Real User Data • FreeCore Web Vitals RUM
Stop guessing. Start measuring. Get Core Web Vitals data from your actual visitors, not lab simulations.
The Problem with Lab Testing
Google PageSpeed Insights is useful, but it doesn't reflect reality.
| Aspect | Lab Testing (PageSpeed) | Real User Monitoring (RUM) |
|---|---|---|
| Test Location | One location (Google servers) | All visitor locations |
| Device Types | One simulated device | All real devices |
| Network | Controlled environment | Real networks (4G, WiFi, etc.) |
| Frequency | Single snapshot | Continuous monitoring |
| Results | Synthetic results | Actual user experience |
| Used by Google for rankings? | No | Yes ✓ |
Google uses Real User data in rankings, not lab data. Shouldn't you measure what matters?
Lab vs RUM: Real-World Example
Here's what we typically see when comparing lab tests to real user data.
| Metric | PageSpeed (Lab) | RUM (Real) | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCP | 1.8s | 3.2s | +78% |
| INP | 120ms | 280ms | +133% |
| CLS | 0.05 | 0.18 | +260% |
| FCP | 1.2s | 2.1s | +75% |
| TTFB | 200ms | 450ms | +125% |
Why the difference?
- •PageSpeed tests from Google's fast servers
- •Your visitors are on mobile 4G (slower)
- •Some visitors are in distant countries (higher latency)
- •Real devices are often slower than test devices
Core Web Vitals Explained
All 5 metrics that matter for user experience and SEO.
| Metric | Full Name | Measures | Good Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| LCP | Largest Contentful Paint | Loading speed | < 2.5s |
| INP | Interaction to Next Paint | Interactivity | < 200ms |
| CLS | Cumulative Layout Shift | Visual stability | < 0.1 |
| FCP | First Contentful Paint | First render | < 1.8s |
| TTFB | Time to First Byte | Server response | < 800ms |
Key Features
Enterprise-grade performance monitoring. Zero cost.
Comprehensive Dashboard
Pass/fail status, trend charts, per-page analysis, device breakdown, and browser stats all in one place.
Smart Alerts
Get notified when LCP, INP, or CLS exceeds your threshold. Immediate, daily, or weekly digest options.
GA4 Integration
Send web_vitals events directly to Google Analytics 4 with all metric values for advanced analysis.
Sample Rate Control
Track 100%, 50%, 10%, or 1% of visitors. Perfect for high-traffic sites.
Privacy-First
IP anonymization, no cookies, no PII. All data stays on YOUR server. Full GDPR compliance.
Minimal Impact
Only ~5KB gzipped, async loading, single API request. Zero impact on your Core Web Vitals.
How Does It Compare?
See why Core Web Vitals RUM is the smart choice for WordPress performance monitoring.
| Feature | CWV RUM | Lighthouse | Search Console | Paid RUM Tools |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free | Free | $50-500/mo |
| Real User Data | ✓ | ✗ Lab only | ✓ (28-day delay) | ✓ |
| Instant Data | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ 28+ days | ✓ |
| Per-Page Analysis | ✓ | ✓ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Performance Alerts | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| GA4 Integration | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ⚠️ Some |
| Data on Your Server | ✓ | N/A | ✗ Third party | |
| GDPR Compliant | ✓ | N/A | ⚠️ | ⚠️ |
Privacy & GDPR Compliance
Your data stays on YOUR server. No third parties, no tracking.
Privacy Features
| IP Anonymization | Last octet removed (IPv4) |
| Cookies | None used |
| PII Collection | None |
| Data Location | Your server only |
| Data Retention | Configurable 1-365 days |
GDPR Compliance Checklist
- ✓Lawful basis: Legitimate interest (performance monitoring)
- ✓Data minimization: Only performance data collected
- ✓Storage limitation: Configurable retention periods
- ✓No third parties: Data stays on your server
- ✓Opt-out option: Admin can disable collection
Get Started in 5 Minutes
Simple setup. Immediate insights.
Install the plugin
Go to Plugins → Add New, search for 'Core Web Vitals RUM', click Install → Activate.
Configure settings
Go to Core Web Vitals in admin menu. Set your sample rate and alert thresholds.
Optional: Connect GA4
Add your GA4 Measurement ID and API Secret to send data to Google Analytics.
Start monitoring
Visit your website to begin collecting data. Check the dashboard for real-time insights.
Frequently Asked Questions
Get answers to the most common questions about our services
PageSpeed Insights uses lab testing from Google's servers. RUM collects data from your actual visitors — their devices, networks, and locations. Google uses real user data in rankings, so RUM shows you what actually matters for SEO.
Minimal impact. The RUM script is only ~5KB gzipped, loads asynchronously, and sends a single API request per page. Zero blocking time. We've measured negligible difference in Core Web Vitals on sites using the plugin.
Yes. All data stays on YOUR server. IP addresses are anonymized (last octet removed). No cookies used. No PII collected. Configurable data retention periods. Full GDPR compliance documentation included.
Absolutely! Enter your GA4 Measurement ID and API Secret, and the plugin sends web_vitals events directly to GA4 with LCP, INP, CLS, FCP, and TTFB values for each pageview.
Use the sample rate control. Set it to 10% or 1% to collect meaningful data without overwhelming your database. Even 1% sampling on a high-traffic site gives statistically significant data.
Data is collected in real-time as visitors browse. The dashboard updates immediately. You can view trends over any time period and filter by device type, page, or browser.
All 5 Core Web Vitals: LCP (Largest Contentful Paint), INP (Interaction to Next Paint), CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift), FCP (First Contentful Paint), and TTFB (Time to First Byte). Plus device type and connection info.
Still have questions?
We'd love to discuss your project and answer any specific questions you might have.
Get in TouchStop Guessing. Start Measuring.
Join thousands of WordPress sites using real user data to improve performance and SEO.