Image optimization done right.
Auto-conversion to WebP/AVIF, responsive srcset for mobile/desktop, lazy loading below the fold, eager-load + fetchpriority for the hero. Single biggest LCP win.
SHOPIFY SPEED OPTIMIZATION
Lighthouse 90+ on mobile, measured, in 2-3 weeks.
Most Shopify stores start at 30-50 mobile Lighthouse. We get them to 80-95. LCP, INP, and CLS — fixed and measured against real-user data. You get a written before/after report with scores, screenshots, and CWV deltas. No vague "we made it faster".
Standard sprints from $1,500 USD · 2–3 weeks · 30-day post-fix monitoring
WHAT'S INCLUDED
Six things every speed sprint covers.
Critical CSS extraction.
Above-the-fold CSS inlined in the head; the rest deferred. Eliminates render-blocking CSS and dramatically improves First Contentful Paint.
Third-party script audit.
Most Shopify stores carry 15+ tracking pixels, chat widgets, and review apps that block the main thread. We audit each, defer or replace what we can, and quantify the INP improvement.
Font optimization.
Self-host Google Fonts, preload the WOFF2 you actually use, swap weights, font-display: swap. Eliminates FOIT (flash of invisible text) and reduces CLS.
JS bundle slimming.
Theme JS audited for unused libraries (jQuery + lodash + outdated polyfills). Replace with vanilla JS or minimal Alpine where possible. Tree-shake the rest.
Quantified before/after.
Lighthouse + PageSpeed Insights + Web Vitals real-user metrics measured before and after. You get a written report showing the LCP/INP/CLS deltas. No vague 'we made it faster'.
THE PROCESS
Six steps. Three weeks. Measurable.
Each step has a clear deliverable. The work ships in compounding order: quick wins first (most LCP gain), then deeper optimization.
- 1
Audit & baseline
Day 1-2Lighthouse mobile + desktop, PageSpeed Insights, WebPageTest waterfall, Chrome DevTools Performance trace, real-user CWV from CrUX. Written audit with prioritized fix list.
- 2
Quick wins
Day 3-7Image format conversion, lazy loading, font preload, critical CSS inline, third-party defer. The 80/20 fixes that recover most of the lost score.
- 3
Theme code optimization
Week 2Liquid template optimization, JS bundle slimming, removing unused CSS, fixing layout shift causes (no width/height on images, dynamic ad insertions, web font swap).
- 4
Third-party trim
Week 2-3Audit every <script> tag — pixels, reviews, chat, analytics. Defer non-critical, replace heavy ones with lightweight alternatives, server-side track where possible (Shopify Web Pixel API).
- 5
Validation
Week 3Re-run Lighthouse, PageSpeed, WebPageTest. Real-device testing on iPhone + low-end Android. CrUX monitoring set up so we see real-user CWV improving over the next 28 days.
- 6
Report + 30-day monitoring
Week 3 + 30 daysWritten before/after report with screenshots, scores, and CWV deltas. Real-user monitoring kept active for 30 days. Bug fixes free if any regressions appear.
TOOLS WE USE
What we measure with.
- ✓ Lighthouse + PageSpeed Insights
- ✓ WebPageTest for waterfall + filmstrip
- ✓ Chrome DevTools Performance + Network
- ✓ Sharp for image optimization (WebP/AVIF)
- ✓ Critical (npm) for critical-CSS extraction
- ✓ Shopify Web Pixel API (server-side tracking)
- ✓ Cloudflare or Shopify CDN for edge caching
- ✓ Google Search Console Core Web Vitals report
VS. ALTERNATIVES
Specialist vs freelancer vs generic agency.
| Feature | Xpertshire | Freelancer | Generic agency |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lighthouse audit (mobile + desktop) | ✓ | depends | ✓ |
| Real-user CWV (CrUX) baseline + monitoring | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Image format conversion (WebP/AVIF) | ✓ | depends | depends |
| Critical CSS extraction | ✓ | ✕ | depends |
| Third-party script audit + defer | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Server-side tracking (Web Pixel API) | ✓ | ✕ | ✕ |
| Quantified before/after report | ✓ | ✕ | depends |
| 30-day post-fix monitoring | ✓ | ✕ | extra |
↔ Swipe horizontally on mobile
FAQ
Speed optimization questions, answered.
How much does Shopify speed optimization cost?
Standard projects start at $1,500 USD for a focused 2-3 week sprint. That includes audit, quick wins, theme code optimization, third-party trim, and a written before/after report with measurements. Larger stores or stores with heavy custom code can run $3,500–$6,000 for deeper work. Always a fixed quote.
What Lighthouse score can you achieve?
Most Shopify stores starting at 30-50 mobile Lighthouse can reach 80-95 within our standard sprint. The exact ceiling depends on third-party scripts you must keep (e.g., a checkout chat widget that the merchant won't remove). We commit to a target score in the scoping call after the initial audit.
What are LCP, INP, and CLS — and why do they matter for SEO?
LCP (Largest Contentful Paint) measures how fast your hero image / main heading loads. INP (Interaction to Next Paint, replaced FID in March 2024) measures how fast your page responds to taps. CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) measures how much visible content jumps around during loading. Google uses all three as ranking signals via the Page Experience system. Stores with poor CWV consistently lose traffic to faster competitors.
Can you fix my CWV without changing the design?
Yes — most of our optimization work is invisible to your customers. Image format swaps, font preloading, JS deferring, and CSS critical-path extraction don't change visual design at all. We only touch the design if there's a CLS-causing layout flaw (e.g., an ad slot that loads in and pushes content down) and even then only with your sign-off.
Will my Shopify apps be affected?
We audit every app's <script> impact on speed. For non-critical apps (review widgets, chatbots, popups), we may defer them or load them on user interaction (lazy-init). Critical apps (cart drawer, checkout, currency converter) stay where they are but get optimised. We don't disable apps without your explicit approval.
How long do the speed gains last?
Forever — until something else regresses. Common regressions: theme update from another developer, new heavy app installed, marketing team adding tracking pixels. We include 30 days of post-fix monitoring so we catch regressions early. After that, optional monthly retainer plans monitor + fix at $300-500/month.
Can you optimize a Shopify Plus / B2B / wholesale store?
Yes. Shopify Plus has additional tools we use — Shopify Functions for checkout customisation, Web Pixel API for server-side tracking, Oxygen for headless. B2B stores often have complex pricing logic that we tune for performance. Plus stores typically take 3-4 weeks vs 2-3 for standard.
What if my store is already on a fast theme like Dawn?
Even Dawn stores benefit from optimization once apps + custom code accumulate. We've taken stores from 92 → 99 mobile Lighthouse on Dawn. The bigger gains tend to come from third-party trim and image optimization, not theme code. We'll tell you in the audit if your potential upside is small (<10 points) and recommend skipping if it's not worth the spend.
Want to know your store's potential upside?
Send us your store URL. We'll run a free 10-minute Lighthouse audit and tell you what's realistic to gain (or honestly say "you're already fast enough, don't waste the spend").