Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Update Scanner VS Distill.io

Compare Update Scanner VS Distill.io and see what are their differences

Update Scanner logo Update Scanner

Update Scanner is a Firefox extension to monitor web pages for updates.

Distill.io logo Distill.io

Distill.io is one of the advanced page monitoring tools used by professionals to monitor dynamic pages, feeds, and iframes.
  • Update Scanner Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-10-23
  • Distill.io Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-27

Update Scanner features and specs

  • Free to Use
    Update Scanner is an open-source tool that is completely free to use, making it accessible to users without any financial constraints.
  • Easy Installation
    The scanner is available as a browser extension, which makes it easy to install and integrate into your web browser.
  • Customizable Scan Intervals
    Users can customize the frequency of scans, allowing them to monitor changes as often or as infrequently as needed.
  • Notifications
    The tool provides notifications for detected updates, ensuring users are promptly alerted to changes on their monitored web pages.
  • Simple Interface
    Update Scanner features an intuitive and user-friendly interface, making it easy to set up and manage monitored sites.

Possible disadvantages of Update Scanner

  • Limited to Browser Use
    Being a browser extension, Update Scanner is only available within your web browser and cannot be used as a standalone application.
  • Resource Consumption
    Frequent scans can consume significant amounts of browser resources, which could potentially slow down performance.
  • Dependency on Browser
    The extension is dependent on the stability and updates of the web browser, which could impact its functionality if there are compatibility issues.
  • No Mobile App
    As of now, there is no dedicated mobile app for Update Scanner, limiting its use to desktop environments.
  • Basic Features
    While functional, Update Scanner lacks some advanced features found in more robust monitoring tools, such as detailed change logs or integration with other software.

Distill.io features and specs

  • Real-time Monitoring
    Distill.io provides real-time monitoring capabilities, allowing users to track changes on websites as they happen. This is particularly useful for keeping up-to-date with time-sensitive information.
  • Customization
    Users can customize the tracking frequency and specific elements to monitor on a webpage, giving them control over what information they want to track and how often they receive updates.
  • User-friendly Interface
    The platform offers a straightforward and intuitive interface, making it accessible for users without extensive technical skills to set up website monitoring.
  • Multi-platform Support
    Distill.io supports various platforms including web browsers, mobile devices, and desktops, providing users with flexibility in accessing their monitoring data.

Possible disadvantages of Distill.io

  • Limited Free Plan
    The free version of Distill.io has significant restrictions on the number of monitors and frequency of checks, which may not be sufficient for users with extensive monitoring needs.
  • Potentially High Costs
    For users requiring more frequent monitoring or additional features, the cost can escalate, making it less affordable for personal or small business use.
  • Complex Setup for Advanced Users
    While the basic setup is user-friendly, configuring more advanced monitoring options can be complex and challenging for those who are not technically inclined.
  • Browser Dependency
    Distill.io is heavily reliant on web browsers, which could lead to issues if there are changes or updates to browser security settings or compatibility.

Analysis of Update Scanner

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Update Scanner is a well-regarded tool within its niche, offering reliable performance for those who need to keep track of changes on various web pages. Its ease of use and practical features make it a good choice for users needing such functionality.

Why this product is good

  • Update Scanner (sneakypete81.github.io) is a browser extension designed to monitor web pages for changes. It is particularly useful for users who need to track changes on websites that do not offer RSS feeds or notifications. The extension is straightforward to use and offers customizable options for monitoring, such as frequency and specific sections of a webpage. Users appreciate its simplicity and effectiveness in ensuring they don't miss important updates without needing to manually revisit sites.

Recommended for

    Update Scanner is recommended for individuals who regularly need to monitor websites for updates without RSS feeds. It is especially suitable for journalists, researchers, price-watchers, and others who rely on timely updates from web pages that don't provide built-in notifications.

Update Scanner videos

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Distill.io videos

How To Monitor Website Changes? - Distill.io Chrome Extension

More videos:

  • Review - Data Alerts with Distill.io

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Update Scanner and Distill.io)
Monitoring Tools
34 34%
66% 66
Uptime Monitoring
100 100%
0% 0
Website Monitoring
38 38%
62% 62
AI
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Distill.io seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 82 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Update Scanner mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Update Scanner yet. Tracking of Update Scanner recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Distill.io mentions (82)

  • Tips for people waiting for the Refurbished Steam Deck restock
    First of all, you probably don't want to manually refresh the Steam page to check if the SD is back in stock, so I recommend installing a website monitoring extension. There are a few out there but I can vouch for distill.io because it has a free tier with unlimited local checks. Set the intervals as low as you want, but keep in mind that the last restock lasted about 45 minutes - 1 hour. I personally set mine to... Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Website change trackers
    Recently found out about website change trackers and had to share, like distill.io and fetchnotifs (not affiliated btw). I use them like everyday for amazon items and general stuff. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Canyon Endurace CF out of stock
    You can also try notify-me.rs . It's super simple tracker, and has more checks than distill.io , we have bunch of people from this subreddit using it already! Source: almost 2 years ago
  • NEW SERIES OF JEFF DRAWINGS ON SALE
    Were these even advertised anywhere online? Insane how fast the 6x8s went. Glad I've had a distill.io alert set there for like 2 years now haha. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • What is the best free tool or code to monitor visual changes to a website in real time? (e.g. Distill.io)
    Distill.io offers every 5 seconds but it seems I need an upgraded account to be able to select this interval using the Device "Cloud-Distill's Severs (this device)". So it seems I'd need to always be on my computer in order for it to run. So I selected "Any Local Device (beta)" for device. Description for "Device" = Select device that this monitor runs on. Other devices will appear in the list once all devices... Source: almost 2 years ago
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing Update Scanner and Distill.io, you can also consider the following products

Distill Web Monitor - Distill is a web monitoring tool. It can monitor RSS feeds, a webpage or a part of webpage. Alerts in the form of pop-up, audio or emails can be received.

Visualping - Visualping is the easiest to use website checker, webpage change monitoring, website change detector and website change alert software of the web. Read more about Visualping.

Monity.ai - Monitor website changes in real time with Monity.ai – Stay informed with AI-powered alerts and never miss anything happening on the internet.

WebSite-Watcher - WebSite-Watcher detects website updates and highlights all changes in the text. WebSite-Watcher monitors web pages, password protected pages, disucssion forums and much more.

Browse AI - Automate any workflow on any website with no code. Used for monitoring, testing, automation, and data aggregation.Sign up now for free and receive 2x jobs per month – forever!

Wachete - Track web page changes and get notified. Free Sign-up. Have all data in one place