GitHub|Since 2007
Wptr Lab

itCloudFirevsCriticalCaseit

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

Test Date: 2/25/2026

CloudFire
WPTR ScoreWinner344 ms
Rank#333
TTFB852ms
Time to 1MB110ms
Score344
LCP1252ms
FCP1052ms
CriticalCase

CriticalCase

View Details →
WPTR Score3400 ms
Rank#807
TTFB3950ms
Time to 1MB552ms
Score3400
LCP4350ms
FCP4150ms

Our Verdict

CloudFire wins with 852ms TTFB (vs CriticalCase's 3950ms)

TTFB Breakdown (Connection Phases)

PhaseCloudFireCriticalCaseWinner
DNS Lookup1ms43msCloudFire
TCP Connection4ms54msCloudFire
TLS Handshake8ms51msCloudFire
Server Processing67ms1927msCloudFire
Total TTFB80ms2075msCloudFire

Technology & Security Features

CloudFire

Server/CDNcloudflare
HSTS Enabled
Brotli Compression Disabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Enabled
Page Size146.7 KB

CriticalCase

Server/CDNApache
HSTS Disabled
Brotli Compression Disabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Disabled
Page Size399.2 KB
2/3
CloudFire Security Features
0/3
CriticalCase 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.