GitHub|Since 2007
Wptr Lab

USFlywheelvsM5 HostingUS

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
M5 Hosting
WPTR Score7851 ms
Rank#846
TTFB1475ms
Time to 1MB2666ms
Score7851
LCP1875ms
FCP1675ms

Our Verdict

Flywheel wins with 594ms TTFB (vs M5 Hosting's 1475ms)

TTFB Breakdown (Connection Phases)

PhaseFlywheelM5 HostingWinner
DNS Lookup18ms737msFlywheel
TCP Connection7ms183msFlywheel
TLS Handshake13ms181msFlywheel
Server Processing549ms352msM5 Hosting
Total TTFB587ms1453msFlywheel

Technology & Security Features

Flywheel

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

M5 Hosting

Server/CDNnginx
HSTS Enabled
Brotli Compression Disabled
HTTP/3 (QUIC) Disabled
Page Size242.9 KB
2/3
Flywheel Security Features
1/3
M5 Hosting 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.