In this guide, we compare GTmetrix to SpeedVitals, a very similar Lighthouse-based web performance testing tool.

Overview

SpeedVitals is among the newest entrants in the web performance testing space, having launched in 2021.

SpeedVitals is similar to GTmetrix in many ways as it also runs Lighthouse and the UI/UX and reports have a similar look and feel to GTmetrix.

In this post, we cover the Pros and Cons of SpeedVitals and how the tool compares to GTmetrix.

Differences Between GTmetrix and SpeedVitals

GTmetrix and SpeedVitals have many similarities, but also differ in a number of ways.

Here are some key points of comparison for both tools:

Desktop view – 1366×768 (default) Uses Lighthouse with custom audits Lab and field data both available Unthrottled Connection (default) Applies Analysis Options (if selected) Seattle, USA (default test location) Uses consistent hardware across all locations Does not use Lantern

Mobile – 412×823 / Desktop – 1350×940 (default) Uses default Lighthouse audits Lab and field data both available Fiber Connection (default) Applies Analysis Options (if selected) South Carolina, USA (default test location) Unknown hardware specs (cloud) Likely uses Lantern for simulated throttled tests

Pros of SpeedVitals

• Free plan available:
  • SpeedVitals offers a free plan that offers 15 tests/week, 1 month report retention, 10 test locations and 1 Daily Monitored Slot.
  • You also get Real User Monitoring (RUM) on 1 site (upto 5000 page views), as well as TTFB testing in 30 locations.
  • Paid plans start at $19/month and offer various additional features.
• Extensive testing options:
  • SpeedVitals offers a range of Analysis Options on both desktop and mobile (around 20 devices), including 35 test locations, connection throttling, video generation, customer User-Agents, cookies, ad-blocker, etc.
  • You also have access to Batch testing i.e., testing multiple pages or testing a URL across multiple locations or devices in one go.
• Breadth of insights:
  • SpeedVitals reports primarily focus on Lighthouse metrics but you also get a Filmstrip, page breakdown, Web Vitals insights, Waterfall Chart, audits, video generation, and report history.
  • You can monitor your TTFB (paid plans only), and get RUM data to compare with your lab (synthetic) results for a better overall picture of your web performance.
  • Additionally, SpeedVitals also offers a Web Vitals checker and an Image Compressor tool to compress and convert images to various formats.

SpeedVitals is a web performance tool that should be familiar to users who have used GTmetrix.

Cons of SpeedVitals

• Missing some useful features:
  • While SpeedVitals has many great features, it does miss a few useful features that other tools provide.
  • For example, there is no report comparison feature for a quick and easy side-by-side comparison of different pages or different test results.
  • You also do not have Dashboard Filters or History Graphs (for non-monitored pages) for easy tracking and categorization of reports.
• No Hourly Monitoring for Website Speed Monitoring:
  • Hourly monitoring is very useful to keep a finer pulse on your web performance and to proactively respond to potential issues before they impact your website.
  • SpeedVitals does not offer hourly monitoring for website speed monitoring on any plan, unlike most other tools that offer monitoring.
  • Hourly monitoring is available for TTFB monitoring though, but only on the Ultimate plan.
• Some Free plan limitations:
  • While the Free plan will be sufficient for some users, there are some useful features (which go hand-in-hand with other available features) that are only available on the paid plan.
  • For example, you can monitor 1 page on a daily frequency, but alerts are only available on paid plans, which can be frustrating for some users.
  • Similarly, Weekly Digest is also only offered on the paid plans.

The SpeedVitals Report has a somewhat similar look and feel to the GTmetrix Report.

Conclusion

SpeedVitals offers a familiar, GTmetrix-style experience with a clean interface, wide array of testing options, and built-in monitoring.

GTmetrix delivers a similar approachable experience but with deeper analysis, clearer guidance, and more mature performance tracking capabilities, including hourly monitoring.

As a purpose-built product that’s been in the performance space for many years, GTmetrix offers the reliability and depth you need to understand changes as they happen and catch issues before they affect your visitors.

In short, SpeedVitals covers the basics very well while GTmetrix gives you a more dependable, in-depth view of your site’s performance, backed by monitoring built for ongoing, real-world use.

Get started with a Free GTmetrix account now and give us a try!