TinyPumper vs Sensaphone

Sensaphone Monitors Your Well. TinyPumper Runs Your Operation.

Same 24/7 alerts. Plus production allocation, well testing, downtime tracking, and state filings — all in one system. No wiring. No $2,000 box.

  • 10-minute install. Solar powered, magnetic mount. No electrician, no wiring, no external power.
  • Starts at $29/mo. Hardware included. No $1,957 box to buy. No sensors to source separately.
  • Production management built in. Allocation, well testing, run tickets, state filings. Not just sensor alerts.
See If TinyPumper Fits Your Operation → Not every operation is a fit for TinyPumper, and we'd rather tell you upfront. 60 seconds. No credit card.

Let's give credit where it's due.

Sensaphone has been building remote monitoring hardware since 1985. They've shipped roughly 500,000 units. That's not nothing. If all you need is sensor alerts, they work.

40+ Years in Business

Founded in 1985, manufactured in the USA, with a track record across multiple industries. They're not a fly-by-night.

12 Hardwired Inputs

The Sentinel PRO accepts 12 universal sensor inputs — dry contact, thermistor, 4-20mA, pulse count. Serious I/O capacity for complex setups.

64 Modbus Registers

Modbus RTU (RS485) and TCP support. If you have a PLC, the Sentinel PRO can pull data from it. Up to 64 registers.

Multi-Industry Versatility

Greenhouses, data centers, HVAC, water treatment. Sensaphone is a solid general-purpose monitor built for many industries.

"If all you need is sensor alerts and alarm calls, Sensaphone does the job. The question is: do you need more than sensor alerts?"

Sensaphone Gives You Sensor Data. You Still Need Everything Else.

Sensaphone tells you what your sensors read. TinyPumper tells you what your operation is doing. Here's the gap.

Capability
TinyPumper
Sensaphone
24/7 Remote Monitoring & Alerts
✓
✓
Tank Level Monitoring
✓
✓
Pressure & Temperature
✓
✓
Production Allocation
✓
✗
Well Testing Engine
✓
✗
Downtime Tracking
✓
✗
Run Ticket Capture
✓
✗
State/Government Auto-Filing
✓
✗
Pumper Management & GPS
✓
✗
Production Reports & Decline Analysis
✓
✗

Sensaphone covers the first three rows. TinyPumper covers all ten.

Head to head.

TinyPumperSensaphone Sentinel PRO
Install time~10 minutes. Your pumper.1–4+ hours. Wiring, mounting, power supply, configuration.
Upfront cost$0 hardware (refundable deposit)~$1,957 per unit + sensors ($100–$250 each)
MonthlyStarts at $29/mo (includes Greasebook + connectivity)$39.95/mo (Premium Cellular)
ConnectivityMulti-carrier cellular (5 carriers) + satelliteSingle carrier (AT&T or Verizon, choose at purchase)
Power sourceSolar + supercapacitor backup12VDC external power required (8-hr battery backup)
Operating temp−40°C to 70°C (−40°F to 158°F)0°C to 50°C (32°F to 122°F)
Safety certificationClass I Div 1 Group D (Intrinsically Safe), IP67NEMA 4X, FCC Part 15 Class A
WarrantyLifetime replacement2-year limited
Guarantee60-day money-backNot documented
SupportPetroleum engineers & geologists (M–F 8–5 CST)General tech support (877-373-2700)
Mobile appGreasebook: 4.6★ Google PlaySensaphone: 4.0★ Google Play
Production managementAllocation, well tests, run tickets, state filings, decline analysisNot available

The math.

10 stripper well sites. Tank level + pressure monitoring. Cellular connectivity. No existing infrastructure. Year 1.

Cost ComponentTinyPumper (10 sites)Sensaphone Sentinel PRO (10 sites)
Hardware$0 (refundable deposit)~$19,570
SensorsIncluded~$2,000 – $5,000
Subscription (12 mo)$3,480$4,794
Installation labor~$0 (self-install, 10 min each)~$2,000 – $5,000
Onboarding / training$0 (included)$0 (self-service)
Year 1 Total~$3,480~$28,364 – $34,364

You save $25,000+ in Year 1.

That's not a rounding error. That's a new well.

Year 2+ ongoing: $3,480 vs $4,794 (subscription only)

Get Your Custom Price →

Honest talk: when Sensaphone is the better choice.

TinyPumper isn't the right fit for every operation. If any of these describe you, stick with Sensaphone. Seriously.

1 You need relay/control outputs to remotely switch equipment on/off. The Sentinel PRO has 2 programmable relay outputs. TinyPumper doesn't do remote control — it's monitoring + production management, not a control system.
2 You need 12+ hardwired analog/digital sensors per site. Sensaphone's 12 universal inputs accept any 4-20mA, thermistor, or dry contact sensor. TinyPumper connects sensors via Bluetooth with a 150-foot range.
3 You have a fully configured PLC pulling 64+ Modbus registers and need a pure alarm callout device. The Sentinel PRO's 64-register Modbus capacity makes it a strong PLC companion. TinyPumper supports Modbus but is designed as a standalone platform, not a PLC alarm relay.
4 You're monitoring non-O&G assets. Greenhouses, data centers, HVAC, water treatment — Sensaphone is the better tool. TinyPumper is purpose-built for oil and gas production.

"If that's you — keep Sensaphone. We'd rather tell you now than waste your time."

Three steps. Ten minutes. That's it.

1

We Ship It Ready

Your TinyPumper arrives pre-configured. Well info loaded. Sensors activated. Cellular and satellite tested. Open the box — it's ready.

2

Mount It in 10 Minutes

Magnetic mount, zip ties, or strap it to the tank. No wires. No electrician. No drilling. No permits. Your pumper handles it between runs.

3

See Your Wells Right Now

Open the Greasebook app. Tank levels, pressures, run tickets — all of it. Set alerts. Pull reports. Data flowing within hours, not weeks.

The Sensaphone way: Order hardware (~$1,957). Buy sensors separately ($100–$250 each). Wire inputs to terminal block. Mount 10.5 lb NEMA enclosure. Run 12VDC power to the site. Configure thresholds via web portal. Submit subscription form. Wait 24 hours for activation.

The TinyPumper way: Open the box.
Take the 60-Second Quiz →

Built in the oil patch. Proven across the country.

0
Production companies
0
In the oil patch
0
Oil-producing states
0
Daily users
0
Retention rate
4.9/5
GetApp rating
0
Money-back guarantee
$0
Setup fees
0
Average install

Questions operators ask before switching.

"I already own Sensaphone hardware — is switching wasteful?"
Not necessarily. TinyPumper offers a hybrid approach — we can take over management of your existing monitoring service while you transition. Operators typically see savings when we manage their legacy monitoring compared to what they're paying today. You don't have to strand your investment overnight. Transition at your own pace.
"Sensaphone has been around since 1985 — aren't they more proven?"
In general-purpose monitoring? Absolutely — 40 years, 500,000 units across greenhouses, data centers, HVAC, water treatment. But oil and gas is one of many industries they serve. Greasebook (TinyPumper's parent company) has served independent O&G operators exclusively since 2012 — 600+ operators, 22 states. You want a specialist in your exact use case, not a generalist that also monitors greenhouses.
"What about Sensaphone's relay outputs?"
Fair point. The Sentinel PRO has 2 programmable relay outputs rated for 1A/30VDC. TinyPumper does not offer remote control outputs. If you need to remotely turn equipment on/off, Sensaphone fills that gap. TinyPumper is positioned as monitoring + production management, not a control system. If relay control is a must-have, see our "Honest Talk" section above.
"Is TinyPumper's subscription more expensive?"
It depends what you're comparing. Sensaphone's base Sentinel is $24.95/mo, but that's monitoring-only on ~$1,617 in hardware. The Sentinel PRO is $39.95/mo with ~$1,957 in hardware. TinyPumper at $29/mo includes hardware, sensors, the Greasebook production platform, cellular connectivity, and petroleum engineer support — with no upfront hardware cost. On a 3-year total cost of ownership for 10 wells, TinyPumper is substantially less expensive.
"What if I don't have cell service at my wells?"
That's why we built it the way we did. TinyPumper's multi-carrier SIM auto-switches between Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile, Sprint, and US Cellular to find the best signal. And when you're truly in the middle of nowhere? Optional satellite connectivity. 100% of the continental US is covered. Sensaphone locks to one carrier at purchase — if that carrier's coverage is weak at your site, you're stuck.
"Can I try TinyPumper without committing?"
Yes. 60-day "Love It or Shove It" money-back guarantee. We pay return shipping. No retention calls, no guilt trips, no hoops. If it doesn't work for your operation, send it back and you're out nothing. Sensaphone does not offer a documented trial period or money-back guarantee.
"What about Sensaphone's 12 hardwired inputs?"
The Sentinel PRO does support 12 universal wired inputs — that's real I/O capacity. TinyPumper connects sensors via Bluetooth (150-foot range) and supports up to 8 sensors per gateway. For most stripper well monitoring — tank levels, pressures, temps — TinyPumper covers the primary use cases. If you're running a complex multi-input PLC integration with 12+ hardwired sensors per site, Sensaphone may be the better hardware fit. But you'll still lack the production software on top.

Zero risk. Here's what backs that up.

60-Day "Love It or Shove It" Guarantee

Don't love it? Send it back. We pay return shipping. No retention calls, no guilt trips, no hoops.

✓ Lifetime sensor warranty. If it breaks, we replace it. No questions.
✓ No contracts after 12 months. Stay because it works, not because you're locked in.
✓ Petroleum engineer onboarding. Free. Your wells, tank straps, and users built before you install.
✓ $0 setup fees. Hardware, sensors, shipping, training — all included.
Take the 60-Second Quiz → Not every operation is a fit for TinyPumper. The quiz tells you in 60 seconds.