WP-Cron vs System Cron for WordPress

When WP-Cron is enough, when a real system cron helps and what to verify before disabling it.

Why this check matters

WP-Cron runs scheduled work when visits arrive. That is convenient for smaller sites but can be late on low-traffic sites or noisy on high-traffic sites.

How to review it

1. List the scheduled events and their expected frequency.
2. Compare actual run times with the site’s traffic pattern.
3. If using system cron, schedule wp-cron.php through the host.
4. Disable the web-triggered cron only after the replacement is running.

Keep the change safe

A disabled WP-Cron without a working system schedule silently breaks updates, emails and cleanup jobs.

How WPVitals uses this signal

WPVitals checks this setting locally and reports the result in the WordPress dashboard. The check is a maintenance signal, so review the site context before changing a setting and test the visitor experience afterwards.