Written by Rona Sabatin
Content Writer, Johnson Creative · Updated
What is the difference between Keep Connect and Power Pal? Keep Connect is an automatic router rebooter. It restarts your router when its internet checks fail. Power Pal is a power outage monitor. It sends text and email alerts when the power goes out and when it comes back. Keep Connect is not built to report power outages, and Power Pal cannot restart your router. Both cost $49.99 in the US.
Your internet drops in the middle of the night. Or, on another day, the power goes out while you are away from home. These are two different problems. That is why Johnson Creative makes a different device for each one.
This guide explains what Keep Connect and Power Pal each do, where they overlap and when one home needs both. Product details come from Johnson Creative’s product pages and support articles.
What Is the Difference Between Keep Connect and Power Pal?
Keep Connect looks after your internet connection, and Power Pal looks after your power. The table below compares them feature by feature.
What Each Device Does
| Feature | Keep Connect | Power Pal |
|---|---|---|
| What it is | Keep Connect is a plug-in automatic router rebooter | Power Pal is a plug-in power outage monitor |
| Main job | Keep Connect restarts your router when its internet checks fail | Power Pal tells you when the power goes out and when it comes back |
| How it detects a problem | Keep Connect checks google.com every 5 minutes by default, then cnn.com, and reboots if both fail | Power Pal checks in with the Johnson Creative Cloud Server over WiFi, and the server alerts you when the check-ins stop |
| Restarts your router | Yes. Keep Connect turns router power off for 30 seconds by default, then back on | No. Power Pal does not restart any equipment |
| Monitors your internet connection | Yes. Monitoring your internet is Keep Connect's main job | No. Power Pal monitors power, not internet quality |
| Power outage alerts | Not built for it. With Cloud Services, Keep Connect sends an offline alert that does not say whether power or internet failed | Yes. Power Pal alerts you on power loss and again on power return |
Alerts, Setup and Price
| Feature | Keep Connect | Power Pal |
|---|---|---|
| Alert type | Keep Connect sends a text or email when your connection is back online | Power Pal sends text (SMS) and email alerts, with no SIM card needed |
| Subscription | Keep Connect needs no subscription for automatic rebooting. Cloud Services are optional at $24.99 a year | Power Pal needs no subscription for alerts. A subscription adds logging |
| Setup | Keep Connect is set up in a web browser over WiFi, with no app | Power Pal is set up in a web browser or with WPS, with no app |
| US price | Keep Connect Standard costs $49.99 (10A). Keep Connect MAX costs $74.99 (15A) | Power Pal costs $49.99 |
| Best for | Keep Connect is best for routers and modems that freeze and need a restart | Power Pal is best for freezers, sump pumps and vacation homes where a power cut costs money |
Sources: Johnson Creative's Keep Connect and Power Pal product pages and the Keep Connect Fast Detection and Restoration support article, checked October 13, 2026. Prices are US prices and can change.
What Does Keep Connect Do?
Keep Connect is a plug-in automatic router rebooter. When its internet checks fail, it power cycles your router, which means it turns the router off and back on.
How it works. Your router or modem plugs into Keep Connect, and Keep Connect plugs into the wall. By default, it checks google.com every 5 minutes. If that check fails, it checks cnn.com. If both fail, it cuts power to your router for 30 seconds, then restores it. You can change these timings in its settings.
What you get:
- A text or email when your connection is back online
- No subscription for basic automatic rebooting
- Browser setup over WiFi, with no app to install
- A 10 amp (10A) rating on 100 to 240 volt (VAC) power for the Standard model. That suits a home router, or a router and modem that together stay within 10A
The Standard model costs $49.99 in the US. For heavier equipment, Keep Connect MAX ($74.99) is rated for 15 amps.
Optional Cloud Services ($24.99 a year) add an offline notification when your Keep Connect has not checked in for a while. You can also send reboot requests and change settings from the Keep Connect app when you are away. Reset history charts and multi-location management are included too.
What Does Power Pal Do?
Power Pal is a plug-in power outage monitor. It sends text (SMS) and email alerts when the power goes out where it is plugged in, and again when the power comes back.
How it works. Power Pal uses your WiFi to check in with the Johnson Creative Cloud Server. On the US model, it checks in every minute by default. If the check-ins stop for 6 minutes, the server sends your alert. You can change both timings.
Because the server sends the alert, it can go out even when the power outage also takes down your router and WiFi.
What you get:
- Alerts on power loss and on power return
- No SIM card and no subscription needed for alerts. A subscription adds logging
- Setup in a web browser or with the WPS button on your router, with no app to install
It suits places where a power cut costs money, such as a freezer, a sump pump or a vacation home. Our guide to power outage alerts compares Power Pal with other ways to get notified.
For fridges and freezers, see our guide to food safety during a power outage.
Which One Should You Choose?
Pick Keep Connect if your internet drops and a router restart usually brings it back. Pick Power Pal if you need to know when the power is out.
- Your router freezes or the internet drops often. Keep Connect restarts the router for you, even when you are not home.
- You need to know when the power goes out at a property you cannot see. Power Pal sends you a text and email.
- You have both problems. Use both. Each does a different job. The only overlap is the Cloud Services offline alert, explained in the next section.
Do You Need Both Keep Connect and Power Pal?
You need both only if you care about internet drops and power outages at the same place. Many homes need only one.
There is one partial overlap. Keep Connect with Cloud Services sends an offline notification when your Keep Connect stops checking in. That tells you something is wrong at that location. It cannot tell you whether the cause is a power cut or an internet outage.
If a general “this location is offline” alert is enough, Keep Connect with Cloud Services may cover you. If you need to know specifically that the power is out, for example to save a freezer or check a sump pump, add Power Pal.
After a power outage, your internet may not come back on its own. Our guide explains how to restart your internet after a power outage.
What Can Neither Device Fix?
Neither device can fix a problem outside your home. Keep Connect can only restart the equipment plugged into it, and Power Pal can only report what it sees at its outlet.
If your router drops several times a week, Keep Connect treats the symptom. Our guide to fixing a router that keeps disconnecting helps you find the cause.
What Else Do People Ask About Keep Connect and Power Pal?
These questions cover settings, accounts and regions not answered above. The answers come from Johnson Creative's support articles and product pages.
Can I reboot my router remotely if my internet is completely down?
No. A remote reboot request travels over the internet, so it cannot reach a Keep Connect at a site with no internet. Keep Connect does not need that request, though. It detects the outage itself and power cycles the router on its own.
Can I make Keep Connect react faster?
Yes. You can shorten the time between its internet checks and the 30-second power-off time. Johnson Creative notes that faster settings can cause more unnecessary reboots. It suggests them mainly for testing.
What if Keep Connect reboots my router too often?
Extra reboots can happen during internet provider problems or when your network is very busy. Johnson Creative suggests giving Keep Connect more time to retry its backup check. It also suggests turning on the setting "Ignore DNS Failures if Ping 8.8.8.8 Works."
How many Keep Connect devices can one Cloud Services subscription cover?
There is no limit. Johnson Creative states that one Cloud Services subscription can include any number of Keep Connect devices. You can manage several homes or offices from one account.
Can Power Pal alert more than one person?
Yes. Power Pal can send its alerts to more than one email address. That way, a family member or property manager hears about the outage too.
Is Power Pal an alarm?
No. Power Pal has no siren or sound. It sends text (SMS) and email alerts to your phone and inbox.
Do Keep Connect and Power Pal work outside the US?
Yes, in several regions. Johnson Creative lists Keep Connect with Australian, European and Type G (UK-style) plugs. It lists Power Pal with UK and European plugs. Check the shop for your country before you buy.
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.
