Joomla Extension

Core Web Vitals PageSpeed for Joomla

Real speed for real visitors. Measure LCP, INP and CLS where Google measures them, fix what slows your pages down, and check every change before your visitors see it.

Last Update: 27 Oct 2026

Version: 2.0.0

Compatibility: Joomla 4.2 or newer (tested up to 6.1), PHP 7.2.5 or newer, MySQL or MariaDB

Download free extension Get Pro Get a quote for a full fix

Why Core Web Vitals matter

Google ranks pages by the Core Web Vitals of real Chrome users: how fast the main content appears (LCP), how quickly the page reacts to clicks and taps (INP) and how stable the layout is (CLS). A good PageSpeed score in a lab test does not help if real visitors still wait. This extension works with the numbers that count: the speed of your real visitors.

What it does

Measures real visitors. LCP, INP, CLS, FCP and server response time of real page loads, mobile and desktop, the last 28 days. You see the slowest pages and the exact element that is slow.
Applies safe improvements. Loads the main image first, lazy-loads images and frames below the first screen, loads YouTube and Vimeo players on click, reserves space for images, shows text while fonts load, connects early to font and script servers, defers scripts, minifies HTML and adds browser caching rules.
Tests with Google. Runs PageSpeed Insights from your administrator area and compares the draft with the published settings, so you see the effect before you publish.
Checks your server and site. PHP version, OPcache, page cache, server response of real visitors, the Joomla cache, image formats and other extensions that do the same work.

Safe by design

Every change is a draft first. You check it in a preview on your own site and with PageSpeed Insights; your visitors still get the published settings.
Publish when you are sure. Every published version is kept, and any of them is one click away. One button turns every optimization off.
Switches that can affect scripts or the layout are marked "Check preview".
The extension never changes what Google sees compared to what people see: crawlers and visitors get the same page.
Works with the Joomla page cache, SiteGuarding SpeedUp and popular templates. Cart, checkout and account pages of VirtueMart, HikaShop and J2Store are protected.

Private by design

Speed numbers stay on your own site. No cookies, no IP addresses, no personal data, nothing is sent to other servers. The page address is kept without its query string, for up to 28 days.

Screenshots

Overview: Core Web Vitals of real visitors and the next steps

Real visitors: LCP, INP and CLS on mobile and desktop, the slowest pages and the elements to blame

Optimize: safe switches, a draft you check in the preview, then publish; every version can be restored

PageSpeed: Google tests of the draft and the published settings, with what to fix

Diagnostics: server and site checks that affect speed

Settings: real visitor measurements, the PageSpeed key and who gets the optimizations

Pro, Pages: real visitor speed by template and by page, 7 days to 12 months, CSV export

Pro, Monitoring: weekly PageSpeed tests of your key pages, reports and alerts by email

Pro, Advanced: critical CSS, preloads and priorities per template, scripts and styles per page

Free and Pro

	Free Core Web Vitals PageSpeed	Pro Core Web Vitals PageSpeed Pro
Real visitor measurements	Whole site, 28 days	Per page and template, 12 months, CSV export
What to blame (LCP, CLS, INP elements)	Top 5 for the site	For every page and template
PageSpeed Insights tests	Manual, last 20 tests	Plus weekly monitoring of 10 pages, email reports and alerts
Safe optimizations, preview and rollback	YES	YES
Delay third-party scripts until the first interaction	-	YES
Host Google Fonts locally	-	YES
Engineer tools: critical CSS per template, scripts per page, HTML rules	-	YES

Pro is an add-on to the free extension. Plans for 1, 5 and 25 sites.

After the purchase, download the Pro add-on in your SiteGuarding account, install it next to the free extension and enter your licence key on its Pro screen.

Get Pro

Need it done for you?

Some problems need a developer: a heavy template, a slow extension, a server that answers late. Our engineers review your site, fix the slow parts by hand and check the result on real visitor data. Order a performance audit or get a quote for a full fix.

Get a quote for a full fix

FAQ

Does it replace a cache?

No. It works together with page caches, including the Joomla page cache. For a fast server response use a page cache, for example SiteGuarding SpeedUp.

Will it break my site?

Every change is a draft until you publish it, and you can check it in a preview first. Rollback is one click.

Do I need a Google API key?

Only to run PageSpeed Insights tests from the administrator area. The key is free. Real visitor measurements and all optimizations work without it.

What data does it collect?

Speed numbers of page loads, the page address without its query string, the page type and whether the screen is mobile or desktop. No cookies, no IP addresses, no personal data.

Does it work with VirtueMart and other shops?

Yes. Cart, checkout and account pages of VirtueMart, HikaShop and J2Store are protected from script changes.

Which database does it need?

MySQL or MariaDB, as most Joomla sites use.

Requirements

Joomla 4.2 or newer (tested up to 6.1), PHP 7.2.5 or newer, MySQL or MariaDB.

Download

Free, no account needed. Joomla 4.2 or newer, PHP 7.2.5 or newer.

Download free extension

Installation

1. In Joomla, open System > Install > Extensions > Upload Package File and choose the zip file.

2. The extension and its system plugin are installed and turned on.

3. Open Components > Core Web Vitals PageSpeed. Real visitor measurements start at once. To speed up the site, put the recommended safe set in a draft, check it in the preview and publish.

Pro: install the Pro add-on the same way (it works together with the free extension) and enter your licence key on the Pro screen.

Updates

The free extension updates from siteguarding.com through the Joomla update system (System > Update > Extensions), like any other extension. Pro shows a new version on its Pro screen and installs it with one button. Pro updates come with an active licence.

Changelog

2.0.0
New extension: real visitor Core Web Vitals, safe optimizations with draft, preview and rollback, PageSpeed Insights tests and speed diagnostics.