail is intended for people responsible for monitoring disk health across server fleets, particularly Linux environments and the listed RAID configurations. Its per-disk scores, alert controls, and fleet reports support ongoing review of drive condition.

Verdict

Prefail provides disk-health scoring, fleet alerts, and reporting for server operators, with several fleet-size tiers. It is a monitoring aid, not a replacement for backups or protection from sudden electrical and hardware failures.

Where Specifiction places it

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