GitHub|Since 2007
Wptr Lab

USCloudflarevsElement CriticalUS

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

Test Date: 2/23/2026

Cloudflare
WPTR Score534 ms
Rank#93
TTFB263ms
Time to 1MB104ms
Score534
LCP663ms
FCP463ms
Element Critical

Element Critical

View Details →
WPTR ScoreWinner442 ms
Rank#19
TTFB53ms
Time to 1MB123ms
Score442
LCP453ms
FCP253ms

Our Verdict

Element Critical wins with 53ms TTFB (vs Cloudflare's 263ms)

TTFB Breakdown (Connection Phases)

PhaseCloudflareElement CriticalWinner
DNS Lookup4ms38msCloudflare
TCP Connection5ms5msTie
TLS Handshake18ms9msElement Critical
Server Processing257ms95msElement Critical
Total TTFB284ms147msElement Critical

Technology & Security Features

Cloudflare

Server/CDNcloudflare
HSTS Enabled
Brotli Compression Enabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Enabled
Page Size942.8 KB

Element Critical

Server/CDNcloudflare
HSTS Disabled
Brotli Compression Enabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Enabled
Page Size218.3 KB
3/3
Cloudflare Security Features
2/3
Element Critical 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.