Recently, Cloudflare switched to a new speed test module configuration. The new configuration is using Google Lighthouse or PageSpeed Insights, which are FREE services.
Cloudflare’s speed test results are the same ones obtained using the above services, but presented in a “prettier” format - that’s all.
Based on the above, why is Cloudflare requiring that we upgrade our plan (from Free to Pro, etc.) to run more than five tests per month?
Quite honestly, Cloudflare’s speed tests should be unlimited and free for all. Give 'em the pickle!
What about the historical reporting and storage? Should that be free as well?
Given that its beta, I imagine there are plans to expand the feature, tweak the quotas where it makes sense, etc. I’m sure the team will take your feedback here on board before the feature leaves beta.
Yes, let’s see what happens. Perhaps the final (released) version of CF’s speed test module will provide additional features not included or available with Google Lighthouse or PageSpeed Insights. The additional features could then justify charging customers in order to execute more than five speed tests per month.
It is likely that Cloudflare host their own instances of these tools. Servers cost money to rent and each server can run a limited number of tests at any given time.
If you want “unlimited free speed tests”, I’d recommend using the Google-hosted instances of these tools
Great insight. Yes, that’s probably what’s happening.
If CF doesn’t plan to add any other features to their final (released) version of the speed test module, they can save time, money, server space by simply replacing what they have now with a simple link, titled “Run PageSpeed Test” that opens externally. Everybody wins. Manhours saved by not having to maintain the module can then be spent on other modules that are not free.
And yes, we are running the above free speed test services in lieu of Cloudflare’s
Hopefully, feedback contained in this topic will be viewed and analyzed by Cloudflare’s DevOps Team prior to removing the Beta status of the speed test module.
Thank you for your feedback. As you have pointed out, this is a Beta product and we are working on a number of cool additional features in the coming quarters, including:
Scheduling of tests
Multiple test regions
Integrated and improved RUM analytics
Regression Alerting - when your page score decreases
Test History - and charts plotting this over time
Improved Cloudflare product recommendations
CI/CD integration/triggers.
EDIT: Please note these features are being scoped out and again we may have to limit them based on Plan Type. However we will cleary document this.
As mentioned, you can run these tests in a browser or other site. We may consider increasing the number of allowed tests per plan to allow users to consume more. However, as mentioned by other members, the regional testing infrastructure and other features mean we have to take a number of factors into consideration on test quotas. That being said, we will continue to analyze and investigate how we can make our products inclusive for all plans.
Excellent feedback. Thank you for taking your time to share this. Just what the doctor ordered.
Releasing a blog on this topic to share your information with the public would be extremely helpful. Also, via blog comments, you and your team would have an opportunity to gather a few more cool ideas and feedback from the community. Here’s the last blog released by Cloudflare on this topic (or similar).
No worries - we are working on the blog we we wanted to add more details similar to this post about the future and why. Rather than the simplistic runa Lighthouse Test. We really feel this is just the start to the new Speed tab.
Point 1 - Had similar thoughts and makes sense for some future work.
Point 2 - Very valid and great feedback!
Again thanks for the feedback. The PMs and Engineers regularly check the community as we want to make sure what we building is helpful and get insights from all our customers not just Enterprise.
Have a great day and I will let the thread close out.
