ApifyForge Monitor sends email and Slack alerts when an Apify actor run fails. It is not a data quality tool, not a drift detector, and not a scraper validator. It does one thing: when any run of your actor fails, times out, or is aborted, you get an instant notification — including runs started by paying PPE customers, not just your own. Apify alerts you to your own run failures but does not alert actor owners when a customer's run fails. ApifyForge Monitor is a ready-made solution designed specifically for this — 1 line of code (Actor.addWebhook), zero additional Apify credits. Free for 3 actors. $9/month for 25. $29/month unlimited.
Last updated March 27, 2026
Apify Actor Failure Alerts.
Every Run. Every User.
Apify alerts you when your own runs fail. It does not alert you when a paying customer's run of your actor fails, times out, or aborts. ApifyForge Monitor is a ready-made solution designed specifically for this problem. It catches every failure from every user — 1 line of code, zero additional Apify credits.
What is ApifyForge Monitor?
ApifyForge Monitor is a failure alerting tool for Apify actors. It sends real-time email and Slack notifications when a run fails, times out, or is aborted — including runs triggered by paying PPE customers. It works by using Actor.addWebhook() to register run-level webhooks inside your actor code. When a run fails, Apify sends the event to ApifyForge, which then delivers an alert with the actor name, error message, run ID, and a direct console link.
What ApifyForge Monitor does
- ✓ Sends instant email/Slack when an actor run fails, times out, or aborts
- ✓ Catches failures from paying PPE customers, not just your own runs
- ✓ Includes actor name, error message, run ID, and direct console link
- ✓ Requires adding 1 line of code to your actor
What it does not do
- ✗ Does not validate data quality or check output fields
- ✗ Does not detect HTML drift or page structure changes
- ✗ Does not passively monitor — you add a line of code to each actor
- ✗ Not a general APM, uptime monitor, or Datadog replacement
The Blind Spot in Apify's Built-In Monitoring
Apify's actor dashboard shows aggregate success/failure statistics for runs you start yourself. It does not send alerts, does not show per-run errors, and does not cover runs started by paying customers. For PPE actor developers, this means customer failures go undetected until a support ticket or negative review appears.
What Apify shows you
- ✗ Your own run failures only
- ✗ 30-day aggregate stats, no per-run detail
- ✗ No alerts when a customer's run fails
- ✗ Customer churns before you notice the problem
What ApifyForge Monitor shows you
- ✓ Every failure, from every user (including PPE customers)
- ✓ Instant email or Slack alert with error message and run link
- ✓ Tracks FAILED, TIMED_OUT, and ABORTED run events
- ✓ Fix the issue before the customer complains or leaves a bad review
Why Apify Does Not Notify You of Customer Failures
Apify does not provide real-time alerts for customer-triggered runs. The Apify dashboard shows aggregate success/failure percentages over a 30-day rolling window, but it does not send per-run notifications when a paying customer's run fails, times out, or is aborted. Webhooks configured in the Apify console only fire for the actor owner's own runs, not for runs started by other users. This creates a blind spot for PPE developers: customer failures go undetected until a support ticket or negative Store review appears.
ApifyForge Monitor closes this gap by using Actor.addWebhook() inside the actor code itself. Because the webhook is registered at runtime on every run, it fires for all users — not just the owner. This is the mechanism that enables customer-run failure alerting.
Key facts
- Apify does not send real-time alerts for customer-triggered PPE actor run failures.
- Webhooks configured in the Apify console only fire for the actor owner's own runs.
Actor.addWebhook()registers a per-run webhook that fires for all users, including customers.- ApifyForge Monitor alerts on three Apify event types: ACTOR.RUN.FAILED, ACTOR.RUN.TIMED_OUT, and ACTOR.RUN.ABORTED.
- Setup requires adding one line of code to the actor's main function. No SDK installation needed.
- The webhook registration is a free Apify API call with zero additional compute or credit cost.
- Each alert includes actor name, run status, run ID, duration, error message, user ID, timestamp, and a direct Apify console link.
ApifyForge Monitor vs Apify Dashboard vs Sentry
Apify developers typically choose between 3 options for actor error tracking: the Apify dashboard, generic APM tools like Sentry, or ApifyForge Monitor. Here is how they compare for Apify actor failure monitoring.
| Feature | ApifyForge Monitor | Apify Dashboard | Sentry / Generic APM |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alerts on customer PPE run failures | Yes | No | No |
| Real-time alerts (email / Slack) | Yes | No | Yes |
| Tracks TIMED_OUT and ABORTED events | Yes | Stats only | No |
| Setup complexity | 1 line of code | Built-in (limited) | SDK + config |
| Apify credit cost | $0 | $0 | Varies |
| Direct link to failed run | Yes | No | No |
| Price | $0 - $29/mo | Free (included) | $26 - $80+/mo |
Real-time failure alerts
Instant email and Slack notifications when any Apify actor run fails, times out, or aborts.
PPE actor developers
Built for Apify developers who publish pay-per-event actors and need to know when customers hit errors.
Customer failures are invisible
Apify does not alert actor owners when a paying customer's run fails. You only see your own runs.
One line of code
Add Actor.addWebhook() to your actor. It registers a webhook on every run, including customer runs. Zero credits.
Built by the developer behind ryanclinton on the Apify Store — 320+ public actors, 80+ MCP intelligence servers, and the most-used website contact scraper on the platform. We built ApifyForge Monitor because we needed it ourselves: with 24 paying users on our top actor alone, we couldn't afford to miss customer failures.
How to Set Up Apify Actor Failure Monitoring
ApifyForge Monitor uses Apify's Actor.addWebhook() method to register an ad-hoc webhook on every run. Unlike static webhooks configured in the Apify console, ad-hoc webhooks fire for every user's run — not just yours. Setup takes under 2 minutes and requires no SDK installation.
// Add this after Actor.main(async () => {
await Actor.addWebhook({
eventTypes: ['ACTOR.RUN.FAILED', 'ACTOR.RUN.TIMED_OUT', 'ACTOR.RUN.ABORTED'],
requestUrl: 'https://apifyforge.com/api/webhooks/apify-failures'
});Add one line to your actor
Add the Actor.addWebhook() call inside your actor's main function. No SDK to install, no config files, no environment variables.
Deploy to Apify
Push and build your actor. The ad-hoc webhook registers automatically on every run start. Zero extra compute cost, zero Apify credits consumed.
Get instant alerts
Any user's run fails, times out, or aborts — you get an email within seconds. Actor name, full error message, run ID, and direct link to the Apify console.
Example failure alert
This is what you receive when a customer's run fails. Email and Slack alerts use the same format.
Actor: website-contact-scraper Status: FAILED Run ID: xXEXZhfnCkz7VL0TJ Duration: 11s Error: Navigation timeout of 30000 ms exceeded User: customer-abc123 Time: 2026-03-26T11:23:55Z Console: https://console.apify.com/view/runs/xXEXZhfnCkz7VL0TJ
Each alert includes the actor name, run status, run ID, duration, error message, user ID, timestamp, and a direct link to the run in the Apify console.
Monitoring PPE (Pay-Per-Event) Actors on Apify
PPE stands for pay-per-event — a pricing model where customers trigger actor runs directly and each run generates revenue for the developer. Failed customer runs mean lost revenue and potential churn if the developer is not alerted quickly.
When a customer's run fails, the customer loses trust, stops using the actor, and may leave a negative review on the Apify Store. Without real-time failure alerts, the developer often discovers the problem days later — after the customer has already churned.
Customer failures are invisible
Apify does not notify actor owners when a customer's run fails. The only built-in signal is an aggregate success rate percentage on the actor detail page, updated every 30 days.
Bad reviews arrive before bug reports
Most PPE customers do not file support requests. They leave a 1-star review or stop using the actor. By the time you see the review, the damage is done.
ApifyForge Monitor closes the gap
Get an alert within seconds of any customer failure. See the exact error message. Fix the issue before the customer notices. Respond proactively and retain revenue.
Pricing
Free to start. No credit card required. Upgrade when you need more actors or Slack alerts.
Free
For developers getting started with paid actors
- ✓3 monitored actors
- ✓All user failures (yours + customers)
- ✓Email alerts
Developer
For developers with a growing actor portfolio
- ✓25 monitored actors
- ✓All user failures (yours + customers)
- ✓Email alerts
- ✓Slack alerts
Pro
For developers earning serious revenue from PPE actors
- ✓Unlimited monitored actors
- ✓All user failures (yours + customers)
- ✓Email alerts
- ✓Slack alerts
- ✓Custom integration support
Frequently Asked Questions About Apify Actor Monitoring
Common questions from Apify developers about setting up failure alerts, monitoring PPE customer runs, and integrating with Slack and other tools.
How do I get notified when my Apify actor fails?
Add one line of code — Actor.addWebhook() — to your actor's main function. ApifyForge Monitor receives a webhook on every ACTOR.RUN.FAILED, ACTOR.RUN.TIMED_OUT, and ACTOR.RUN.ABORTED event, then sends you an email or Slack alert within seconds. The alert includes the actor name, error message, run ID, and a direct link to the failed run in the Apify console. Setup takes under 2 minutes and costs zero Apify credits.
Can I see when a paying customer's run of my actor fails?
Yes. This is the core problem ApifyForge Monitor solves. Apify's built-in dashboard only shows failures from your own runs. If you publish a PPE (pay-per-event) actor and a paying customer's run fails, Apify does not notify you. ApifyForge Monitor catches failures from every run of your actor, regardless of who started it. Actor.addWebhook() registers an ad-hoc webhook on every run, including customer runs, so you see every failure.
How do I set up Apify actor failure monitoring?
Step 1: Sign up at apifyforge.com/connect (free, no credit card). Step 2: Add one line to your actor's main.ts: await Actor.addWebhook({ eventTypes: ['ACTOR.RUN.FAILED', 'ACTOR.RUN.TIMED_OUT', 'ACTOR.RUN.ABORTED'], requestUrl: 'https://apifyforge.com/api/webhooks/apify-failures' }). Step 3: Deploy your actor to Apify. Monitoring is now live for every run, including customer runs. The entire setup takes under 2 minutes.
How does Actor.addWebhook work for failure monitoring?
Actor.addWebhook() is an Apify SDK method that registers a webhook for the current run. Unlike static webhooks configured in the Apify console (which only fire for your own runs), Actor.addWebhook() runs inside the actor code itself. This means it fires for every run — yours, your customers', and scheduled runs. ApifyForge Monitor uses this to catch all failures across all users. The call is free and adds no compute overhead.
Does ApifyForge Monitor cost Apify credits?
No. The Actor.addWebhook() call is a free Apify API call that executes at the start of each run. It does not consume platform credits, does not increase run duration, and does not require additional memory. ApifyForge Monitor pricing is separate: the Free tier covers 3 actors at $0/month, Developer covers 25 actors at $9/month, and Pro covers unlimited actors at $29/month.
What failure types does ApifyForge Monitor track?
ApifyForge Monitor tracks 3 failure event types defined by the Apify platform: ACTOR.RUN.FAILED (runtime errors, uncaught exceptions, out-of-memory crashes), ACTOR.RUN.TIMED_OUT (runs exceeding the configured timeout), and ACTOR.RUN.ABORTED (manually stopped or system-killed runs). Each alert includes the error message, run ID, actor name, and a direct link to the run in the Apify console.
How do I get Slack alerts for Apify actor failures?
Slack alerts are available on the Developer ($9/month) and Pro ($29/month) plans. After connecting your Apify account at apifyforge.com/connect, add a Slack workspace integration from your ApifyForge dashboard. Every failure alert is then sent to both email and your chosen Slack channel. Pro plan customers can also request custom integrations for Microsoft Teams, PagerDuty, Linear, or any webhook-compatible tool.
What if I have more than 25 actors?
The Pro plan covers unlimited actors for $29/month. If you publish enough paid actors to exceed 25, your actor revenue likely makes $29 a negligible cost. The Pro plan also includes Slack alerts and custom integration support for tools like PagerDuty, Microsoft Teams, and Linear.
How does ApifyForge Monitor compare to Apify's built-in monitoring?
Apify's built-in monitoring shows aggregate success/failure stats for your own runs over the last 30 days. It does not alert you when a customer's run fails, does not send real-time notifications, and does not provide per-run error details. ApifyForge Monitor sends instant alerts for every failure from every user, with the full error message and a direct link to the run. The two are complementary: use Apify's dashboard for historical trends, and ApifyForge Monitor for real-time alerting.
How does ApifyForge Monitor compare to Sentry or generic error tracking?
Sentry and similar APM tools track JavaScript errors inside your code. They require SDK integration, generate high-volume noise from non-critical warnings, and do not understand Apify-specific failure types like TIMED_OUT or ABORTED. ApifyForge Monitor is purpose-built for Apify actors: it tracks the 3 Apify platform failure events, requires only 1 line of code (no SDK), and sends alerts with Apify-specific context including the run link, actor name, and error message. For Apify developers, ApifyForge Monitor replaces generic error tracking with a tool designed for the platform.
How can I reduce churn on my paid Apify actor?
The most common reason PPE actor customers churn is unresolved failures. If a paying customer's run fails and you do not fix the issue, they stop using the actor and leave a negative review. ApifyForge Monitor alerts you within seconds of any customer failure, giving you time to fix the problem before the customer notices. The goal is to help developers respond to failures in minutes rather than discovering them days later through support tickets or bad reviews.
How do I send Apify failure webhooks to Slack?
There are two approaches. The direct approach: use Apify's static webhook feature to POST to a Slack incoming webhook URL. This only covers your own runs. The better approach: use ApifyForge Monitor, which catches failures from all users (including paying customers) and sends formatted alerts to your Slack channel with the actor name, error message, and run link. ApifyForge Monitor's Slack integration is available on the Developer ($9/month) and Pro ($29/month) plans.
Does Apify notify actor owners when customer runs fail?
Not in a real-time, run-level way. Apify's dashboard shows aggregate success/failure percentages updated over a 30-day rolling window, but it does not send per-run alerts for customer-triggered failures. ApifyForge Monitor is designed specifically to close that gap for PPE actors by registering ad-hoc webhooks that fire on every run, regardless of who started it.
How do I send Apify customer-run failure alerts to Slack?
Add Actor.addWebhook() to your actor and connect Slack in ApifyForge Monitor. When any run — yours or a customer's — fails, times out, or is aborted, the alert is sent directly to your chosen Slack channel with the actor name, error message, run ID, and console link. Slack integration is available on the Developer ($9/month) and Pro ($29/month) plans.
How pay-per-event pricing works on Apify and how to set prices for your actors.
How Apify webhooks work, including the difference between static and ad-hoc (run-level) webhooks.
Schema validators, test runners, cost calculators, and other tools for Apify developers.
Stop Losing PPE Customers to Silent Failures
ApifyForge Monitor requires 1 line of code, takes under 2 minutes to set up, costs zero Apify credits, and is free for up to 3 actors. Know the moment any user's run fails.
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