Skip to content

Format vs HSTS

Based on 11 and 3637 real audits

View Format details | View HSTS details
MetricFormatHSTSWinner
Performance6354Format
Accessibility9790Format
Best Practices7990HSTS
SEO10092Format
Security7374HSTS
TTFB645ms421msHSTS
Composite8078Format
Performance
Format
63
HSTS
54
Accessibility
Format
97
HSTS
90
Security
Format
73
HSTS
74
SEO
Format
100
HSTS
92
Composite
Format
80
HSTS
78

Format outperforms HSTS in 4 of 7 categories, with a stronger composite score (80 vs 78). HSTS leads in best practices, security, TTFB.

When to choose Format

Choose Format when your primary concern is performance and SEO. Its audit data shows consistent strength in these areas across the sampled sites.

When to choose HSTS

Choose HSTS when your primary concern is server response time and best practices. Its audit data shows consistent strength in these areas across the sampled sites.

How this comparison was built

Scores are medians across 11 audited Format sites and 3637 audited HSTS sites in the BeaverCheck database. Every audit runs the same 100+ checks — Lighthouse performance, security headers, accessibility, SEO, server response time — against a real URL. No vendor input, no sponsorship, no affiliate links. Read the full methodology →

FAQ

Which is faster, Format or HSTS?
Based on real BeaverCheck audits, Format sites score higher on Lighthouse performance (63 vs 54 on average).
Which has better security, Format or HSTS?
HSTS sites score higher on security analysis (74 vs 73 on average).
Which has better accessibility, Format or HSTS?
Accessibility scores measured by Lighthouse WCAG 2.1 checks favor Format (97 vs 90). Both technologies can be made fully accessible with care — the difference reflects common patterns in the sampled sites, not inherent platform limits.
Which is better for SEO, Format or HSTS?
Format sites score higher on Lighthouse SEO signals (100 vs 92 on average), which cover meta tags, crawlability, mobile friendliness, and structured data. Content strategy and backlinks still matter more than platform choice for ranking.
Which has faster server response (TTFB), Format or HSTS?
HSTS sites show lower Time to First Byte (421 ms vs 645 ms on average). TTFB depends heavily on hosting and CDN setup rather than the technology itself, but the sampled sites suggest a meaningful difference in common deployment patterns.
Should I choose Format or HSTS for my website?
Both platforms have trade-offs. Format scores higher on overall composite score while Format may excel in metrics you care about most. Run a free BeaverCheck audit on a real site using each to compare the metrics relevant to your use case.
Audit your own site

Send Feedback