Distill IO Pricing: What Paid Plans Include

Distill.io pricing offers a free tier and three paid plans (Starter, Pro, and Business) that primarily add more frequent checks, more monitored pages, and team collaboration features. The paid plans start at roughly $30 per month (billed annually) and include core features like unlimited change detection, email and webhook alerts, and API access, with higher tiers adding priority support and advanced integrations.

Formula

The estimated monthly cost is a simplified model based on Distill.io’s published pricing tiers. The base cost for the Starter plan is $30 per month (annual billing). For every additional 10 pages beyond the first 10, the cost increases by $5 per month, reflecting the page-based pricing structure. The formula is:

Estimated Cost = 30 + (max(0, (pages – 10) / 10) * 5)

Where:

• pages = number of pages you monitor (integer, ≥1)
• 30 = base monthly cost in USD for the Starter plan (annual billing)
• 5 = additional cost per 10 pages beyond the first 10

This is a rough estimate; actual pricing may vary based on plan selection and billing cycle. Check the official pricing page for current rates.

Worked Example

Using the default values: check frequency = 60 minutes, pages = 10.

Plug into the formula:

Estimated Cost = 30 + (max(0, (10 – 10) / 10) * 5) = 30 + (0 * 5) = $30

So for 10 pages and hourly checks, the estimated cost is $30 per month, which matches the Starter plan price.

Background: What Is Distill.io?

Distill.io is a web monitoring service that tracks changes on websites, pages, and even specific parts of a page (like a price or a headline). It was originally a browser extension called Distill Web Monitor, and later expanded into a cloud-based SaaS platform. The service is popular among developers, marketers, researchers, and anyone who needs to know when a webpage updates—whether it’s for price tracking, news monitoring, or competitor analysis.

The platform works by taking snapshots of the pages you specify and comparing them over time. When a change is detected, it alerts you via email, webhook, Slack, or other channels. The free tier is quite limited, which makes the paid plans necessary for most serious use cases.

How Distill.io Pricing Works

Distill.io pricing is structured around two main factors: the number of pages you monitor and how often you check them. More pages and more frequent checks cost more. The plans are:

• Free: 10 pages, checks every 12 hours, email alerts only, no API access.
• Starter (~$30/mo annual): 50 pages, checks every 5 minutes, email + webhook alerts, API access, 1 user.
• Pro (~$90/mo annual): 200 pages, checks every 1 minute, all integrations (Slack, Telegram, etc.), 5 users, priority support.
• Business (~$200/mo annual): 1000 pages, checks every 30 seconds, advanced integrations, unlimited users, dedicated support.

All paid plans include unlimited change detection (no per-change fees), SSL monitoring, and the ability to monitor private pages with login credentials. The main differences are the limits on pages and check frequency, plus team features.

How to Choose the Right Plan

Start by counting how many distinct URLs you need to monitor. If you’re just tracking a few competitor pages or a handful of product prices, the free tier might suffice temporarily, but the 12-hour check interval is often too slow for time-sensitive changes. The Starter plan is a good entry point for individuals or small projects.

For teams, the Pro plan adds collaboration features like shared monitors and multi-user access. If you need sub-minute checks or monitor hundreds of pages, the Business plan is the only option. Also consider whether you need API access for automation—that’s only on paid plans.

Common Problems and Misconceptions

A frequent misconception is that Distill.io charges per change or per alert. It does not—all paid plans include unlimited changes and alerts. Another issue is that the free tier’s 12-hour check frequency can miss short-lived updates; if you need near-real-time monitoring, you must pay for at least the Starter plan.

Another common problem is hitting the page limit unexpectedly. If you monitor both desktop and mobile versions of the same URL, that counts as two pages. Also, monitoring dynamic pages that change frequently (like news feeds) can consume your check quota quickly, but Distill.io doesn’t charge extra—it just uses your allotted checks.

Comparison with Alternatives

Distill.io competes with services like Visualping, ChangeTower, and Wachete. Visualping offers a similar free tier with 5-minute checks on paid plans, but its pricing is based on the number of checks per month, which can get expensive. ChangeTower is cheaper for high-volume monitoring but lacks some of Distill.io’s integrations. Distill.io stands out for its browser extension and API access, which are valuable for developers.

For a quick comparison, Distill.io’s Starter plan at $30/mo for 50 pages with 5-minute checks is generally more generous than Visualping’s entry paid plan, which offers 25 pages with 5-minute checks for around $40/mo.

Costs and Billing Details

All prices above are for annual billing; monthly billing is roughly 20% higher. Distill.io offers a 14-day free trial on paid plans, which gives you full access to features before committing. There are no setup fees or hidden charges. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel at any time, and changes take effect at the next billing cycle. Payment is via credit card or PayPal.

For large enterprises, custom pricing is available by contacting sales. This typically includes dedicated support, SLA guarantees, and custom check frequencies beyond 30 seconds.

Safety and Security Considerations

When using Distill.io to monitor private pages, you provide login credentials that are stored encrypted. The service uses HTTPS for all data transfer, and you can enable two-factor authentication on your account. However, be cautious about monitoring pages that contain sensitive personal data—Distill.io processes the content to detect changes, so avoid monitoring confidential information unless necessary.

Also note that Distill.io’s terms prohibit using the service to scrape personal data in violation of privacy laws. Always ensure you have permission to monitor a site, and respect robots.txt where applicable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does Distill.io have a free plan?

Yes, Distill.io offers a free tier that allows monitoring up to 10 pages with checks every 12 hours. It includes email alerts only and no API access. It’s suitable for casual monitoring but limited for professional use.

Can I pay monthly instead of annually?

Yes, monthly billing is available, but the monthly cost is higher—typically about 20% more than the annual equivalent. Most users choose annual billing to save money, but you can switch at any time.

What happens if I exceed my page limit?

Distill.io will not automatically upgrade you; instead, your monitoring will pause for the pages over the limit until you delete some or upgrade your plan. You’ll receive a notification to resolve the issue.

Does Distill.io offer a discount for non-profits or students?

There is no publicly listed discount for non-profits or students. However, the free tier and the 14-day trial provide some flexibility. For large volume needs, contacting sales might yield custom pricing.

Can I monitor a page that requires login?

Yes, all paid plans allow you to set up custom HTTP headers or use browser cookies to access private pages. The free tier does not support this feature.

Is there a limit on the number of changes I can detect?

No, all paid plans include unlimited change detection. You can receive as many alerts as there are changes, without any extra cost.

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in t | Check frequency (minutes) | min | 60 | 1 | 1440
in p | Number of pages monitored | pages | 10 | 1 | 10000
out c | Estimated monthly cost (USD) | USD | 30 + max(0, (t - 60) / 60) * 0 + max(0, (p - 10) / 10) * 5 | 2