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Local monitors check pages from your browser or Distill Desktop App; cloud monitors check from Distill’s servers. Choose local when the page needs your browser context, local access, or frequent checks and you can keep the device available. Choose cloud when checks need to continue while your computer is off—provided the page is reachable from Distill’s infrastructure.
What changes when a monitor is local or cloud-based?
Distill monitors a page by opening it on a schedule, reading its HTML, and notifying you when it detects a change. The key difference is where that scheduled check runs: on your own device for a local monitor, or on Distill’s servers for a cloud monitor. That affects whether your device must stay on, what page context is available, how checks are counted, and which features apply. See Distill’s local-versus-cloud comparison and platform guide.
| Difference | Local monitor | Cloud monitor |
|---|---|---|
| Where checks run | Your browser extension or Distill Desktop App on your computer | Distill’s servers |
| Does your computer need to be available? | Yes. The device and relevant browser or app must be running for checks to occur. | No. Checks can continue while your computer is off or your browser is closed. |
| Check interval | Distill’s comparison lists intervals as short as 5 seconds for local/browser checks. | The comparison lists a 2-minute minimum on Flexi; limits depend on plan and monitor type. |
| Check accounting | Distill describes local checks as unlimited. | Cloud checks use subscription resources; Distill’s pricing page counts them in 10-second units. |
| Page context | Uses the local browser or device context, which can help with login state, geographic access, or pages that block cloud requests. | Uses a cloud context. Proxies or Dedicated Cloud Devices may help with some access or state requirements. |
| Document formats | PDF and XML monitors are not supported in Distill’s comparison. | PDF and XML monitors are listed as supported in the comparison. |
| Audio notifications | Supported for local monitors. | Not supported for cloud monitors. |
Intervals and plan allowances can change. The five-second local interval and two-minute Flexi cloud minimum are the values listed in the reviewed official documentation, not a guarantee for every plan or account. Check Distill’s current pricing and plan details before relying on a specific frequency or quota.
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For a local monitor, yes: the computer and the browser extension or Desktop App that performs the check must be running. If the device is off, the monitor cannot check during that time. For a cloud monitor, your personal computer does not need to stay on; Distill’s servers perform the scheduled checks. Distill’s documentation explicitly describes cloud monitoring as continuing while your PC is off or browser is closed. See its monitor comparison and platform guide.
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Which one checks faster, and how are checks counted?
Local monitoring is the option for the shortest documented interval: Distill lists local/browser checks from 5 seconds. Cloud checks are plan-limited; the comparison lists a 2-minute minimum on Flexi. These published values can vary with monitor type and plan, so confirm the current limits for your account rather than treating either figure as universal.
Distill describes local checks as unlimited, while cloud checks consume subscription resources and are counted in 10-second units on the pricing page. The pricing page accessed on October 3, 2026 listed monthly cloud check allocations of 1,000 for Free, 30,000 for Starter, 100,000 for Professional, and 200,000+ for Flexi. It also stated that unused resources expire at the end of the billing period. These are changeable plan terms; verify them on the pricing page before budgeting or setting up high-volume monitoring.
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When does local monitoring work better?
Local monitoring is useful when the browser or device has access the cloud check does not. Distill identifies blocked cloud access, location-specific content, login-required pages, and high-frequency checking as local-monitor use cases in its local monitoring guide.
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- The page depends on a local login or browser state: The local browser may already have the session or state needed to see the page.
- Access depends on location: A page may show different content or be reachable only from a particular local network or region.
- You need frequent checks: Local intervals may be appropriate when the documented cloud interval is not frequent enough and your device can stay available.
Local monitors are not unattended if the computer or monitoring software is stopped. For team use, Distill’s enterprise guide says local monitors may need workspace configuration so teammates can see and manage them; the browser or device can be associated with a Primary Workspace.
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When does cloud monitoring work better?
Choose cloud when continuity matters more than using your own browser session: Distill’s servers can run checks with your computer off or the browser closed. It is a practical fit when the page is reachable from Distill’s infrastructure and you want checks to continue without leaving a local device running.
Cloud access is not identical to local access. If a page blocks cloud requests or needs persistent browser state, check Distill’s current options for Dedicated Cloud Devices and proxies. Distill says Dedicated Cloud Devices run in its infrastructure and preserve browser data such as cookies, local storage, and proxies. Its documentation says the older cloud Profiles feature has been deprecated in favor of Dedicated Cloud Devices.
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How do you tell which device a monitor uses?
- Check how you created it: Monitors created from Distill’s web app default to cloud. Monitors added through the browser extension or Desktop App default to local.
- Look at the watchlist: The device icon indicates which device is selected to run the monitor.
- Confirm the setting before depending on it: If you need checks while your computer is off, make sure the monitor is configured for cloud; if it needs local browser context, confirm it is assigned to the local device. Distill documents these defaults and indicators in its comparison guide.
Where are monitor logs, and what should you check if monitoring stops?
If a local monitor stops checking
- Make sure the computer is on and the browser extension or Desktop App is running.
- Confirm local monitoring is available and the monitor is assigned to the intended device.
- Check the log where that local monitor runs: extension logs are for local browser monitors, while Desktop App monitors have local-device logs.
Distill’s platform documentation notes that a Chrome extension cannot check pages when its device is off.
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If a cloud monitor cannot access the page
If the page works locally but not from cloud, cloud-side access blocking is one possible cause. Check whether a proxy or Dedicated Cloud Device fits the page’s requirements, then review the cloud log in the web app. Distill describes these access options in its Dedicated Cloud Devices documentation.
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If you cannot find a monitor’s history
Logs may be on the device that performed the checks: cloud logs are available in the web app, browser-extension logs belong to local browser monitors, and Desktop App monitors use local-device logs. This distinction matters when troubleshooting or trying to share results across devices. See Distill’s platform guide.
What is the practical choice?
- Pick local if the page needs your browser session, local or geographic access, or frequent checks, and you can keep the computer and app available.
- Pick cloud if monitoring must continue while your computer is off and the page is reachable from Distill’s servers.
- Investigate cloud-side options if you need unattended checks but the page requires access or browser state that standard cloud checks lack.
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