Written by Rona Sabatin
Content Writer, Johnson Creative · Updated
Keep Connect or Rebooter Pro? Both reboot your router automatically when the internet drops, with no subscription. However, Keep Connect ($49.99) costs less and adds a full HTTPS test, free text and email alerts, modem and router pairing and plugs for the UK, Europe and Australia. On the other hand, the Rebooter Pro ($55.95) includes app remote reboot with no yearly fee, up to 5 check targets and a 15A rating. Also, Keep Connect MAX ($74.99) adds 15A to Keep Connect.
Your internet freezes at the worst moment, so a work call drops or the cameras at your rental go dark. Then someone has to unplug the router and plug it back in.
Keep Connect and the Rebooter Pro both do that for you. However, they check your connection, alert you and cost you money in different ways.This guide compares their published specs, so you can pick the right one.
What Is the Difference Between Keep Connect and Rebooter Pro?
In short, Keep Connect checks your internet with a full HTTPS test, sends free text and email alerts, restarts a modem and router in order and comes in six plug types.
On the other hand, the Rebooter Pro checks up to 5 IP or hostname targets, is rated 15A and includes app remote reboot with no subscription.
Meanwhile, Keep Connect MAX adds a 15A rating to Keep Connect.
Also, both reboot automatically without a subscription, and both connect to 2.4 GHz WiFi. However, neither can fix an outage on your internet provider’s side.
How Do Keep Connect and Rebooter Pro Compare Side by Side?
The tables below use the same rows for every device. Also, “Not published” means the maker’s page does not say. It does not mean the feature is missing.
Price, Detection and Alerts
| Feature | Keep Connect | Keep Connect MAX | Rebooter Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $49.99 | $74.99 | $55.95 |
| Reboots automatically when the internet drops | All three, with no subscription | ||
| How it checks the internet | Full HTTPS test to google.com, then cnn.com. Ping Only and Roundtrip modes available | Same Keep Connect monitoring. 2 targets in standard monitoring | Up to 5 IP or hostname targets, any-fail or all-fail |
| Default check interval | Every 5 minutes, adjustable | Adjustable | - |
| Power off time | 30 seconds by default, adjustable | Adjustable | - |
| Stops rebooting during a long outage | 3 resets, then retries every 4 hours, adjustable | Same settings as Keep Connect | Not published |
| Text and email alerts | Free | Free | Not listed. Uses app push notifications |
| Remote reboot from a phone | With Cloud Services, $24.99 a year | With Cloud Services, $24.99 a year | Included in the free app |
| Scheduled reboots | Every set number of days, free. By day, week or month with Cloud Services | Same as Keep Connect | Up to 10 daily or weekly schedules |
| Webhooks | Pro plan, $2.99 per device per month | Pro plan, $2.99 per device per month | Included |
| API | Cloud REST API on Pro and Enterprise plans | Cloud REST API on Pro and Enterprise plans | Optional local HTTPS API |
Hardware, Setup and Support
| Feature | Keep Connect | Keep Connect MAX | Rebooter Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Maker | Johnson Creative | Johnson Creative | Grid Connect (ConnectSense) |
| Modem and router pairing | Master/Follower with Power On Delay and KeepLink | Master/Follower | Not published |
| WiFi | 2.4 GHz on all three | ||
| Setup | Web browser, no app needed | Web browser, no app needed | Free ConnectSense app |
| Certifications listed | Not listed on the product page | Not listed on the product page | ETL certified to UL standard, FCC |
| Warranty | Lifetime with the Enterprise plan. Standard warranty not published | Lifetime with the Enterprise plan. Standard warranty not published | 1 year |
How Does Each One Check Your Internet?
This is the biggest technical difference. In fact, it determines how often each device reboots for the right reason.
Keep Connect tests the internet the way your browser uses it
By default, Keep Connect opens a full HTTPS connection to google.com every 5 minutes. If that fails, it waits 60 seconds and then tries cnn.com. Only when both fail does it cut power to your router for 30 seconds. After that, it waits 3 minutes for the router to boot before it checks again.
Because it runs a full HTTPS test, it catches problems a simple ping can miss. For example, a connection may answer pings but still fail to load pages. You can also choose one of three monitor modes:
- Full TCP/HTTPS (default): checks that a real web session works
- Ping Only: less sensitive, for setups that reboot too often
- Keep Connect Roundtrip: checks with Johnson Creative’s servers, which helps when your modem shows its own “internet is down” page
In addition, every timing is adjustable, including the check interval, the power off time and the wait after a reboot.
Rebooter Pro checks targets you choose
The Rebooter Pro checks up to five IP addresses or hostnames that you enter. Then you decide whether one failure or all failures trigger a reboot. As a result, it can also watch a device on your own network, such as a camera recorder. However, Grid Connect does not publish how often it checks, which test it uses or how long it cuts power.
Why the method matters
That is why Grid Connect’s own chart marks the Rebooter Pro “No” for HTTP outage detection. Still, it does detect outages because it checks reachability instead of a full web session. For most homes, both methods catch a frozen router. Overall, Keep Connect’s HTTPS test is stricter, while the Rebooter Pro’s targets are more flexible.
What Happens During a Long Internet Outage?
A rebooter cannot fix an outage on your provider’s side. A good one should stop rebooting your router repeatedly while it waits.
Keep Connect stops after 3 reboots in a row by default. It then tries once every 4 hours until the internet comes back, and starts again from zero. You can change both numbers. It can also skip a reboot when only its own WiFi link drops, or when DNS fails but a ping still works.
Grid Connect does not publish a reboot limit for the Rebooter Pro.
Which One Has Better Alerts and Remote Access?
The answer depends on what you want to be told, and how.
Alerts
- Keep Connect: free text and email alerts after it reboots and the connection returns. With Cloud Services, it can also alert you when the device has gone offline, while the outage is still happening.
- Rebooter Pro: push notifications in the free ConnectSense app. Grid Connect does not list text or email alerts.
Remote reboot from your phone
- Rebooter Pro: included in the free app.
- Keep Connect: included with Cloud Services, $24.99 a year. Cloud Services also adds remote settings, reset history charts and scheduled reboots by day, week or month.
However, one limit applies to both. A remote command travels over the internet, so it cannot arrive if the internet at that location is fully down. For this reason, the automatic reboot, which runs on the device itself, is what brings a dead connection back.
Webhooks and APIs
- Rebooter Pro: webhooks and an optional local HTTPS API, with no subscription.
- Keep Connect: webhooks and MQTT on the Pro plan ($2.99 per device per month). The Pro and Enterprise plans also include a cloud REST API.
So if you run Home Assistant or a monitoring tool and want no monthly fee, the Rebooter Pro has the edge here.
Which One Restarts a Modem and Router in the Right Order?
If your modem and router are two separate boxes, the modem should be online first. Otherwise, the router may start before it can get an internet address.
Keep Connect handles this with Master/Follower mode. First, put one unit on the modem and one on the router. Then the Master watches the internet and tells the Follower to reboot at the same time. Meanwhile, a Power On Delay lets the modem come up first. In addition, KeepLink lets the two units talk directly, even if your home network has failed. Two units cost $99.98.
However, Grid Connect does not publish a pairing mode for the Rebooter Pro. You can plug both boxes into a power strip on its 15A outlet, but then they restart at the same moment.
Not sure which box is which? See modem vs router.
How Much Load and Which Outlets Can Each One Handle?
| Spec | Keep Connect | Keep Connect MAX | Rebooter Pro |
|---|---|---|---|
| Load rating | 10A | 15A | Also 15A |
| Input | 100 to 240 VAC | See product page | 90 to 135VAC, 60Hz |
| Plugs | US, UK, Type G, Type F, European, Australian | See product page | US and Canada (120V) |
| Form | Plug-in adapter | Plug-in adapter | Inline cord, 19.7 in long |
A single router or modem draws far less than 10A. A power strip with a modem, router, switch and camera recorder can add up. Check the label on each power adapter before you choose.
Live in the UK, Europe, Australia or Asia?
Keep Connect comes with a plug for your outlet. The Rebooter Pro is built for US and Canadian outlets only.
What Does Each One Cost Over Three Years?
The sticker price is only part of it. Here is what each setup costs over three years, using published prices.
| Setup | Device | 3 years of fees | 3-year total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Keep Connect, automatic reboots and alerts | $49.99 | $0 | $49.99 |
| Keep Connect with Cloud Services (remote reboot) | $49.99 | $74.97 | $124.96 |
| Keep Connect MAX, automatic reboots and alerts | $74.99 | $0 | $74.99 |
| Two Keep Connects for a modem and router | $99.98 | $0 | $99.98 |
| Rebooter Pro, all features | $55.95 | $0 | $55.95 |
In short, Keep Connect costs less if you only need automatic reboots and alerts. On the other hand, the Rebooter Pro costs less over time if you want remote reboots from your phone.
Which Should You Choose?
Choose Keep Connect if you want:
- The lowest price for automatic reboots
- Free text and email alerts
- Stricter HTTPS internet tests, with reboot limits for long outages
- Modem and router restarts in the right order
- UK, European, Australian or Type G plugs, or browser setup with no app
Go with Keep Connect MAX if you want:
- Everything above with a 15A rating for heavier loads
Choose the Rebooter Pro if you want:
- Remote reboot in an app with no yearly fee
- Up to 5 check targets with any-fail or all-fail logic
- Up to 10 reboot schedules without a cloud plan
- Webhooks and a local API with no subscription
Consider Always Router if you are replacing your router anyway
Always Router by Keep Connect is a router that watches its own connection and restarts itself, so it needs no separate plug. It replaces your router, not your modem.
What Can Neither Device Fix?
A rebooter power cycles your equipment. It cannot fix a problem a restart does not reach.
If your router drops several times a week, a rebooter treats the symptom. Our guide to a router that keeps disconnecting helps you find the cause. To restart by hand the right way, see how to power cycle your router and modem.
How Did We Compare Keep Connect and Rebooter Pro?
Keep Connect vs Rebooter Pro FAQs
What is the difference between Keep Connect and Rebooter Pro?
Both reboot your router automatically when the internet drops, with no subscription. However, Keep Connect ($49.99) uses a full HTTPS test, sends free text and email alerts, pairs a modem and router and comes in six plug types. On the other hand, the Rebooter Pro ($55.95) checks up to 5 targets, is rated 15A and includes app remote reboot with no yearly fee.
Can the Rebooter Pro detect internet outages automatically?
Yes. According to Grid Connect, it checks up to five IP addresses or hostnames and reboots when any one fails or when all fail. However, it checks reachability rather than a full web session, and Grid Connect does not publish the check interval.
Does Keep Connect require a subscription?
No. Automatic reboots, scheduled reboots and text and email alerts all work without one. Cloud Services ($24.99 a year) then add remote reboot, remote settings, offline alerts and reset history. Finally, webhooks and MQTT need the Pro plan at $2.99 per device per month.
Does the Rebooter Pro send text or email alerts?
Grid Connect lists push notifications in the ConnectSense app and webhooks. However, it does not list text or email alerts. By contrast, Keep Connect sends text and email alerts for free.
Will a router rebooter reset my router settings?
No. Keep Connect and the Rebooter Pro only cut power and then restore it, so your WiFi name, password and settings stay the same. A factory reset is different, because it erases those settings, and neither device does one.
How many reboot schedules does Keep Connect support?
On the device, Keep Connect can reboot every set number of days at the hour you choose, for free. In addition, Cloud Services let you schedule reboots on specific dates, days of the week or days of the month. The Rebooter Pro, meanwhile, supports up to 10 daily or weekly schedules.
Which router rebooter is better for a vacation home or rental?
Both reboot the router without anyone on site. Keep Connect sends a text or email when the connection is back, and with Cloud Services it can also alert you while the location is offline. On the other hand, the Rebooter Pro includes app remote reboot with no yearly fee. For a separate modem and router, however, two Keep Connects restart them in order.
Do these devices work with any router brand?
Both cut and restore power at the outlet, so they work with most routers and modems that restart when power returns. However, routers with a backup battery may keep running when wall power is cut. Also, check your load against the rating: 10A for Keep Connect, 15A for Keep Connect MAX and the Rebooter Pro.
Which one works outside the United States?
Keep Connect, because it is rated 100 to 240 VAC and sold with US, UK, Type G, Type F, European and Australian plugs. By contrast, the Rebooter Pro accepts 90 to 135VAC at 60Hz and is built for US and Canadian outlets.
What Is the Bottom Line?
Both devices reboot your router when the internet drops, with no subscription. Keep Connect costs less, uses a stricter HTTPS test, sends free text and email alerts, pairs a modem and router and works worldwide. The Rebooter Pro includes app remote reboot, more check targets and a local API with no yearly fee. Need 15A in the Keep Connect family? Choose Keep Connect MAX.
Keep Connect detects internet drops and reboots your router automatically, so there are no timers and no guessing. It costs $49.99 one time, with no subscription required. See Keep Connect
About the Author
Rona writes guides for Johnson Creative on router rebooting, internet reliability and home monitoring. Product details come from Johnson Creative's manuals and support articles. AI tools help with drafting, and every guide is reviewed and edited by Rona before publishing.
