Engineering
Why 60-Second Monitoring Matters: The Math Behind Check Intervals
PULSX Team
2025-12-22
5 min read
Check frequency is the most important-and most misunderstood-monitoring metric.
The Hidden Cost of Slow Checks
If you check every 5 minutes, your site could be down for nearly 5 minutes before you're alerted. For an e-commerce site losing $100/minute, that's $500 per incident.
Doing the Math
| Check Interval | Worst Case Detection | Cost at $100/min |
|---|---|---|
| 5 minutes | 4:59 | $499 |
| 1 minute | 0:59 | $99 |
| 30 seconds | 0:29 | $49 |
The Bottom Line
Fast checks aren't a luxury-they're ROI-positive for any site that values uptime.