A DIY solution for site reliability monitoring using AWS Synthetics can be cost-effective, but it often involves significant operational overhead, including development time, maintenance, and expertise required to manage and update tests. This can quickly outpace the initial estimates, especially when considering the need for a robust user-friendly interface and empowering every developer to write and modify tests without bottlenecking through specialized engineers. In contrast, using a SaaS tool like Checkly can significantly reduce operational burden on teams, enabling developers to focus on building and deploying great software rather than getting bogged down in testing framework maintenance. While DIY solutions can offer flexibility and control, the costs of downtime and shared failures with a custom solution can be significant, whereas SaaS tools provide a more transparent and shareable monitoring experience.