Exactly-once dispatch
A Postgres lock claims each scheduled run so multiple workers do not dispatch the same slot. If a worker fails mid-execution, an expired lock allows another worker to take over.
Cronhq
Cronhq is a distributed cron service that calls webhooks on schedules, retries failed requests, records executions, and sends deduplicated failure and recovery alerts. It supports developers and operations teams through a dashboard, REST API, CLI, and a free self-hosted deployment.
Scheduled webhooks with execution tracking
Cronhq is a managed distributed cron service for teams that need to call HTTP endpoints on a schedule. A job combines a five-field cron expression with a webhook URL, optional request settings, and a timezone; Cronhq dispatches the request on each matching tick and records the result.
The service is designed to make scheduled webhooks observable and recoverable. Postgres-backed run claiming coordinates workers, configurable retries handle transient failures, and deduplicated alerts notify users when a job crosses a failure threshold and when it recovers. Cronhq also offers heartbeat monitors for detecting missed pings, plus a dashboard, REST API, and CLI workflow.
Core capabilities
Configurable retries
Configure the maximum number of retries and the delay between attempts. Cronhq distinguishes successful, failed, and timed-out outcomes and preserves the final error.
Failure and recovery alerts
Send deduplicated failure and recovery notifications to email or Slack, reducing repeated pages during an ongoing incident.
Signed webhooks
Every request includes an X-Cronhq-Timestamp and an X-Cronhq-Signature containing an HMAC-SHA256 digest for the job's signing secret. Secrets can be rotated without downtime.
Cron scheduling and timezone support
Define schedules in cron syntax with a job timezone, or use the dashboard's schedule builder to preview an expression in plain English.
Execution history and operational tooling
Inspect status, attempt, HTTP code, duration, and a truncated response body or error message for each execution. The REST API also supports immediate triggers, while the CLI can tail executions and reconcile a cronhq.yaml file.
Practical use cases
Application maintenance and batch triggers
Schedule nightly rollups, invoice generation, data refreshes, or cleanup requests by pointing a job at an internal application's public webhook and setting the desired timezone.
Operations workflows with transient failures
Use retries and retained execution details to keep intermittent downstream failures visible while avoiding a notification for every individual failed attempt.
Dead-man's-switch monitoring
Configure a heartbeat monitor so a system pings Cronhq on each expected run. If the ping is missed beyond the period plus grace window, the monitor is marked down and an alert is sent.
Version-controlled scheduling
Store schedules in cronhq.yaml and use the CLI to reconcile creates, updates, and removals, then tail live executions from a terminal alongside application code.
Pros and Cons
Pros
- Exactly-once run claiming is coordinated with Postgres locks across workers.
- Retries, terminal outcomes, HTTP details, and response or error information are available for troubleshooting.
- Alerts are deduplicated and support both failure and recovery notifications through email or Slack.
- Jobs support standard cron expressions, timezones, custom methods, headers, bodies, timeouts, and per-job retry settings.
- A free managed tier and a free, MIT-licensed self-hosted option are available.
Cons
- The endpoint called by a job must be publicly reachable; the supplied documentation does not describe private-network execution.
- Execution-history retention depends on the plan: 7 days on Free, 30 days on Developer, and 365 days on Pro.
- The product is centered on webhook-based scheduling, so it is not presented as a general-purpose worker or container execution platform.
FAQ
How does Cronhq run a scheduled job?
Cronhq schedules HTTP requests to a publicly reachable webhook using standard five-field cron expressions. Jobs can use GET, POST, PUT, PATCH, or DELETE, and can include headers, encrypted secret headers, a request body, timeout, retry, and timezone settings.
How do I set up a job?
Create an account, copy the API key beginning with chq_, then create a job through the REST API or dashboard. A job becomes live on its next scheduled tick; you can also trigger it immediately from the dashboard or with POST /v1/jobs/:id/trigger.
What happens when a webhook fails?
A non-2xx response or transport error is retried according to the job's max_retries and retry_delay_secs settings. Each attempt and the terminal result are recorded in execution history.
How do alerts work?
Alerts can be routed to email or Slack. Cronhq sends a deduplicated failure notification when the configured failure threshold is crossed within the trailing hour, and a recovery notification after the first success following a failing streak.
Can Cronhq be self-hosted?
Yes. The self-hosted edition is free and MIT-licensed. It uses the same container as the managed service and requires your own Postgres database.
Quick Facts
- Category
- Developer tool · scheduled webhooks
- Delivery model
- Managed API and dashboard, with free self-hosting
- Scheduling
- Standard five-field cron syntax with IANA timezones
- Interfaces
- REST API, web dashboard, and cronhq CLI
- Alert destinations
- Email and Slack
- Managed plans
- Free: 5 active jobs; Developer: 20; Pro: unlimited
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