Checkmate vs DNSai

Checkmate is a free, open-source, self-hosted dashboard for monitoring infrastructure, service uptime, PageSpeed, and incidents. It checks HTTP, ping, TCP, gRPC, WebSocket, DNS, SSL, and more than 100 game server types. Its Capture agent reports server CPU, memory, disk, temperature, and network metrics, while PageSpeed monitoring tracks Lighthouse scores and Core Web Vitals over time. Public status dashboards can show per-service uptime and incident history with custom branding. Alerts can go to email, Slack, Discord, Telegram, Twilio SMS, Pushover, ntfy, Matrix, Rocket.Chat, PagerDuty, Microsoft Teams, and webhooks. The maker says metrics, logs, incidents, and user accounts remain in the database configured by the operator, with no phone-home or telemetry pipeline. Checkmate is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and can be installed with Docker Compose or Kubernetes/Helm; its image runs on x86, Apple Silicon, and Raspberry Pi. The maker says the API accepts JSON for bulk monitor setup and provides a REST API reference. The free plan includes all features, no monitor limits, self-hosting, and 12 alert channels. There is no one-click migration import or paid support tier.

DNSai profiles domains from public DNS records, presenting information about mail providers, security posture, hosting, platforms, and record changes. Its Domain Manager scans more than 50 DNS record types, including A, MX, SPF, DKIM, DMARC, BIMI, and DNSSEC, while change history and webhook alerts help surface updates. A vendor record only shows that a domain published that vendor’s record; it does not establish seats, spend, or whether a contract is live. The product is available on the web and through DNS Explorer for Windows 11 and macOS; the maker says desktop processing keeps domain data on the user’s machine. Listed connections and exports include Salesforce and HubSpot sync, a Claude MCP connector, CSV export, and SIEM webhooks. The REST API is available on Enterprise plans and above. The Free plan costs nothing and covers 100 domains, 100 scans per day, one seat, limited AI, and no API or MCP. Pro costs $79 a month; Enterprise costs $499 a month. DNSai describes IT administrators, cybersecurity analysts, researchers, and operations teams as intended users.