How we compare
These are all good tools — we use Lighthouse ourselves. The difference is coverage in a single pass.
Capability by capability
| Capability | Lighthouse | Semrush Site Audit | WAVE | LGS |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Performance / Core Web Vitals | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Technical SEO | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ |
| Accessibility (WCAG) | ✅ | ⚠️ | ✅ | ✅ |
| HTTPS and security headers | ⚠️ | ⚠️ | ❌ | ✅ |
✅ Included · ⚠️ Partial — covered, but not the tool’s focus · ❌ Not part of the tool’s stated scope
What we check on top
Areas we cover in the same pass. We make no claim about whether other tools offer them — check their current documentation.
- Conversion and UX signals — competing calls to action, missing social proof, unclear pricing.
- Content veracity — unbacked marketing claims and filler testimonials.
- Design originality — how closely the design matches other sites we’ve audited.
- Passive security — headers, cookie flags, mixed content and exposed secrets, reported without ever reproducing the secret’s value.
- All of it in one pass — 12 specialists, one report, one prioritised action list.
What that looks like on a real run is on the proof page, with the sites named.
About this comparison
Based on publicly available documentation and our own testing as of September 2026. These tools are actively developed and their features may have changed since. All trademarks belong to their respective owners. Local Growth System is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Google, Semrush or WebAIM.