🧮 PERFTRACTOR
⌛ Pacing Calculator
Calculate the delay between iterations to hit your transactions-per-hour target.
⌛ Pacing Calculator
Calculate the delay between iterations to hit your transactions-per-hour target.
seconds pacing required
The Formula
Pacing = 3600 × VU ÷ TPH
- TPH = Transactions per hour (business target)
- VU = Number of virtual users
- Pacing = Seconds each VU waits between iterations
How it works
Pacing is the controlled delay between the end of one iteration and the start of the next. Unlike think time (which simulates a user pausing inside a transaction), pacing regulates how often each virtual user starts a new transaction.
Given a business target in transactions per hour and a fixed number of virtual users, pacing spreads the work evenly: each VU must complete 3600 ÷ (TPH ÷ VU) seconds per iteration cycle.
In JMeter, implement pacing with a Constant Throughput Timer or a Flow Control Action; in k6 use sleep() at the end of the iteration; in LoadRunner it is a runtime setting.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is pacing in performance testing?
Pacing is the fixed delay between the end of one test iteration and the start of the next for each virtual user. It controls how frequently transactions are initiated, letting you hit a precise transactions-per-hour target without changing the number of virtual users.
What is the difference between think time and pacing?
Think time simulates a user pausing between individual actions inside one transaction. Pacing is the delay between complete iterations of the whole transaction. Both shape load, but pacing directly sets your transactions-per-hour rate.
How do I calculate pacing for a load test?
Pacing (in seconds) = 3600 × virtual users ÷ transactions per hour. For 36,000 transactions per hour with 100 virtual users, each VU must cycle every 3600 × 100 ÷ 36000 = 10 seconds.