What is TTFB?

TTFB stands for Time To First Byte and measures how long it takes before your browser receives the first byte of data from a web server after you request a page. It's a crucial performance metric that indicates how fast your server responds. A low TTFB means a fast server, a high TTFB indicates performance problems.

TTFB is especially important for the perceived speed of your website. Visitors immediately notice the difference between a TTFB of 200ms and 2000ms. Google also uses TTFB as a ranking factor: websites with low TTFB score better in search results. For webshops and news sites where every second counts, TTFB can make the difference between success and losing visitors.

How TTFB Works

When you visit a website, multiple steps happen behind the scenes before you see anything. Your browser first sends an HTTP request to the server. The server must process this request: DNS lookup, establish connection, perform SSL handshake, and route the request to the right application.

Then the server gets to work. For a WordPress site this means: executing PHP code, running database queries, composing content, and preparing the result for transmission. Only when all this is ready does the server send the first byte back to your browser. The time this entire process takes is your TTFB.

TTFB consists of three components: network latency (the time data is en route), server processing time (how long the server needs to respond), and connection overhead (SSL handshake, TCP connection). Of these three, server processing time is usually the biggest factor and also the easiest to optimize.

A good TTFB is under 200 milliseconds. Between 200-500ms is acceptable but can be better. Above 500ms is slow and you really need to optimize. Above 1000ms (one second) is problematic and costs you visitors and Google rankings.

Benefits of Low TTFB

A low TTFB directly improves user experience. Visitors see faster that something is happening after clicking a link. Even if the rest of the page is still loading, a fast first response gives a feeling of speed. This reduces bounce rates and increases engagement.

For SEO, TTFB is essential. Google's Core Web Vitals include metrics that are indirectly influenced by TTFB. A fast server responds faster, improving your entire Largest Contentful Paint (LCP). This gives direct SEO benefits and higher rankings.

For webshops, TTFB has direct commercial impact. Studies show that every 100ms delay in server response time reduces conversions by 1%. For a webshop with €100,000 monthly revenue, 300ms TTFB improvement means potentially €3,000 extra revenue.

For mobile users, low TTFB is even more important. Mobile networks have higher latency than fixed connections. If your server also responds slowly, these delays accumulate. A low TTFB partially compensates for slow mobile networks.

Measuring and Analyzing TTFB

Measure your TTFB with browser developer tools. Open Chrome DevTools (F12), go to Network tab, refresh the page and look at the "Waiting (TTFB)" column for your HTML document. This shows exactly how much time the server needed to respond.

Online tools like GTmetrix, Pingdom, and WebPageTest measure TTFB from different locations worldwide. This is important because TTFB varies by location: a visitor in the Netherlands has different TTFB than someone in Japan. Test from locations where your target audience is.

Google Search Console shows TTFB-related problems under Core Web Vitals. If Google detects slow server response, you get notifications about it. Fix these issues because Google penalty for slow TTFB is real.

Monitor TTFB continuously with tools like New Relic or Datadog. One-time measurements give a snapshot, but performance fluctuates. With monitoring you see trends, detect peak loads, and spot problems before they escalate.

Optimizing TTFB

Upgrade to better hosting if you have structurally high TTFB. Shared hosting shares resources with hundreds of other sites, which increases TTFB during peak hours. A VPS or managed WordPress hosting offers dedicated resources and much lower TTFB.

Implement server-side caching with tools like Redis or Memcached. These systems store frequently requested content in memory, so your server doesn't have to perform the same calculations every time. This can reduce TTFB by 50-80%.

Optimize your database queries. Slow queries dramatically increase TTFB. Use query monitoring to identify bottlenecks. Add database indexes where needed. Avoid SELECT * queries and only fetch what you actually use.

Choose a CDN (Content Delivery Network) with server locations close to your visitors. A CDN serves static content from the nearest server, reducing network latency. For HTML pages you can use edge caching where dynamic content is also cached nearby.

Server Configuration for Low TTFB

Choose the right PHP version. PHP 8.x is significantly faster than PHP 7.x, which is again faster than PHP 5.x. An upgrade from PHP 7.4 to 8.2 can reduce TTFB by 20-30% without other changes. Check with your hosting provider which versions are available.

Increase the PHP memory limit if your scripts use a lot of memory. If scripts have memory problems, they perform worse. A comfortable limit prevents memory swapping and keeps TTFB low.

Use OPcache to store compiled PHP code in memory. Without OPcache, PHP must compile code with every request, increasing TTFB. With OPcache this happens once, after which compiled code is reused. This saves 30-50ms per request.

Optimize your web server configuration. Nginx is often faster than Apache for static content. LiteSpeed combines Apache compatibility with better performance. The choice of web server can make 50-100ms TTFB difference.

TTFB for WordPress Sites

WordPress is notoriously slow without optimization. A basic WordPress installation with popular themes and plugins often has 800-1200ms TTFB. With optimization you can reduce this to 100-300ms.

Use a caching plugin like WP Rocket, W3 Total Cache, or LiteSpeed Cache. These plugins generate static HTML files from your dynamic WordPress pages. TTFB drops to 50-100ms because the server only needs to serve a static file.

Limit the number of plugins. Every plugin adds code and database queries, increasing TTFB. Regularly audit your plugins: deactivate and remove what you don't use. Focus on quality over quantity.

Choose an optimized theme. Page builders like Elementor are visually attractive but heavy and increase TTFB. Lightweight themes like GeneratePress or Astra perform much better. For news sites and blogs this is crucial.

TTFB Troubleshooting

If TTFB suddenly increases, first check server load. High CPU or memory usage indicates resource problems. This can indicate a DDoS attack, traffic spike, or out-of-control process. Via your cPanel or Plesk dashboard you see resource usage.

Test your TTFB from different locations. Is TTFB high for everyone, or only for certain regions? Regional TTFB problems indicate network issues or the need for a CDN. Global TTFB problems lie with your server.

Check external APIs and third-party scripts. If your homepage fetches data from external sources, their speed affects your TTFB. Slow API calls block your server response. Consider caching or async loading for external content.

Monitor database performance. An overloaded or non-optimized MySQL database is often the culprit with high TTFB. Optimize tables, remove spam comments, and clean old revisions. This can significantly improve TTFB.

TTFB and Hosting Choice

Shared hosting has inherently higher TTFB due to shared resources. If you're serious about speed, consider managed WordPress hosting or a VPS. Providers like Kinsta, WP Engine, or cloudvps.nl offer TTFB of 100-200ms by default.

Datacenter location matters. If you host with a provider with datacenter in the Netherlands while your audience is in the Netherlands, you have lower TTFB than with a server in the US. Geographic proximity reduces network latency.

LiteSpeed servers often offer better TTFB than Apache servers. Check if your provider supports LiteSpeed. In combination with LiteSpeed Cache plugin for WordPress you see dramatic TTFB improvements.

Test TTFB before choosing hosting. Many providers offer money-back guarantees. Set up a test site, measure TTFB under realistic conditions, and compare providers. TTFB differs enormously between hosts, even at comparable prices. Check our hosting comparison for providers with low TTFB.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does web hosting cost on average?

Web hosting costs between €3 and €15 per month for shared hosting on average. VPS hosting starts around €10-€20 per month, and dedicated servers from €50 per month.

Can I upgrade to a different package later?

Yes, with most hosting providers you can easily upgrade to a larger package when your website grows. This can usually be done without downtime.

Is Dutch hosting better than foreign hosting?

For Dutch visitors, Dutch hosting is often faster due to the shorter distance. Additionally, communication with support is easier and you comply with GDPR legislation.