Varvy was a free SEO tool created by Patrick Sexton that checked websites against Google’s own guidelines for page speed, mobile-friendliness, and accessibility. It was distinctive for its focus on first-party Google standards rather than proprietary metrics, and its visual report format made it easy to understand which guidelines a page was meeting and which it was failing. For its time, it was one of the most clearly presented compliance-checking tools available.
The tool covered areas including render-blocking resources, image optimisation, HTTPS implementation, mobile viewport configuration, and accessibility basics, each with a clear explanation of why Google considered the factor important. For site owners learning about technical SEO fundamentals, Varvy’s reports were educational as well as diagnostic. The site also included detailed written guides to each of the areas it checked, making it a valuable learning resource as well as a testing tool.
Unfortunately, Varvy is no longer available. The tool was taken offline and the domain now redirects elsewhere, which means you can’t use it for new checks. If you’re looking for free alternatives that cover similar ground, Google’s own PageSpeed Insights tests performance and Core Web Vitals, the Rich Results Test covers structured data, and Google Search Console surfaces mobile usability issues across your entire site. None of them replicate Varvy’s all-in-one simplicity exactly, but between them they cover the same territory with authoritative data directly from Google.