Question 1

What's the difference between synthetic monitoring and real user monitoring (RUM)?

Accepted Answer

Synthetic monitoring uses scripted tests that run on a schedule from known locations, so you can catch problems even when no one is using your app. Real user monitoring (RUM) measures what actual users experience in their browsers or apps (real devices, real networks). Synthetic is great for early warning and testing critical flows; RUM is best for understanding real-world performance and user impact.

Question 2

When should I use synthetic monitoring?

Accepted Answer

Use it when you need proactive detection of issues on critical paths like login, search, checkout, or key APIs. It’s especially useful after deployments, during peak events, for SLAs/SLOs, and when you want coverage from multiple regions. It’s also a good fit for monitoring third-party dependencies (payment gateways, identity providers) with controlled, repeatable tests.

Question 3

How much does synthetic monitoring cost?

Accepted Answer

Cost usually depends on (1) how often tests run (every minute vs every 5–15 minutes), (2) how many locations/regions you run from, (3) whether you use simple HTTP checks or full browser journeys, and (4) data retention and alerting/observability ingestion. Browser-based tests are typically more expensive than basic uptime checks because they run longer and collect more artifacts (screenshots, HAR files, logs). To control cost, monitor only critical journeys, run less frequently outside business hours, and keep test scripts efficient.

Synthetic Monitoring

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