> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://docs.getgriffinapp.com/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Comparisons

> How Griffin compares to other API monitoring tools

## Griffin vs Checkly

[Checkly](https://www.checklyhq.com/) is a popular API and browser monitoring platform. Here's how Griffin compares:

| Feature                  | Griffin                                                | Checkly                           |
| ------------------------ | ------------------------------------------------------ | --------------------------------- |
| **Open source**          | Yes — MIT license                                      | No (proprietary)                  |
| **Self-hosting**         | Full self-hosted option                                | No                                |
| **Test language**        | TypeScript DSL                                         | Playwright / Node.js scripts      |
| **Test paradigm**        | Declarative graph-based flows                          | Imperative scripts                |
| **Multi-step API tests** | Built-in with graph/sequential builders                | Supported via scripts             |
| **Type safety**          | Compile-time graph validation                          | Standard TypeScript               |
| **Scheduling**           | Per-monitor frequency (minutes, hours, days)           | Per-check frequency               |
| **Assertions**           | Fluent assertion DSL on status, body, headers, latency | Standard JS assertions            |
| **Secret management**    | Built-in (env vars, AWS Secrets Manager, Vault)        | Environment variables             |
| **Notifications**        | Slack, email, webhooks                                 | Slack, email, PagerDuty, and more |
| **Multi-location**       | Supported (self-hosted or cloud)                       | 20+ global locations              |
| **Browser checks**       | Not supported (API-focused)                            | Full Playwright support           |
| **Pricing**              | Free (self-hosted), usage-based (cloud)                | Free tier + paid plans            |

### When to choose Griffin

* You want an **open-source** solution you can self-host
* You prefer **declarative, type-safe** monitor definitions over imperative scripts
* You need **built-in secret management** with multiple provider backends
* Your focus is **API monitoring**, not browser testing
* You want to define monitors as **code in your repository** alongside your application

### When to choose Checkly

* You need **browser monitoring** with Playwright
* You want a large number of **built-in global locations**
* You need a **mature ecosystem** with extensive integrations
* You prefer writing **imperative test scripts** over declarative builders