Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

How does Cronjob.de work?

Cronjob.de automatically accesses the web pages you specify on your server at the times you set. When the page is accessed, it triggers a specific function on your web server. This could be, for example, automatically starting a newsletter dispatch, optimizing your database, or sending you an email. You have complete freedom and can execute any functions you want.

How long does it take for a cronjob to be activated?

Your cronjobs are activated immediately. Creating a cronjob takes only a few seconds.

How many cronjobs can I manage with Cronjob.de?

You can create unlimited cronjobs that can be started at intervals of up to 1 minute. In the free plan, only one cronjob is possible.

At what intervals can I schedule my cronjobs?

You can schedule your cronjobs to run as frequently as once per minute and as infrequently as once per year.
There is no limit to the number of calls. So you could have one or more cronjobs running every minute.

Is Cronjob.de precise to the second when calling my page?

No, Cronjob.de accesses your page within the time periods you specify. However, there may be slight delays as many other pages from other users are being accessed. These delays are typically only a few seconds.
If you are a paying user, your cronjobs are executed with priority and are therefore nearly precise to the second.

My domain has special characters. Does cronjob.de work with it?

Cronjob.de cannot handle domains with umlauts/special characters. If your domain contains special characters, please use an IDN converter and enter the converted domain at cronjob.de. You can find an IDN converter here, for example: http://mct.verisign-grs.com/

Does Cronjob.de access pages like a normal browser?

Cronjob.de accesses your pages like a browser, but with the following limitations:
- HTML objects are not loaded (such as: Flash, Objects, Iframes, Images, etc)
- Javascript is not executed
- Cookies are not processed
- Meta refreshes are not followed

How can I access pages that are password-protected via .htaccess file?

If you want to access a password-protected address, enter the URL as a cronjob in the following format: "http://username:password@www.yoursite.com/page.php".

How long are the scripts executed?

In the free version of cronjob.de, each cronjob is executed for a maximum of 20 seconds. In the paid version, the cronjob is executed for 45 seconds. However, if your script isn't finished after 20 seconds, you can let it continue running in PHP. To do this, insert the following at the beginning of your PHP script:

set_time_limit(0);
ignore_user_abort(true);

This is similar in other programming languages. Please check the respective documentation.

My script isn't executed via Cronjob, but everything works when I enter it in the browser.

Please note the FAQ entry above. Cronjob.de stops the page request after about 20 seconds, and if your script hasn't finished running by then, it needs to be set to continue running even after Cronjob.de stops loading.

It's also common that a page has password protection, but you don't consider this because the browser saves the password and you rarely have to enter it yourself.

The verification of the cronjob isn't working

There can be several solutions for this:


  • If you entered the cronjob without "www." but your web server automatically redirects to a "www." address, then enter your cronjob with "www." as well. Then Cronjob will look for verification in the right place.

  • Sometimes (especially with Swiss providers) you need to do the following for Cronjob.de to access your server:
    Create a file named ".htaccess" (without quotes) with the content "SecFilterEngine Off" (without quotes) and place it in your web server's root directory. If a file named .htaccess already exists, simply add the corresponding text to the file.

How and why do I need to confirm my cronjobs every 8 weeks?

Unfortunately, this measure is important because many users never delete created cronjobs - even when they no longer have any effect. For this reason, cronjobs must be confirmed once every 4 weeks. Simply logging into the respective account is sufficient for this. Of course, you don't have to wait for our email, but can simply log in to cronjob.de unsolicited and restart the 4 weeks.
By the way: This check does not take place in the "Cronjob-Unlimited" plan.

From which IP addresses do Cronjob.de's calls come?

Currently(!) we use the following IP addresses:
94.130.182.11
94.130.186.237
159.69.100.137
88.99.37.158
95.216.197.33
116.203.93.182
195.201.42.154
65.21.158.228

Important: New servers may be added or replace other servers at irregular intervals and without notice! Therefore, we advise against IP restrictions!

All servers currently used by us are located exclusively in the European Union or directly in Germany.

Can using Cronjob.de "harm" my server?

No! Cronjob.de accesses your URL as if a normal user were browsing your site. If anything goes wrong, it's not because of Cronjob.de.

How can I execute a cronjob on the last day of the month?

At cronjob.de, you cannot set a cronjob to run only on the last day of the month. The easiest way is to select days 28-31 for execution and then include the following PHP code in the script that is called:

if(date("d")!=date('t')) {
  exit("Today is not the last day of this month");
}

This script snippet checks if it's the last day of the current month when called, and if not, it aborts.

Alternatively, you can create 12 cronjobs and always select the month with its corresponding last day. However, here you have to remember to manually adjust February every 4 years.