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PHP vs USWDS

Based on 1104 and 46 real audits

View PHP details | View USWDS details
MetricPHPUSWDSWinner
Performance4743PHP
Accessibility8995USWDS
Best Practices8889USWDS
SEO9191Tie
Security6667USWDS
TTFB458ms529msPHP
Composite7574PHP
Performance
PHP
47
USWDS
43
Accessibility
PHP
89
USWDS
95
Security
PHP
66
USWDS
67
SEO
PHP
91
USWDS
91
Composite
PHP
75
USWDS
74

PHP and USWDS are closely matched, each leading in different categories. PHP has a composite score of 75 while USWDS scores 74.

When to choose PHP

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

When to choose USWDS

Choose USWDS when your primary concern is accessibility 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 1104 audited PHP sites and 46 audited USWDS 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, PHP or USWDS?
Based on real BeaverCheck audits, PHP sites score higher on Lighthouse performance (47 vs 43 on average).
Which has better security, PHP or USWDS?
USWDS sites score higher on security analysis (67 vs 66 on average).
Which has better accessibility, PHP or USWDS?
Accessibility scores measured by Lighthouse WCAG 2.1 checks favor USWDS (95 vs 89). 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, PHP or USWDS?
PHP sites score higher on Lighthouse SEO signals (91 vs 91 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), PHP or USWDS?
PHP sites show lower Time to First Byte (458 ms vs 529 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 PHP or USWDS for my website?
Both platforms have trade-offs. PHP scores higher on overall composite score while PHP 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.
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