Still chasing that promised Shopify speed?
Shopify is not as fast as it can be
Shopify's infrastructure is genuinely fast. Server response times average under 18 milliseconds, assets are delivered through a global CDN, and the platform consistently outperforms competitors on raw speed benchmarks. When evaluating platforms, the performance story is compelling. Out of the box, Shopify is fast. So why is the average store running so poorly?
App Accumulation
Need email marketing? Klaviyo goes in. Need buy-now-pay-later? Afterpay gets added. Custom theme, reviews, loyalty programs, chat widgets, analytics tools, marketing pixels; each one addresses a real business need, and each one adds scripts that load on every page of the store, whether they're needed there or not.
The Hidden Ads Penalty
Merchants investing in Google Ads and Meta campaigns are often unaware that their site speed is directly inflating their cost per click. Google factors page experience into ad Quality Scores, which means a slow store pays more for the same traffic. The ad spend is visible; the speed penalty hidden inside it usually isn't.
The Data
Across 10,000+ active Shopify stores, the average mobile PageSpeed score sits at 54 out of 100. Only about 2% of stores achieve 90 or above. About a third of stores score below 50. The average store loads 188 separate requests and nearly 5MB of data on mobile before the page becomes usable.
The Opportunity
The performance gap between a well-optimised Shopify store and an average one is a significant competitive opportunity. Google and Deloitte research found that a 0.1-second improvement in mobile load time increases retail conversion rates by 8%. A store that loads in under 3 seconds on mobile, while competitors take 10–15 seconds, captures more of the traffic it's already paying for.
The Evidence
Where the performance actually goes
The performance data across thousands of Shopify stores paints a clear picture of where the speed goes and how quickly it compounds.
Theme selection sets a baseline that's difficult to overcome. Dawn-based themes average 63-72 on mobile with a minimal app stack. Some popular third-party themes sit between 36 and 42. A Dawn theme with zero apps averages about 84. A heavy third-party theme with 7-10 apps averages about 28. Same platform, same infrastructure and a 56-point gap determined entirely by what's been built on top.
Analytics tools impose a stepped penalty. Stores with zero analytics tools average around 75 on mobile. One tool drops the average to about 60. Two tools bring it to 54. Three or more lands around 45. Most stores running paid advertising already carry 4-5 analytics scripts before a single Shopify app enters the picture.
BNPL providers add another layer. Stores with buy-now-pay-later apps installed average about 45 on mobile. Individual BNPL apps correlate with 9-11 point score reductions. The scripts load globally, on every page, not just checkout or product pages where the payment option is relevant.
Scores above 90 are achievable with a full app stack. Stores can and do score 90+ on mobile with multiple tracking apps, BNPL providers, and third-party integrations in place. It always requires a tailored, per-store approach. This requires engineering work, not an app install.
Average PageSpeed score reduction per app
Each of these popular apps correlates with a measurable drop in mobile PageSpeed score across thousands of stores.
Performance Engineering Unlocked
Fontis is a Melbourne-based ecommerce engineering agency. A team of experienced developers with 20+ years of experience building, integrating, and optimising commerce systems for high-performance Australian brands on many platforms.
We Keep What Works
For most Shopify stores, the answer isn't removing the apps that are critical to driving the business. Klaviyo generates revenue. Afterpay increases average order value. Review apps build trust. The real work is engineering how these tools load; deferring scripts, conditionally loading functionality, and refactoring unnecessary weight.
Engineers, Not Automated Tools
Fontis performance engagements are handled by experienced engineers who understand ecommerce architecture, not by automated tools running a checklist. The analysis covers theme code, app scripts, third-party resource loading, analytics implementation, and the interactions between all of them. Fontis identifies the problems and implements the fixes.
Vendor-Agnostic Advice
Fontis takes no commissions from app providers or platform partners. That means we'll tell you honestly when an app is dragging the store's score down, and whether a lighter alternative exists. Our recommendations are based on what's best for the store, not what earns a referral fee.
Competitive Advantage
When the average competitor in a category scores 45-55 on mobile, a store scoring 85+ loads in a fraction of the time and captures conversions the rest of the field is losing to bounce rates. Brands that have gone through this process are seeing their stores perform the way Shopify's infrastructure was intended: fast, stable, and fully functional, while competitors leave significant performance on the table.
Analysis, Fixes, and Reporting Included
Shopify performance packages
Every engagement starts with a free 30-minute discovery call. We run performance diagnostics beforehand so the conversation is grounded in real data from the start. From that call, we recommend the right package and give a clear picture of what's included before any commitment is made. Each package includes the analysis, the fixes, and a written report documenting everything that was done.
Performance Fix
Essentials
For Shopify stores with a standard theme and a moderate app stack (3-8 apps).
Best for: standard themes, 3-8 apps, no page builders
Analysis: Full PageSpeed and Lighthouse analysis across homepage, collection page, and product page on mobile and desktop. App stack review and theme assessment. Core Web Vitals breakdown.
Fixes: App code and script cleanup and consolidation. CSS and JavaScript optimisation. Core Web Vitals remediation.
All work in non-production environment (if available). Written report with before-and-after data.
Performance Fix
Advanced
For complex setups with custom themes, larger app stack (8-15+ apps), page builders.
Best for: custom themes, 8-15+ apps, page builders
Everything in Essentials, plus: Full waterfall analysis and script execution audit across 5 key templates. Third-party script audit with per-script impact measurement. Mobile-specific optimisations. App rationalisation recommendations.
Issues outside common-fix scope documented in a prioritised roadmap.
Custom Engagement
Enterprise
For Shopify Plus merchants with complex integrations, Hydrogen or other headless frontends, multi-storefront setups, or stores needing deeper analysis.
Best for: Shopify Plus, headless sites, extensive backend integrations, multi-storefront
Based on the needs of the store, such as theme architecture overhauls, integration performance work (ERP, WMS, OMS, middleware), multi-storefront analysis, competitive benchmarking, and POS analysis.
Scoped and quoted after the discovery call.
How It Works
Discovery Call
A free 30-minute conversation with us. The store's performance is diagnosed before the call so the discussion starts with real data. The call covers the store's current situation, what's likely driving the performance issues, and which package is the right fit. No obligation.
Analysis and Fixes
Once a package is selected and collaborator access is granted, Fontis engineers analyse the store and implement the fixes in a non-production environment, if available. Changes are made to the live store only after you review and approve the work.
Deployment and Reporting
Once approved, the optimised theme is deployed to the live store. A written performance report is delivered covering the analysis findings, a detailed summary of every change made, and before-and-after performance data. For Advanced packages, any issues outside common-fix scope are documented in a prioritised roadmap.
FAQ
Common questions
Shopify was supposed to be the fast platform. It still can be.
A free 30-minute discovery call is the starting point. The store's speed is checked before the call, and the conversation covers what's driving the numbers and what can be done about it. No obligation, no pitch. Just a clear picture of where the store sits and what the options are.