{"id":4196,"date":"2022-03-13T15:44:29","date_gmt":"2022-03-13T15:44:29","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/?post_type=ht_kb&#038;p=4196"},"modified":"2025-07-18T10:32:23","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T10:32:23","slug":"speed-testing-tools","status":"publish","type":"ht_kb","link":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/speed-testing-tools\/","title":{"rendered":"How can I test the speed of my website?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Testing your website\u2019s speed is crucial to understanding how it performs for users and where improvements can be made. In this article, we\u2019ll walk you through how to properly test your site using two popular tools: <strong>GTmetrix<\/strong> and <strong>Google PageSpeed Insights<\/strong>. We\u2019ll also explain what to look for in your results.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to properly start a speed test?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Before running any speed test, it\u2019s essential to <strong>use the correct version of your website\u2019s URL<\/strong>. Make sure you&#8217;re testing the exact URL that your visitors see when accessing your site, including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>HTTP<\/strong> or <strong>HTTPS<\/strong><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>www<\/strong> or <strong>non-www<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, if your site loads as <code>https:\/\/www.example.com<\/code>, using <code>http:\/\/example.com<\/code> in a speed test will show inaccurate or lower performance scores.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">GTMetrix<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>GTMetrix<\/strong> is one of the most popular and detailed performance analysis tools used in the WordPress community.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use GTmetrix:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Visit <a class=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/gtmetrix.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>GTmetrix.com<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enter your full website URL.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click the <strong>Test Now <\/strong>button.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69ed2eb908a88&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69ed2eb908a88\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1908\" height=\"837\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-42.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13232\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-42.png 1908w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-42-300x132.png 300w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-42-1024x449.png 1024w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-42-768x337.png 768w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-42-50x22.png 50w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-42-1536x674.png 1536w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-42-60x26.png 60w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-42-100x44.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1908px) 100vw, 1908px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>After the scan is complete, GTmetrix will generate a detailed report including:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Summary:<\/strong> Offers an overview of performance scores, <strong>Time to First Byte (TTFB)<\/strong>, and <strong>Fully Loaded Time<\/strong>, with visual breakdowns of the loading sequence.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Performance:<\/strong> Displays scores from Google&#8217;s <strong>Lighthouse<\/strong> engine. While highly technical, focusing on <strong>TTFB<\/strong>, <strong>First Contentful Paint (FCP)<\/strong>, and <strong>Speed Index<\/strong> is a good starting point.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Waterfall:<\/strong> Provides a visual breakdown of every request loaded by your site. This is especially useful for identifying slow-loading resources such as large images, third-party scripts, or unused files.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Want to learn how to read a Waterfall chart?<strong> <a href=\"https:\/\/gtmetrix.com\/blog\/how-to-read-a-waterfall-chart-for-beginners\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Click here for our detailed guide.<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Google PageSpeed Insights<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Google PageSpeed Insights (PSI)<\/strong> is another essential tool that measures your site\u2019s performance on both <strong>mobile<\/strong> and <strong>desktop<\/strong> devices.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to use PSI:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Visit <a href=\"https:\/\/pagespeed.web.dev\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><strong>PageSpeed Insights<\/strong><\/a><\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Enter your website URL.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Click <strong>Analyze<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<figure data-wp-context=\"{&quot;imageId&quot;:&quot;69ed2eb9091a0&quot;}\" data-wp-interactive=\"core\/image\" data-wp-key=\"69ed2eb9091a0\" class=\"wp-block-image size-full wp-lightbox-container\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1909\" height=\"597\" data-wp-class--hide=\"state.isContentHidden\" data-wp-class--show=\"state.isContentVisible\" data-wp-init=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\" data-wp-on--load=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" data-wp-on-window--resize=\"callbacks.setButtonStyles\" src=\"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-43.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-13233\" srcset=\"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-43.png 1909w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-43-300x94.png 300w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-43-1024x320.png 1024w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-43-768x240.png 768w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-43-50x16.png 50w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-43-1536x480.png 1536w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-43-60x19.png 60w, https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/03\/image-43-100x31.png 100w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1909px) 100vw, 1909px\" \/><button\n\t\t\tclass=\"lightbox-trigger\"\n\t\t\ttype=\"button\"\n\t\t\taria-haspopup=\"dialog\"\n\t\t\taria-label=\"Enlarge\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-init=\"callbacks.initTriggerButton\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-on--click=\"actions.showLightbox\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--right=\"state.imageButtonRight\"\n\t\t\tdata-wp-style--top=\"state.imageButtonTop\"\n\t\t>\n\t\t\t<svg xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"12\" height=\"12\" fill=\"none\" viewBox=\"0 0 12 12\">\n\t\t\t\t<path fill=\"#fff\" d=\"M2 0a2 2 0 0 0-2 2v2h1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 1 .5-.5h2V0H2Zm2 10.5H2a.5.5 0 0 1-.5-.5V8H0v2a2 2 0 0 0 2 2h2v-1.5ZM8 12v-1.5h2a.5.5 0 0 0 .5-.5V8H12v2a2 2 0 0 1-2 2H8Zm2-12a2 2 0 0 1 2 2v2h-1.5V2a.5.5 0 0 0-.5-.5H8V0h2Z\" \/>\n\t\t\t<\/svg>\n\t\t<\/button><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\">What it provides:<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Separate performance scores for <strong>mobile<\/strong> and <strong>desktop<\/strong> views.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Core Web Vitals metrics like <strong>Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)<\/strong>, <strong>Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)<\/strong>, and <strong>Total Blocking Time (TBT)<\/strong>.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Suggestions for improvements (often very technical and developer-focused).<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-ht-blocks-messages wp-block-hb-message wp-block-hb-message--withicon is-style-info\">Unlike GTmetrix, PageSpeed Insights does <strong>not<\/strong> include a Waterfall view or a detailed breakdown of load order. However, it does provide guidance based on Google\u2019s performance standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-ht-blocks-messages wp-block-hb-message wp-block-hb-message--withicon is-style-danger\">PSI often flags issues that require developer-level fixes related to themes, database optimization, or JavaScript handling. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Stuck at any point? Don\u2019t worry, just click the live chat widget in the bottom-right, and one of our support agents will assist you in <strong>under 30 seconds<\/strong>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Testing your website\u2019s speed is crucial to understanding how it performs for users and where improvements can be made. In this article, we\u2019ll walk you through how to properly test your site using two popular tools: GTmetrix and Google PageSpeed Insights. We\u2019ll also explain what to look for in your&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_editorskit_title_hidden":false,"_editorskit_reading_time":3,"_editorskit_is_block_options_detached":false,"_editorskit_block_options_position":"{}","inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"ht-kb-category":[58],"ht-kb-tag":[],"class_list":["post-4196","ht_kb","type-ht_kb","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","ht_kb_category-optimization"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/4196","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/ht_kb"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=4196"}],"version-history":[{"count":27,"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/4196\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13607,"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb\/4196\/revisions\/13607"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=4196"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"ht_kb_category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb-category?post=4196"},{"taxonomy":"ht_kb_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/wpx.net\/kb\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/ht-kb-tag?post=4196"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}