You don't need to pay anyone to find out whether your website is slow, unsafe or blacklisted. A handful of free tools will tell you in minutes. The hard part is knowing which ones to trust and what the results mean.
Each tool below was checked on 11 October 2026: it exists, it has a free option, and it does what is described. No vendor paid to be here, and there are no affiliate links.
Speed
1. Google PageSpeed Insights
- What it checks: how fast your page loads, using real visitor data from Chrome (the last 28 days, when your site has enough visitors) plus a lab test.
- What to look at: the three Core Web Vitals. LCP (how fast the main content shows), INP (how fast the page reacts to a tap) and CLS (whether things jump around while loading).
- Free: yes. pagespeed.web.dev
2. GTmetrix
- What it checks: load time, page size, and a waterfall of every file the page loads, so you can see exactly what is slow.
- Free: a free account, no card needed. The free account can also monitor one page on a schedule.
- gtmetrix.com
3. WebPageTest
- What it checks: a detailed test from real browsers in many locations, with a filmstrip and video of your page loading.
- Free: the Starter plan is free, with 150 test runs a month.
- webpagetest.org
Security
4. Qualys SSL Labs Server Test
- What it checks: your SSL certificate and how your server's secure connection is set up. You get a grade from A+ to F.
- Free: yes. ssllabs.com/ssltest
5. Security Headers
- What it checks: the security headers your site sends to browsers, which block common attacks. Graded A+ to F.
- Free: yes. securityheaders.com
6. MDN HTTP Observatory
- What it checks: Mozilla's scan of your site's security settings, with plain advice on what to fix. It replaced the old Mozilla Observatory.
- Free: yes. developer.mozilla.org/en-US/observatory
7. Sucuri SiteCheck
- What it checks: visible malware, blacklisting by Google and others, and outdated website software or plugins. It only sees what a browser sees, so it can miss problems hidden on the server.
- Free: yes. sitecheck.sucuri.net
8. Google Search Console
- What it checks: among many things, a Security issues report that tells you if Google found hacked content, malware or phishing on your site.
- Free: yes. You need to prove you own the site once. search.google.com/search-console
Email and domain
9. MxToolbox
- What it checks: your mail records, whether your domain or server is on any of 105 blacklists, and mail server tests.
- Free: the free tools, plus weekly blacklist monitoring for one domain.
- mxtoolbox.com
10. internet.nl
- What it checks: whether your website and email use modern standards: IPv6, signed domain (DNSSEC), secure connections and anti-phishing records.
- internet.nl
Bonus: know when you are down
UptimeRobot checks your site every 5 minutes and emails you when it stops responding. The free plan covers 50 monitors. uptimerobot.com
How to use these without getting lost
- Start with three: PageSpeed Insights, SSL Labs and Sucuri SiteCheck. Ten minutes in total.
- Test your home page and your most important page, for example the contact or product page.
- Fix red items first: malware, blacklisting, an expired or weak certificate.
- Don't chase a perfect score. A fast, safe site that brings enquiries matters more than 100/100.
Or let someone else run them
4ITX offers a free check: send us your domain, and we tell you what's missing. Speed, security, email records and blacklists, explained in plain words.
In short: these free tools show you most of what a paid audit would. Run three of them today, fix the red items, and set up a free uptime alert so you hear about problems before your clients do.
Want the free check, or help reading the results? Book a free 30-minute consultation and we will go through your site together. Want the next guide in your inbox? Use the newsletter box below.
Sources: each tool's own website, checked 11 October 2026; updated 24 October 2026. PageSpeed Insights docs · GTmetrix FAQ · WebPageTest plans · MDN HTTP Observatory launch · Search Console security issues help · MxToolbox plans · UptimeRobot terms.