What this tool does
Enter a URL. The tool requests the page and reports the size of the HTML document, the compression used (Gzip, Brotli or none), how much compression saved, and the server’s response time.
What it measures, and what it doesn’t
It looks at the initial HTML document only, plus the compression headers. It does not load the images, stylesheets, scripts and fonts the page refers to, so it will not give you the total page weight that you would see in a browser’s network panel or in Lighthouse. A page can have a small HTML file and still be heavy overall.
So the tool is best for questions about the document itself:
- Is the server compressing HTML? If the page is large and not compressed, enabling Gzip or Brotli is a quick win.
- Is the HTML bloated? Very large HTML often comes from inline CSS or JavaScript, a huge menu, or a page builder’s wrapper markup.
- Is the server slow to respond? The response time includes the server’s work to build the page, which is where slow plugins and no caching show up.
Reading the numbers
Compression typically cuts HTML by a large fraction, and Brotli usually beats Gzip a little. A response time under a few hundred milliseconds for a cached page is healthy. A page that takes over a second to start answering suggests missing page caching or slow PHP. The result is one sample from this server’s location, and it varies from request to request.
If you want to improve it, the WordPress speed tutorial covers caching and server response in detail. Results are cached for 10 minutes. Up to 15 checks a minute are allowed.
Is this the total size of my page?
No. It measures the HTML document only. Images, scripts and styles aren’t included. Use browser developer tools or Lighthouse for total weight.
Gzip or Brotli?
Either is much better than none. Brotli usually compresses a little better. Use whichever your server supports well.
Why is the response time different each time?
It depends on server load, caching and network conditions, so one reading is only a sample.
Why does it show no compression?
The server isn’t sending a Content-Encoding header for this request. Enable compression on the server or in your caching plugin.
What does the response time include?
It includes the time the server takes to build and start sending the page, which is where slow plugins and missing page caching show up. It is a single sample from this server.