GitHub|Since 2007
Wptr Lab

USFlywheelvsGlowHostUS

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

Test Date: 2/23/2026

Flywheel
WPTR ScoreWinner2224 ms
Rank#614
TTFB594ms
Time to 1MB682ms
Score2224
LCP994ms
FCP794ms
GlowHost
WPTR Score6603 ms
Rank#831
TTFB632ms
Time to 1MB2300ms
Score6603
LCP1032ms
FCP832ms

Our Verdict

Flywheel wins with 594ms TTFB (vs GlowHost's 632ms)

TTFB Breakdown (Connection Phases)

PhaseFlywheelGlowHostWinner
DNS Lookup18ms317msFlywheel
TCP Connection7ms449msFlywheel
TLS Handshake13ms147msFlywheel
Server Processing549ms170msGlowHost
Total TTFB587ms1083msFlywheel

Technology & Security Features

Flywheel

Server/CDNcloudflare
HSTS Enabled
Brotli Compression Enabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Disabled
Page Size247.3 KB

GlowHost

Server/CDNApache
HSTS Disabled
Brotli Compression Disabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Disabled
Page Size107.1 KB
2/3
Flywheel Security Features
0/3
GlowHost 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.