GitHub|Since 2007
Wptr Lab

uaCityHostvsFREEhostua

Head-to-head hosting performance comparison based on real test data

Test Date: 2/25/2026

CityHost
WPTR Score1670 ms
Rank#557
TTFB1000ms
Time to 1MB407ms
Score1670
LCP1400ms
FCP1200ms
FREEhost
WPTR ScoreWinner1483 ms
Rank#410
TTFB279ms
Time to 1MB450ms
Score1483
LCP679ms
FCP479ms

Our Verdict

FREEhost wins with 279ms TTFB (vs CityHost's 1000ms)

TTFB Breakdown (Connection Phases)

PhaseCityHostFREEhostWinner
DNS Lookup78ms4msFREEhost
TCP Connection222ms72msFREEhost
TLS Handshake62ms73msCityHost
Server Processing331ms254msFREEhost
Total TTFB693ms403msFREEhost

Technology & Security Features

CityHost

Server/CDNnginx
HSTS Enabled
Brotli Compression Disabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Disabled
Page Size170.5 KB

FREEhost

Server/CDNnginx
HSTS Disabled
Brotli Compression Disabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Disabled
Page Size164.9 KB
1/3
CityHost Security Features
0/3
FREEhost Security Features

TTFB Comparison Over Time

Understanding the Metrics

WPTR Score: Wptr Lab Real-Load Score: (Time to 1MB x 2.4) + TTFB. Raw server & network performance (Lower is better).
TTFB: Time to First Byte - How fast the server responds
Time to 1MB: Time to 1MB - Time taken to download 1MB of data (lower is better)
LCP: Largest Contentful Paint - When main content loads
FCP: First Contentful Paint - When first content appears
Score: Overall performance score (0-100)

A Note on Hosting Selection

While TTFB and performance metrics are important indicators, choosing the right hosting provider involves many other factors: security measures, customer support quality, uptime guarantees, scalability options, and pricing structure. Academic research emphasizes that a balanced approach considering all these aspects leads to better long-term outcomes.

Chizhov, A., & Fesenko, A. (2025). Web hosting companies' client solutions: A study of a strategic standpoint. Corporate & Business Strategy Review. doi.org/10.22495/cbsrv6i1art14

Data in this comparison is obtained through independent tests using our TTFB Checker tool.