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Head-to-head · Core Web Vitals Monitoring Tools

GTmetrix vs Grafana Faro

  • Updated Nov 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 1 check side by side
Higher score GTmetrix #2 in Core Web Vitals Monitoring Tools 9.1/10 Paid ✓ 0 of 3 features Visit GTmetrix
Grafana Faro #5 in Core Web Vitals Monitoring Tools 8.7/10 Free plan Free plan✓ 0 of 3 features Visit Grafana Faro

GTmetrix leads on 0 checks, Grafana Faro on 1, and 0 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 1 yes/no, price and count check where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreGTmetrix · 9.1/10
  • Free planonly Grafana Faro

GTmetrix scores higher on our rubric for core web vitals monitoring tools: 9.1 against 8.7 out of 10; our editors rank them #2 and #5.

Grafana Faro offers free plan; GTmetrix doesn't.

GTmetrix is the better fit for teams wanting synthetic and scheduled Web Vitals testing. Grafana Faro is the better fit for grafana users wanting open RUM observability.

  • GTmetrix fits best

    Teams wanting synthetic and scheduled Web Vitals testing

  • Grafana Faro fits best

    Grafana users wanting open RUM observability

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Side by side

Feature GTmetrix 9.1/10 Visit ↗ Grafana Faro 8.7/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.1 8.7
Ranking #2 in Core Web Vitals Monitoring Tools #5 in Core Web Vitals Monitoring Tools
Best for Teams wanting synthetic and scheduled Web Vitals testing Grafana users wanting open RUM observability
Pricing model Paid Free plan + paid
Starting price — $19/mo
Free plan — ✓ (best)
Free trial — —
Deployment Cloud, Browser extension Cloud, Self-hosted
Platforms Web Web
Support Docs Email, Community, Docs
Integrations 7 integrations 6 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features GTmetrix 0/3 · Grafana Faro 0/3
Real-user monitoring Not checked yet Not checked yet
Synthetic monitoring Not checked yet Not checked yet
CI budget checks Not checked yet Not checked yet
Specs
Alert channels Not checked yet Not checked yet
Data retention Not checked yet Not checked yet
Synthetic test locations Not checked yet Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Lighthouse reports include Web Vitals and detailed waterfall charts.
  • Schedules, alerts and history support ongoing performance tracking.
  • Global locations, mobile simulation, REST API and MCP access.
  • Open-source browser RUM with Web Vitals and frontend performance metrics
  • Correlates sessions, errors, traces, geography, and backend observability
  • Runs in Grafana Cloud or self-hosted deployments with OpenTelemetry-JS
Cons
  • No perpetual free plan; access is paid after the free trial.
  • Monitoring frequency and capacity vary by plan.
  • Focused on page performance, not SSL, status-page, ping, DNS or keyword monitoring.
  • Focused on browser applications rather than native mobile apps
  • Pro usage above 50k monthly sessions is billed per additional sessions
  • Enterprise deployment and pricing require a custom arrangement
Our verdict

GTmetrix is a web-based website performance testing and monitoring platform for website owners, developers, marketers, agencies and teams of different sizes. It runs tests in real Chrome browsers from global locations, measuring Lighthouse…

Read the review →

Grafana Faro is an open-source JavaScript web SDK for real user monitoring in browser-based applications. It collects Web Vitals, frontend performance metrics, logs, exceptions, unhandled errors, rejected promises, events, user sessions,…

Read the review →
  1. GTmetrixCore Web Vitals Monitoring Tools 9.1Paid
  2. Grafana FaroCore Web Vitals Monitoring Tools 8.7Free plan

Strengths and trade-offs

  • GTmetrix — where it wins

    • Lighthouse reports include Web Vitals and detailed waterfall charts.
    • Schedules, alerts and history support ongoing performance tracking.
    • Global locations, mobile simulation, REST API and MCP access.

    Where it doesn't

    • No perpetual free plan; access is paid after the free trial.
    • Monitoring frequency and capacity vary by plan.
    • Focused on page performance, not SSL, status-page, ping, DNS or keyword monitoring.

  • Grafana Faro — where it wins

    • Open-source browser RUM with Web Vitals and frontend performance metrics
    • Correlates sessions, errors, traces, geography, and backend observability
    • Runs in Grafana Cloud or self-hosted deployments with OpenTelemetry-JS

    Where it doesn't

    • Focused on browser applications rather than native mobile apps
    • Pro usage above 50k monthly sessions is billed per additional sessions
    • Enterprise deployment and pricing require a custom arrangement

More comparisons

All core web vitals monitoring tools comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Nov 2026

Last updated · How we research and update