How We Test: Server Testing Methodology

How We Test Web Hosts

Instead of relying on promotional claims, we purchase actual, basic hosting plans under anonymous accounts and run continuous test applications.

1. Continuous Uptime Tracking

We ping our test websites every 60 seconds from multiple geographic endpoints. We calculate total server uptime as a percentage over 30, 90, and 365 days. We require a minimum baseline of 99.9% uptime.

2. TTFB (Time to First Byte) Latency

TTFB measures the responsiveness of a web server. We run automated requests to capture server handshake and processing duration, calculating the median speed in milliseconds (ms).

3. Core Web Vitals (LCP) Tests

We set up standard WordPress configurations on each host using lightweight page designs. We measure Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) via automated headless browser clients to simulate real visitor load times.

4. Support Test Scenarios

We query live support chats at random times (business hours, holidays, and midnight) with standard infrastructure questions (e.g. database optimizations and PHP memory adjustments). We grade support agents based on response speed and technical accuracy.