1. WP Rocket – Fast Results Without the Fuss
This one’s my go-to caching plugin.
WP Rocket isn’t like other caching tools that need tons of setup. You install it, toggle a few settings, and boom—things speed up. It handles:
- Page caching
- GZIP compression
- Lazy loading
- Browser caching
- CDN support
I once cut 2.3 seconds off a slow sales page just by activating WP Rocket and doing the basics.
Quick tip: Use it alongside a solid CDN like BunnyCDN to boost performance worldwide.
2. Perfmatters – Clean Out the Clutter
WordPress loads a lot of extras by default. Emojis, embeds, unused scripts—it adds up quickly.
Perfmatters gives you a clean interface to turn all that off. What I love most is the Script Manager. You can disable unused CSS and JS per page, delay non-critical scripts, and even load Google Fonts locally.
On one WooCommerce project, just removing unnecessary scripts cut the homepage size by over 500 KB.
3. ShortPixel – Image Optimisation That Works
Images are often the biggest reason your site feels heavy.
ShortPixel compresses them without killing the quality. It converts to WebP or AVIF automatically and handles everything from thumbnails to background images. Both lossy and lossless modes are available.
In one case, I reduced a page’s total weight from 3.8 MB to under 1.5 MB just by running a bulk image optimisation.
4. Flying Scripts – Delay JavaScript the Right Way
JavaScript files, especially from third parties, can be major speed blockers. You don’t always need them to load right away.
Flying Scripts lets you delay JS execution until the user interacts with the page. I’ve used it to delay chat widgets, Google Analytics, and Intercom. One client site saw a 35-point boost in its Lighthouse score.
5. Asset CleanUp – Only Load What You Need
Ever noticed how some plugins load their CSS and JS on every single page?
Asset CleanUp lets you control that. You can choose exactly where styles and scripts should load. I regularly use it to remove:
- Form scripts from pages that don’t use forms
- Slider scripts from blog posts
- Icon libraries like Font Awesome where they’re not required
This kind of fine-tuning helped me drop one site’s initial HTTP requests from 112 to 63.
Final Thoughts
Speed isn’t about obsessing over a perfect 100 on PageSpeed. It’s about building a fast, smooth experience that works for real people on real devices.
These plugins are my go-to picks when I’m focused on performance-first development. I’ve used them across multiple client projects and always see real improvements. Just remember—plugins help, but strategy is what makes the difference.
Want to see this in action? Check out my portfolio and take a look at some real-world sites built with performance at the core.
