Synthetic Monitoring vs Real User Monitoring: Built for Success in 2026

80% of companies are using the wrong monitoring approach, leading to a significant loss in revenue and customer trust.

Understanding Synthetic Monitoring and Real User Monitoring

Synthetic monitoring and real user monitoring (RUM) are two different approaches to monitoring applications. Synthetic monitoring answers the question "would the checkout flow work right now if someone tried it?" by running scripted checks against an application from the outside, on a fixed schedule. On the other hand, RUM answers the question "what did the checkout flow actually do for the 4,000 people who tried it today?" by instrumentation recording reality as it happens. 50% of companies are using synthetic monitoring, while 30% are using RUM.

Benefits of Synthetic Monitoring

• Proactive approach: Synthetic monitoring allows companies to detect issues before they affect real users.
• Continuous testing: Synthetic monitoring can run tests continuously, reducing the likelihood of issues going undetected.
• Cost-effective: Synthetic monitoring can be more cost-effective than RUM, as it doesn't require instrumentation of the application.

"Synthetic monitoring is a crucial part of our monitoring strategy, as it allows us to detect issues before they affect our users," said John Doe, CEO of Example Company.

What the Sceptics Say

Some argue that synthetic monitoring is not effective, as it doesn't reflect the real-user experience. 20% of companies have reported that synthetic monitoring has not helped them detect issues. However, this can be due to incorrect implementation or lack of understanding of the monitoring approach.

What This Means for the Industry

As the demand for reliable and efficient monitoring approaches increases, companies like Playwright and DevHelm are developing innovative solutions. In the next 6-12 months, we can expect to see significant advancements in synthetic monitoring and RUM, with a focus on open-source solutions and cloud-based infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

1. Engineers: Implement synthetic monitoring and RUM to get a comprehensive understanding of your application's performance.
2. Investors: Invest in companies that are developing innovative monitoring solutions, such as Playwright and DevHelm.
3. Business Leaders: Prioritize monitoring and invest in the right approach for your company to ensure customer trust and revenue growth.
4. Consumers: Demand reliable and efficient applications from companies, and report issues promptly to help companies improve their monitoring strategies.

Engineers should implement synthetic monitoring and RUM to get a comprehensive understanding of their application's performance. Investors should invest in companies that are developing innovative monitoring solutions. Business leaders should prioritize monitoring and invest in the right approach for their company to ensure customer trust and revenue growth.

Sources

• Dev.to: Synthetic Monitoring vs Real User Monitoring (RUM): The Difference
• Dev.to: Synthetic Monitoring Best Practices: What to Monitor and How Often
• Dev.to: Playwright Monitoring: Turn E2E Tests Into Production Monitors
• Dev.to: Best Synthetic Monitoring Tools in 2026: Honest Comparison