Herd vs Monitoro: Complementary Browser Tools

Herd and Monitoro are sister products created by the same team, designed to serve complementary but distinct purposes. While Herd provides programmatic browser control and multi-browser orchestration capabilities, Monitoro focuses on no-code monitoring and data extraction. Understanding their differences helps you choose the right tool for your specific needs.

Quick Comparison

Understanding the Difference

Herd

Herd is designed for programmatic browser control and orchestration, allowing developers to:

• Automate complex web tasks across multiple browsers
• Extract data from websites at scale
• Leverage their existing browsers for automation
• Build persistent automation workflows
• Orchestrate multiple browser instances simultaneously
• Create sophisticated data processing pipelines
• Works with Chrome, Edge, Brave, Arc, Opera

Monitoro

Monitoro is designed for no-code webpage monitoring and alerts, allowing anyone to:

• Track changes on websites without coding
• Set up alerts when specific data changes
• Extract structured data from webpages
• Send notifications to various channels (Slack, Discord, etc.)
• Create automated workflows based on webpage changes
• Integrate with tools like Google Sheets and Airtable

When to Use Each Tool

Implementation Comparison

Herd Implementation

// Using Herd for browser automation
import { HerdClient } from '@monitoro/herd';

// Initialize the client
const client = new HerdClient('your-token');
await client.initialize();

// Get a device
const devices = await client.listDevices();
const device = devices[0];

// Create a new page and automate it
const page = await device.newPage();
await page.goto('https://example.com');

// Interact with the page
await page.type('#search', 'automation');
await page.click('.search-button');

// Extract data
const results = await page.extract({
  titles: {
    _$r: '.result-item',
    title: '.item-title',
    description: '.item-description'
  }
});

console.log(results);
await client.close();

Monitoro Implementation

Monitoro works through a no-code interface:

1. Install the Monitoro browser extension

2. Create a monitor:

   • Navigate to the webpage you want to monitor
   • Use the Monitoro interface to select elements to track
   • Set up conditions for when alerts should trigger
   • Configure how often the page should be checked

3. Configure integrations:

   • Connect to notification channels like Discord, Slack, or Telegram
   • Set up data destinations like Google Sheets or Airtable
   • Create webhooks for custom integrations

# No code required for Monitoro - it's all done through the visual interface

# Example monitoring workflow:
1. Set up a monitor for a product page on an e-commerce site
2. Configure it to check for price changes or "In Stock" status
3. Set up alerts to Discord when conditions are met
4. Configure Google Sheets integration to log all price changes

Using Herd and Monitoro Together

These tools can work together in a complementary fashion:

1. Use Monitoro for initial monitoring and alerts:

   • Set up no-code monitors for important websites
   • Get alerted when specific changes occur
   • Collect initial data in spreadsheets

2. Use Herd for advanced follow-up automation:

   • Trigger Herd workflows based on Monitoro alerts
   • Perform complex interactions beyond Monitoro’s capabilities
   • Extract deeper data that requires authentication or multiple steps
   • Orchestrate actions across multiple browsers

Example workflow:

1. Monitoro monitors competitor pricing and alerts when prices change
2. A webhook from Monitoro triggers a Herd automation
3. Herd performs a deep analysis across multiple pages, including login-required areas
4. Herd generates a comprehensive report and updates internal systems

When to Upgrade from Monitoro to Herd

Consider upgrading from Monitoro to Herd when:

1. You need to go beyond simple monitoring to complex automation
2. Your workflows require orchestration of multiple browsers
3. You need to access authenticated areas of websites
4. You require sophisticated data processing capabilities
5. You need programmatic control over browser behavior
6. Your team has development resources for coding solutions

# Monitoro approach (no-code)

1. Set up a monitor for an e-commerce product page
2. Configure it to check price every hour
3. Send price alerts to Slack channel
4. Log all prices to Google Sheets

Why Use Both Herd and Monitoro?

1. Complementary Capabilities

• Monitoro: Fast, no-code setup for basic monitoring needs
• Herd: Developer-focused tool for complex automation requirements

2. Different Team Members, Different Needs

• Business Teams: Can use Monitoro without technical skills
• Developers: Can use Herd for advanced customization
• Operations: Can set up Monitoro for quick insights
• Engineering: Can build on those insights with Herd

3. Staged Implementation

Monitoro and Herd support a natural progression:

• Start with simple Monitoro monitoring
• Identify areas that need deeper automation
• Implement targeted Herd solutions for those areas
• Maintain both for their distinct advantages

Customer Testimonials

“We started with Monitoro for basic price tracking, but as our needs grew more complex, we added Herd to our toolkit. Now our business team uses Monitoro for quick monitoring setup while our developers create sophisticated data pipelines with Herd.” – Michael K., E-commerce Director

“Monitoro was perfect for our team members without coding skills, letting them set up their own monitoring dashboards. When we need deeper automation, our developers use Herd. Having both tools gives us the perfect balance of accessibility and power.” – Jennifer R., Operations Manager

Get Started with Herd and Monitoro

Ready to implement a complete browser automation and monitoring solution?

For Herd:

1. Create a Herd account
2. Install the Herd browser extension in Chrome, Edge, or Brave (Firefox and Safari not supported)
3. Connect your browser
4. Run your first automation

For Monitoro:

1. Visit Monitoro.co to sign up
2. Install the Monitoro browser extension
3. Navigate to the website you want to monitor
4. Use the visual interface to set up your first monitor

Choose the right tool for each specific need, or use them together for a comprehensive web monitoring and automation solution.