WordPress provides a ton of benefits, but there are some downsides. One of the biggest knocks on the open-source CMS is that is it can be slow if it's not optimized properly.
Many different factors can slow down the speed of your WordPress website, including image size, the server it's hosted on, coding structure, and user behavior. You can try changing these things yourself, hire a WordPress developer, or work with a speed optimization expert. In this article, we'll share some of our favorite services that can help you speed up your WordPress website.
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Best WordPress Speed Optimization Services
1. WP Speed Fix
Best overall WordPress Speed Optimization Service
Google penalizes websites that take too long to load, which can lead to a loss of clients. As a result, they aid in time-saving and a better ranking. To begin with, WP Speed Fix gathers information about what is causing the problem in the first place.
They correct it as soon as they identify it. Then, as soon as the problem with the site's performance has been solved, the focus shifts to speed it up.
WP Speed Fix offers a free site speed review. All you need to do is complete a form, and you will receive the results within one business day or less. But for a faster site, the charge starts at $249 to implement its optimization plan.
Features
- WordPress optimization
- Caching configuration and tuning
- Sets HTTP2 and HHTPS protocol
- Fix 404 errors
- WordPress database cleanup
- Free audit reports and regular reporting
- VPS migration for sub 1-second load times
- HTAccess optimization
- Video and image optimization
Pros
- Strong reputation for good customer service
- Quick, effective service
- They share insight to help customers maintain a fast site
Cons
- It only offers two plans
- Cost is prohibitive for personal websites
2. WP Buffs
WP Buffs is a premiere WordPress speed optimization company that offers several packages for different needs. They provide WordPress website management and support services available around the clock to help businesses flourish online.
They also offer a variety of custom, comprehensive managed services to help your WordPress-powered website operate at peak performance. Maintain plan starts at $79 that includes Weekly WP Updates, 24/7 Emergency Support, 24/7 Uptime Monitoring, Google Analytics Integration, and Weekly Reports.
Features
- Unlimited edits
- Performance enhancements
- Daily maintenance
- Security troubleshooting
- Plugin updates
- Google Analytics installation
- Desktop and mobile optimization
- Backups and restoration
- Website management services
Pros
- Weekly website reports
- Daily backups
- White Label WP support for your clients
- Customizable plans and services
Cons
- Several complaints about slow response time and poor customer service
- Slow onboarding
- Multiple pricing plans can be confusing
- Security is not included in the basic tier plan
3. WP Tangerine
WP Tangerine is one of the top unlimited WordPress companies on the market. They have the ability to help you optimize every aspect of your website, including design, user experience, and functionality.
WP Tangerine takes care of all your WordPress needs through several service packages. Their Basic plan, which charges $197 per month, gives you a Dedicated developer, designer, client manager, and QA Specialist. You can use this resource to focus on identifying ways to speed up your website.
Read our WP Tangerine review.
Features
- Theme and plugin updates
- 24/7 unlimited requests
- Site restoration
- Site backups
- Uptime monitoring
- WooCommerce support
- Graphic design tasks for the higher plan tiers
Pros
- Receive a dedicated client manager, developer, designer, and WooCommerce expert.
- Includes graphics with tasks.
- They remove malware
- Affordable basic plan
- Experienced company with a strong reputation
Cons
- Daily hour caps are limited to your plan
- Does not include a task management system, but you can use your own
- Does not create new WP plugins
4. WP Runner
Based in Brisbane, Australia, WP Runner is our #1 recommended provider for monthly WordPress maintenance and support. They offer a complete range of services for all things WordPress, as well as additional website and marketing related tasks.
WP Runner's monthly maintenance plan provides unlimited updates to core files, plugins or themes; installation of new releases; performance optimization via caching and database optimization; security monitoring & remediation on an ongoing basis and first response within one hour in the event of an emergency.
Read our WP Runner review.
Features
- Bug fixes
- Site speed audits
- Customer service suite
- Uptime monitoring
- Monthly performance and security audit
- Weekly site backup
- Offers 20 website training videos
Pros
- Offers excellent value compared to other providers
- Includes uptime monitoring
- Senior developers do the QA code testing
- WooCommerce and eCommerce platform expertise
- Deliberate deployment methods
- 24/7 services and audits
- Personalized, dedicated service
Cons
- The task dashboard is not user-friendly
- Australian-based, which can make communication tough
5. UnlimitedWP
UnlimitedWP is a one-stop solution for all your WordPress needs.
The company provides various services ranging from design services to speed optimization, security, and optimization. If you are looking for an agency that can do it all, Unlimited WP is the way to go!
UnlimitedWP's WordPress speed optimization service takes care of all the tedious tasks, so you don't have to! Speed optimization service that starts at $497 per month.
Read our UnlimitedWP review.
Features
- New website design
- Website Redesign
- Plug installation
- Theme customization
- Landing page development
Pros
- Developers assist with other website tasks including security, malware, page speed, and more.
- They offer PSD to HTML and other WordPress needs.
- Includes QA testing
- They offer a custom task management system that you can white label
- Affordable prices, especially for agencies
Cons
- Capped daily tasks based on the plan, cannot batch hours in shorter periods.
- They do not use outside task management systems
- Does not include graphic design
- May not be the most effective solution for small blog owners, but they are ideal for agencies.
6. Convertica
Convertica is a conversion rate optimization company that allows you to maximize revenue for your online business.
They help online businesses generate more bottom line profit by increasing existing value per visitor by using tried-and-tested conversion techniques that are validated by split testing. They provide a number of services and design a campaign tailored to your business goals.
Because slow websites can impact conversions, Convertica would be a great company to not only look at page speed, but other elements that impact your conversion funnels and revenue.
Features
- Free website audit
- Data analysis
- Split testing
- End-to-end reporting
- Website design improvements
Pros
- Personalized services
- Leverages split-testing for data-driven strategies
- Regular communication about the progress of your site
- Customers rave about the efficacy of their CRO services
Cons
- Pricing is not up-front. They require data from Google Analytics to give you a pricing quote
7. Fix My Site
Fix My Site is a leading WordPress speed optimization company offering the best in both on-site and off-site performance solutions.
Their “Speed Optimization” plan, priced at a one-time payment of $99, ensures that your website is optimized for speed, your pages load quickly, and visitors stay entertained. They also offer different services like Redesigning, Migration, and Malware Removal.
Features
- WP optimization
- Website repair
- Malware removal
- Website redesign
- Small tasks including text, image, layout, or feature updating.
Pros
- Responsive customer service
- Offer guidance to site owners to prevent additional issues
- They aim to address site problems fast
- Simple process to request support
- Affordable prices
Cons
- A few complaints about service time
- As a small company, they can get bogged down by an influx of requests
How Do I Optimize My WordPress Speed?
There are a number of different ways to speed up your WordPress website with and without plugins. Here are some popular ways to reduce page load times and improve site performance:
1. Install an SSL Certificate
SSL, short for Secure Sockets Layer, is a standard security protocol for establishing encrypted links between a web server and a browser in an online communication. The usage of SSL technology ensures that all data transmitted between the web server and browser remains encrypted.
One of the key benefits of using SSL is it works with HTTP/2, which has a key focus on performance improvements. By installing an SSL certificate, your site will be able to make use of HTTP/2, which can help result in faster page load times.
2. Reduce Number of Plugins
The more plugins you use, the slower your site can be. It helps to reduce the amount of plugins you use because some are outdated and slow. Often times, plugins are left activated and can chew up unnecessary bandwidth by working in the background.
3. Use a CDN
CDN, short for content delivery networks, accelerate website speed by caching your frequently accessed files on different edge servers spread across the world. This is one of the most effective ways to speed up your website. It would help if you chose a CDN for WordPress for best results.
4. Minify Files
Minifying files means compressing them into the smallest size possible while still keeping their functionality intact. This makes it easier for your website to load.
6. Use Better Hosting
If your website is slow, you may need to change your hosting provider. Usually, lower-priced providers are not good because they use cheaper servers that are slower to respond.
Make sure you use a web host that prioritizes technology and speed. A number of shared hosts also now have packages specifically dedicated for WordPress websites.
7. Remove Query Strings
Query strings are the extra information at the end of a URL that allows you to see different versions of your page in the Google Search results.
If you remove them, your page will load faster. You can do this by going to your WordPress Dashboard and going to Settings>Permalinks>Default Directory or Date & Name, depending on which one you have selected.
8. Improve Code Architecture
WordPress doesn't load when there are unnecessary tags in the page's HTML code, so you should learn how to write clean WordPress code for best results. If you aren't doing the coding, make sure to vet the themes and plugins that you use thoroughly.
9. Learn How to Use Caching Plugins
Caching is one of the main factors that impact WordPress speed. If you don't use a caching plugin, users may need to load files and images every time they hit your website. This creates unnecessary loads on the server that can bottleneck traffic. If you're looking for a high-quality WordPress caching plugin, we recommend WP Rocket.
10. Remove Unnecessary Files
WordPress may sometimes make copies of your posts and pages for various reasons, which will slow it down. You need to check these files before changing any settings to ensure that you are optimizing them correctly.
How Much Does Website Speed Optimization Cost?
It depends on the type of service, but most WordPress websites can be sped up without breaking the bank. In our experience, most businesses will typically pay between $100-$200 for a fixed tune up. If you want to hire a freelance developer, then it might cost more as you'll need to pay them hourly. Paying a competent developer in the United States can cost between $40-$60/hour and they will likely need at least 5-6 hours to diagnose issues and implement some changes.
Beyond making direct changes to your site, there are number of third-party plugins, technology and software that can also impact cost. For example, using a CDN can require additional subscription costs depending on the service you choose. There are also a number of free and paid caching plugins on the market.
As you can see, there are many factors at play here. It's not as simple as throwing money at it to speed up your WordPress website. If someone offers you a quick fix for cheap, then they probably won't be able to provide you with a great solution.
If you are solely interested in cost savings, then we would recommend hiring an Unlimited WordPress Development company that can provide a number of ongoing services. These types of companies can initially help speed up your website, but they can also provide continuous maintenance and support, saving you time and money in the long run. You may pay this company more money up-front, but you can use the additional resources to make other updates to your site.
Summary
WordPress websites are often slow to load because of poorly designed themes, excessive plugins and scripts, server configuration, and hosting packages. WordPress speed optimization services can help your website load faster by identifying and ultimately fixing these technical issues.
No matter what the problem is, there's a service that will work for you, and it won't break your budget either! You may already know some basic web optimization concepts like minifying code files, compressing images, and generating sitemaps, but if not – no worries! These services will help you learn about those as well as other tricks to speed up your website. If you don't want to pay for a service, use the tips from this article to optimize your site yourself.
Stefan Schulz
Geoff Cudd
