# How To Measure Visitor Performance Cost With BetterShield?

Read BetterShield's sampled measurement of the work it adds to visitor page views.

In **[BetterShield](/)**, **BetterShield’s effect on page speed** can appear on **BetterShield › Overview** after enough visitor samples are available.

## What it does

BetterShield samples one visitor page view in 20 and reports the time and work attributable to its own visitor-facing code. It is not a full site-speed test and does not measure work added by other plugins, the theme, hosting, or the network.

<span id="set-it-up" aria-hidden="true"></span>

## Step 1: Measure Visitor Performance Cost

No switch is required. Leave the site running long enough to collect samples, then return to the Overview.

<figure class="doc-shot">
  <img src="/docs/screenshots/visitor-performance-cost.png" alt="BetterShield Overview where the visitor-facing performance cost card appears with the audit summary." width="630" height="99" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
  <figcaption>Released BetterShield controls shown with example site data. Read the current values on your own site.</figcaption>
</figure>

## Recommended settings

Compare the figure over time and after changing a BetterShield protection that runs on visitor requests. Use a separate performance tool for total page performance.

## What it can break and how to undo

Sampling only measures. It does not change caching or page output. There is no site change to undo.

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## Final Outcome

After traffic supplies enough samples, the card should show a result and its sample context. A low-traffic site may not show it immediately.

<figure class="doc-shot">
  <img src="/docs/screenshots/visitor-performance-cost.png" alt="BetterShield Overview where the visitor-facing performance cost card appears with the audit summary." width="630" height="99" loading="lazy" decoding="async">
  <figcaption>Released BetterShield controls shown with example site data. Read the current values on your own site.</figcaption>
</figure>

## Related

- [Hardening](/docs/hardening/)
- [Troubleshooting](/docs/troubleshooting/)
- [Score and findings](/docs/score-and-findings/)

This is how you can measure visitor performance cost with BetterShield.

Getting Stuck? Feel free to contact our [Dedicated Support Team](/support/).