Uptime Basics prevents two active-account monitors from using the same normalized URL and request method. This avoids duplicate checks, duplicate incidents, conflicting alert histories, and unnecessary use of plan capacity.
The monitor's display name does not affect duplicate detection. Giving the same target a different name does not create a separate monitoring destination.
How matching URLs are compared
Before comparison, Uptime Basics normalizes the URL by:
- treating the scheme and hostname without letter-case differences;
- treating an omitted default port as the normal port for HTTP or HTTPS;
- removing extra trailing slashes from a non-root path;
- treating the empty root path and
/as the same root location.
The path and query string remain part of the monitored destination. Different endpoint paths or meaningful query strings can therefore be separate monitors.
| Existing monitor | New entry | Result for the same method |
|---|---|---|
https://example.com |
https://EXAMPLE.com/ |
Duplicate |
https://example.com/health/ |
https://example.com/health |
Duplicate |
https://example.com/health |
https://example.com/api/health |
Different path |
https://example.com/health?region=ca |
https://example.com/health?region=us |
Different query |
Request method is part of the match
GET and HEAD are separate request methods. The same URL can technically have one GET monitor and one HEAD monitor, but use both only when you intentionally need to test different server behavior. Creating both is not a substitute for configuring one monitor correctly.
Changing an existing monitor's request settings also checks for conflicts. The monitor being edited is excluded from its own comparison, but the change is rejected if it would match another active or paused monitor.
Paused and archived monitors
A paused monitor still belongs to the active monitor list and blocks creation of the same URL and method. Open the paused monitor and activate or update it instead of creating another one.
An archived monitor does not block creation while it remains archived. However, reactivating that archive is blocked if an active or paused monitor now uses the same normalized URL and request method.
Resolve the duplicate message
- Return to Monitors and look for the URL, including paused entries.
- Open the existing monitor and update its interval, timeout, request behavior, alerts, or other settings as needed.
- Check Archived monitors if you previously saved the configuration during a plan change.
- Create a separate monitor only when the path, query, or request method represents a genuinely different endpoint.
If the existing monitor is no longer needed, you may permanently delete it and then create the replacement. Deleting also starts permanent background cleanup of its retained history, so editing or reactivating is preferable when you want to preserve continuity.