How to check website speed with GTmetrix 

Key takeaways:  

• Learn what GTmetrix is and how it helps analyze and improve website speed. 
• Learn how to test your website speed using GTmetrix and understand key performance metrics like LCP, TBT, and CLS. 
• Get actionable tips to fix speed issues, optimize performance, and boost SEO rankings. 

Does your website take forever to load? A sluggish site frustrates visitors, lowers engagement, and even hurts your search rankings. But what’s causing the delay, and how can you fix it? 

GTmetrix is a tool that can help you figure it out and keep your site running smoothly.   

Whether you’re an SEO pro, web developer, or business owner, this guide breaks down what you need to know about using GTmetrix for website speed testing. 

We’ve got you covered from basic analysis to understanding key metrics and applying effective optimizations. 

Let’s get started.  

What is GTmetrix?  

GTmetrix is a powerful website performance analysis tool commonly used by:  

• Site owners (including bloggers, content creators etc.) 
• SEO professionals  
• Developers 
• eCommerce managers 

It also helps non-technical individuals who want a relatively easy way to assess how well their website loads so they can identify areas for improvement.   

Running a GTmetrix test gives you a detailed report with key performance metrics, including page speed, load time, and HTTP requests. It evaluates your site using Google PageSpeed Insights and YSlow guidelines.  

A well-optimized website improves user experience and boosts engagement and search engine rankings. GTmetrix identifies bottlenecks like unoptimized images, excessive scripts, or slow server response. It also offers actionable recommendations to improve performance.  

GTmetrix is a great tool for testing your site speed to maintain fast and high-performing web pages. 

How to use GTmetrix for testing website speed 

Testing your website’s speed with GTmetrix is simple, but it is a bit overwhelming if you are unfamiliar with website speed testing. Don’t worry, though. Here’s a clear breakdown of how to use GTmetrix effectively and make the most out of your website speed test.  

Step 1: Access GTmetrix  

To begin, go to GTmetrix. You can run a basic test without logging in, but creating a free account unlocks additional features like choosing test locations and connection speeds. 

This is especially useful if you want to simulate real-world browsing conditions for different users.  

Step 2: Enter your URL and configure test settings  

Once on the homepage, enter your website’s URL in the provided field. Before running the test, you can adjust several settings for a more tailored analysis. Choosing a test location helps you see how the website performs for users in specific regions. This is important if your audience is concentrated on certain areas.   

To understand performance differences between platforms, you can also select a browser type and device, such as desktop or mobile. 

Aside from that, adjusting connection speed settings allows you to replicate various internet conditions, from high-speed broadband to slower mobile networks. 

Once you’ve configured these settings, click “Analyze” to start the test.  

Step 3: Analyze the results  

Once the test is complete, GTmetrix provides a GTmetrix Report, summarizing your website’s performance. This grade is based on two key factors:  

• Performance Score (60%). This is the measure of real-world speed, interactivity, and visual stability using Core Web Vitals like:  
  • Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). How fast the main content loads  
  • Total Blocking Time (TBT). How long scripts delay interactivity  
  • Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS). Measures unexpected layout shifts  
• Structure Score (40%). Evaluates how well your website is built for speed, checking things like:  
  • Unoptimized images have slow download times.  
  • Render-blocking JavaScript and CSS delaying page display. 
  • Missing caching rules forcing browsers to reload data unnecessarily. 

GTmetrix also highlights “Top Issues” by pinpointing the biggest performance bottlenecks with recommendations on how to fix them. Addressing these issues first can lead to the most significant speed improvements.  

For deeper insights, the Waterfall Chart breaks down every resource request, helping you spot delays caused by large files or excessive scripts.  
 

If you have GTmetrix Pro, you can access advanced features like mobile testing, different server locations, and video playback analysis to visualize slow-loading elements.  

Regularly testing your site and applying GTmetrix recommendations ensures faster load times, better user experience, and improved SEO rankings.  

Step 4: Review top issues for optimization  

GTmetrix highlights key problem areas that may be slowing down your website. These often include unoptimized images that increase page size, render-blocking JavaScript and CSS that delay content display, and caching issues that force the site to reload fully each time a user visits.   

Addressing these problems can significantly improve loading speed, creating a smoother experience for visitors. Regularly testing and refining your website based on GTmetrix insights ensures it stays fast, user-friendly, and competitive in search rankings. 

What to consider before and during testing your website speed 

To get the most accurate and actionable results from GTmetrix, consider these key factors before and during testing.  

Before running GTmetrix test  

• Run multiple tests at different times. Website speed can vary due to server load, traffic spikes, and external factors. Running tests at different times helps identify consistent patterns rather than relying on a single result.  
• Choose the right test location. Selecting a test server close to your target audience provides more relevant insights. Testing from multiple locations helps detect regional slowdowns if your site serves a global audience.  
• Decide which pages to test. Prioritize key pages like your homepage, product pages, and high-traffic landing pages, as they impact user experience and conversions.  

During the GTmetrix speed test  

• Repeat tests for consistency. Running multiple tests ensures temporary network or server fluctuations don’t distort results.  
• Focus on core metrics. Pay attention to the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), Total Blocking Time (TBT), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) as they have the biggest impact on user experience.  
• Check the “Top Issues” section. GTmetrix highlights the most key performance problems. Fixing these first often leads to the most significant speed improvements. 

What are the tips to increase your website speed 

A slow website can hurt both user experience and SEO rankings. If your site scores poorly on speed tests, optimizing your site should be your next move. Here are some practical tips to help speed up your website and enhance its performance:  

• Enable GZIP compression. GZIP compression reduces the size of your website’s files by compressing resources like HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. This speeds up upload times and saves bandwidth. Most modern browsers support GZIP, so enabling it on your server can lead to faster page loads and a more efficient user experience.  
• Minify CSS, JavaScript, and HTML. Minifying your site’s code involves removing unnecessary spaces, comments, and characters from CSS, JavaScript, and HTML files. This reduces file sizes and allows faster loading without impacting functionality. Tools like Minify and UglifyJS can help you automate the process.  
• Optimize images. Large images can slow down your site. Compress your images without losing quality speed upload times. Tools like TinyPNG and ImageOptim allow you to reduce file sizes while maintaining quality. Additionally, using the right image format (JPEG for photos, PNG for graphics, and WebP for both) optimizes performance further.  
• Leverage browser caching. Browser caching stores static files (like images, CSS, and JavaScript) on a user’s device, so returning visitors don’t have to reload them. This reduces load times. Set appropriate cache expiration headers to ensure files are stored for the right amount of time and updated content is delivered properly.  

Is GTmetrix free?

Yes, GTmetrix offers both free and premium versions. The free version provides basic features for website speed testing, while the premium version unlocks additional tools and more advanced options for comprehensive performance analysis. The Pro plan has advanced features like historical data tracking, global test locations, and in-depth resource usage graphs.    

Free vs. Premium 

Here’s a table that highlights the differences between the Free and Pro versions, based on the GTmetrix Pro plan details. 

Feature	Free Version	Micro Plan	Solo Plan	Starter Plan	Growth Plan
Number of tests per day	Limited to a few tests	100 tests/month	800 tests/month	900 tests/month	1400 tests/month
Test locations	Default location only	7 Global Test Locations	7 Global Test Locations	22 Premium Test Locations worldwide	22 Premium Test Locations worldwide
Mobile performance testing	Not available	Not available	Available	Available	Available
Advanced reporting	Basic reports	White-label PDF reports	Full report PDF	Full report PDF	Full report PDF
Test priority	Standard	Higher queue priority	Higher queue priority	Higher queue priority	Higher queue priority
Video playback analysis	Not available	Not available	Not available	Video capture for Alerts	Video capture for Alerts
Historical data	Limited history	Limited history	Unlimited history visualization	Unlimited history visualization	Unlimited history visualization
Resource usage graphs	Not available	Not available	Not available	Available	Available
Hourly monitoring	Not available	Not available	Not available	Available	Available
CrUX data	Not available	Not available	Not available	6-Month historical data	6-Month historical data
Premium lest Locations	Not available	Not available	Not available	15 additional locations	15 additional locations
Unlimited tags & filters	Not available	Not available	Not available	Available	Available
Custom user agent & DNS	Not available	Not available	Not available	Available	Available
Pricing	Free	$4.25/month (billed yearly)	$12.33/month (billed yearly)	$23.75/month (billed yearly)	$47.33/month (billed yearly)

Get a fast web host for your website 

Improving your website’s speed is important to enhance user experience, SEO, and engagement. But even with all the optimizations, your GTmetrix score won’t reach its full potential if your web host can’t support the speed requirements.  

To boost your website’s speed and overall performance, choose a reliable hosting provider like Domain.com. It has web hosting solutions with high-speed servers, excellent uptime, and the resources needed to optimize your GTmetrix results. 

To know more about how to select the right web hosting plan for your site, check out our guide on different types of web hosting and find the best option for your needs. 

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