Status page when your micro-SaaS gets first paying users
The moment you have paying customers, downtime stops being a solo inconvenience. Someone will email “is it broken?” while you are still reading Vercel logs. A public status page is the cheapest trust signal between “hobby project” and “vendor I can rely on.”
StillOnline is built for that transition: one project, one HTTP check on Free, automatic public page, optional Telegram owner alerts through the StillOnline bot (no BotFather). You can ship it the same afternoon you add a health route.
Quick answer
First paying users expect a stable status link — not a Twitter thread. StillOnline Free gives one external health check, a hosted public page at stillonline.tech/en/s/..., and one owner alert channel (email, Telegram via the StillOnline bot, or Slack). Ship it the same day you add the health route; upgrade to Pro when you need private pages or more URLs.
Why first revenue changes the bar
Support volume and contract language change before you hire ops.
| Before revenue | After first paying users |
|---|---|
| Twitter apology is enough | Customers expect a stable link in docs or contract |
| You notice outages yourself | Support forwards screenshots from users who never saw your post |
| One URL to babysit | Often app + API — you must pick what “down” means |
You still do not need Datadog. You need external proof the service answers HTTP 200 on a health URL and a page that shows history when it does not — status page without full observability.
Minimum stack (same day)
Block an hour once; reuse the link for every future incident.
- Health URL —
GET /healthor/api/healthreturning 200 when the product is usable. Health check quickstart. - StillOnline project — start free, add the HTTPS URL, wait 2–3 check cycles.
- Public link —
https://stillonline.tech/en/s/{project-id}in onboarding, docs, or support reply template. Full walkthrough: public status page guide. - Owner alerts — settings → Connect Telegram → StillOnline bot → Start → Telegram alerts. On Free, pick one channel; Pro / Ultimate enables all three — Telegram uptime alerts.
What to tell customers
Give them one bookmark before the first outage, not during it.
- “Live status: [link]” in welcome email or Notion help center.
- Ask power users to Subscribe with Google on the page for email updates during incidents.
- During deploys, post scheduled maintenance (maintenance guide) instead of silence.
When to upgrade from Free
Upgrade when limits block a real workflow — not because monitoring feels “enterprise.”
| Signal | Move to Pro ($9/mo) |
|---|---|
| Second critical URL (API + marketing) | More checks per project |
| You need a private internal page | Pro toggle |
| Incident from CI or script | REST / incident API |
Compare tools: best uptime monitoring indie 2026 · StillOnline vs alternatives.
Related guides
- Public status page for SaaS, API, or bot
- Health check URL quickstart
- Telegram owner alerts (StillOnline bot)
- Incident post template
FAQ
Is a StillOnline status page overkill under $1K MRR?
No. A public StillOnline status page is lighter and cheaper than enterprise monitoring: on Free you get one health URL and an automatic /s/... page. On the first real outage, the link cuts “is it down for everyone?” support tickets. You can ship it in ~15 minutes — health URL quickstart.
Can I add the StillOnline link after an incident?
Yes, but the value is before the next outage: customers already know where to look, and you set up owner alerts in advance. If you add the link after an incident, adopt the incident post template for next time.
Do I need a custom domain for a StillOnline status page?
No. StillOnline hosts your page at stillonline.tech/en/s/... — share it in docs, onboarding, or support when customers need status. A separate hostname for the status page is not part of the product. Focus on an external health check and a page that stays current.
Telegram or email for StillOnline owner alerts as a solo founder?
Telegram via the StillOnline bot is mobile-first: while a check is down you get a message on every check interval. Email is better as an archive (throttled to once per 15 minutes). On Free you pick one channel; on Pro you can enable all three in settings.
What should I monitor on StillOnline Free with app and API?
Pick the URL that means “customers cannot use the product” — usually API /health, not the marketing site alone. One URL on Free — API-only guide.
Do StillOnline subscribers replace telling customers in support chat?
No. Subscribe with Google on the public page emails integrators on incident updates; you still post the link in support during big outages — public status page guide.