Core Web Vitals have become a major ranking factor with Google’s page experience update. These vital user experience metrics—including Largest Contentful Paint (LCP), First Input Delay (FID), and Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS)—directly impact your SEO, page speed, and user engagement. Whether you’re a developer, marketer, or website owner, choosing the right tools is essential for optimizing performance.
In this guide, we’ll explore the top 10 tools to analyse Core Web Vitals, along with tips on how to analyse Core Web Vitals for SEO performance and how to pass Core Web Vitals assessment successfully.
Best Tools to Analyze Core Web Vitals List
1. Google PageSpeed Insights
Google PageSpeed Insights is one of the most widely used tools for testing Core Web Vitals. It provides both lab and field data for mobile and desktop, making it a must-have for website performance analysis.
Features:
- Shows LCP, FID, and CLS scores
- Suggests specific improvements for performance
- Integrates with Lighthouse and Crux data
How to use PageSpeed Insights for core web vitals: Enter your URL, and it displays vital metrics along with suggestions for improvement. It’s perfect for assessing mobile page performance and provides actionable insights.
It also serves as a reference point in the comparison of core web vitals testing tools, helping site owners and developers evaluate different optimisation strategies. Many WordPress users consider it among the best tools to check core web vitals for WordPress websites.
2. Google Search Console (Core Web Vitals Report)
Google Search Console provides a site-wide overview of real-world performance using Chrome UX Report data.
Features:
- Filters data by mobile and desktop
- Group similar issues for easier fixing
- Tracks historical performance changes
This is essential for understanding how to monitor core web vitals over time and is particularly useful for long-term optimisation. The Core Web Vitals report highlights which pages need improvement and provides a timeline of metric performance, aiding developers and SEO professionals alike.
3. Lighthouse
Lighthouse is an open-source tool built into Chrome DevTools that audits web pages and gives in-depth performance reports.
Features:
- Offers lab data on LCP, FID, and CLS
- Also audits accessibility, SEO, and best practices
- Great for developers needing technical diagnostics
Lighthouse enables web developers to simulate performance issues in a controlled environment, making it ideal for pre-launch testing. It supports audits across different categories, helping teams implement robust optimisation strategies based on actual results. This is especially beneficial when working to Accelerate Your Mobile Site with consistent performance testing.
4. WebPageTest
WebPageTest offers advanced testing options like different browsers and location simulations.
Features:
- Shows waterfall charts and filmstrips
- Detailed metrics for Core Web Vitals
- Allows testing on slow network conditions
For developers looking for deeper insights into resource loading and layout shifts, WebPageTest offers visual diagnostics that are hard to find elsewhere. It’s ideal for conducting a thorough web performance analysis and understanding how real-world conditions affect user experience.
5. GTmetrix
GTmetrix combines Lighthouse and custom analysis to give performance scores, loading breakdowns, and more.
Features:
- Offers Core Web Vitals and traditional page speed scores
- Detailed loading timeline and video replay
- Device and location testing
With GTmetrix, users get a side-by-side comparison of lab results with actionable insights for both desktop and mobile experiences. Its detailed visualizations and insights assist in optimizing page speed and identifying bottlenecks. For WordPress users, GTmetrix is one of the top web vitals plugins for WordPress in conjunction with caching tools. It’s an effective tool for those aiming to Speed Up Your WordPress by identifying bottlenecks and fixing page speed issues.
6. Chrome DevTools Performance Panel
Ideal for technical teams, Chrome’s built-in Performance Panel lets you record performance data for manual deep dives.
Features:
- Visualises rendering, scripting, and user input delays
- Pinpoints layout shifts and long tasks
- Integrates with Lighthouse
It allows for precise tracking of largest contentful paint (LCP) triggers, input blocking that contributes to first input delay (FID), and layout instability leading to cumulative layout shift (CLS). This is a crucial tool for debugging issues that affect mobile and desktop experiences.
7. Treo Site Speed
Treo Site Speed uses Chrome UX Report data to visualise real-user metrics over time.
Features:
- Historical graphs for Core Web Vitals
- Competitive benchmarks
- Mobile vs desktop comparisons
It offers an intuitive way to visualise performance trends, ideal for marketing teams and analysts who need a core web vitals analyser for mobile websites. Treo also helps compare your site’s performance with industry benchmarks, giving context to metric changes. For those evaluating performance and network optimization tools, Treo can be an alternative in exploring Cloudflare Alternatives for faster content delivery.
8. Calibre
Calibre is a premium monitoring tool offering scheduled tests, alerts, and performance budgeting.
Features:
- Monitors Core Web Vitals across URLS
- Custom alerts for performance drops
- Visual and CSV reports
Calibre offers robust team collaboration features, perfect for web development agencies managing multiple client websites. This tool’s scheduling and alert capabilities make it a proactive choice for how to pass the core web vitals assessment consistently.
9. Core Web Vitals Chrome Extensions
There are several free Chrome extensions for web vitals that provide real-time feedback on page performance.
Popular Extensions:
- Web Vitals Extension by Google
- Lighthouse Viewer
- WebPageTest Recorder
These lightweight tools are excellent for developers who need quick insights while browsing or developing locally. They’re often listed among the best Chrome extensions to monitor core web vitals, enabling fast debugging and validation before pushing updates.
10. Pingdom Tools
While Pingdom doesn’t natively show Core Web Vitals, it’s still excellent for general speed and uptime monitoring.
Features:
- Waterfall loading analysis
- Uptime and performance alerts
- Global testing locations
When used alongside other tools like Lighthouse or Google Search Console, Pingdom fills the gap in availability and speed trend tracking. For smaller websites, it’s an accessible solution that complements free tools for a core web vitals audit. For privacy-conscious users or those avoiding Google Analytics, Pingdom can complement platforms like Matomo Analytics in WordPress for GDPR-compliant performance tracking.
Testing Core Web Vitals: Lab vs. Field Data Approaches
When testing Core Web Vitals, it’s important to distinguish between lab data and field data.
Lab Data
Lab data is collected in a controlled environment using predefined device and network settings. This type of data is ideal for debugging performance issues during development or before a website goes live.
Tools that use Lab Data:
- Lighthouse
- PageSpeed Insights (partially)
- GTmetrix
- WebPageTest
Lab data helps simulate potential user experiences and is useful for testing under various conditions. It’s essential when focusing on how to fix a poor CLS score or tools to test the LCP score before launching updates.
Field Data
Field data (also known as Real User Monitoring or RUM) is collected from actual users in real-time, using anonymised Chrome UX Report data. It reflects how users are experiencing a site in the wild and is more representative of real-world conditions.
Tools that use Field Data:
- Google Search Console
- PageSpeed Insights (partially)
- Treo Site Speed
- Calibre
Field data is crucial for how to monitor core web vitals over time and helps identify performance issues that vary by location, device, or network. It’s especially valuable for evaluating mobile page performance and achieving a better understanding of overall user experience metrics.
By using both lab and field data solutions, you can get a comprehensive view of performance and ensure you’re addressing both potential issues and actual user frustrations.
Bonus Tools Worth Exploring
While the above 10 tools are top-tier, here are some top free tools to test core web vitals in 2025 worth mentioning:
- SpeedCurve – Great for visualising performance budgets and historical trends
- Site Kit by Google – Integrates Analytics and Search Console into WordPress
- PerfBeacon – Real-user monitoring tool focused on Core Web Vitals
For WordPress users, web vitals plugins for WordPress, like WP Rocket and NitroPack, can assist with automatic optimisation.
Final Thoughts: Choosing the Right Tool
When it comes to passing the Core Web Vitals assessment, it’s crucial to choose tools that suit your workflow and team size. If you’re using WordPress, the best tools to check core web vitals for WordPress websites are PageSpeed Insights, GTmetrix, and web vitals plugins like Site Kit.
For developers, options like Lighthouse, WebPageTest, and Chrome DevTools offer more granular control. Businesses needing historical data and alerts will benefit from premium platforms like Calibre.
Remember, tools to improve LCP, FID, and CLS metrics are just the beginning. Use these insights to optimise your UX and stay ahead with the page experience update in 2025.
Whether you’re a seasoned developer or a website owner, these top free tools to test core web vitals in 2025 will help you maintain fast, stable, and engaging web experiences for your users.
Investing time in how to analyse core web vitals for SEO performance and understanding which tools help audit core web vitals issues will yield long-term benefits in search rankings and conversions.