Do WordPress Plugins Affect Site Speed?

One of our clients ask me, Do WordPress plugins affect site speed? Great question. see the truth and how to increase your WP site speed

By Claudio Pires
Updated on July 25, 2022
Do WordPress Plugins Affect Site Speed?

Some days ago, one of our clients asked me, Do WordPress plugins affect site speed? Great question. To sum up, plugins may affect website speed, and according to the plugins, it can affect the site load speed. It depends on how the plugins are under development, the code quality, the the plugin’s size, and the files it loads.

Do WordPress Plugins Affect Site Speed?

Do WordPress Plugins Affect Site Speed - slow
Do WordPress Plugins Affect Site Speed – Slow Load

Yes, The reason is that more code relates to the infrastructure. Therefore, you need to have that shrunk for your website to run fast. Naturally, a slower website would rank lower on SERPs than a faster site, where the average is 2–3 seconds (especially since over 60% of website traffic is from mobile). You can read more on this checklist. So, review if WordPress plugins will affect your website speed.

You should choose your plugins wisely and reject the ones that keep your website slower. Only keep the plugins you are using active and delete any others you aren’t using.  It’s not just the plugins, images, videos, etc., that can also slow down your website. The less you upload to your website and the more you embed instead, the better.

Do WordPress Plugins Affect Site Speed - increase info graphic
Do WordPress Plugins Affect Site Speed – increase infographic

How to Keep Plugins in Control?

The most important thing you can do on your WordPress site is only to use plugins that are well coded, have good reviews, and are recommended by trusted sources. If you find a WordPress plugin affecting your site’s load, look for a better plugin that does the same but better. Next, you need to start using caching and CDN to improve your site’s performance and speed further.

Another factor you should consider is your website hosting. If your hosting servers are not correctly optimized, your site’s response time will increase. This means that not just plugins but your site’s overall performance will be slower. Make sure you are using one of the best WordPress hosting companies.

As a last resort, you can uninstall plugins that you can live without. Carefully review the installed plugins on your website, and see if you can uninstall some of them. This is unrealistic as you will have to compromise on features for speed.

Claudio Pires

Claudio Pires is the co-founder of Visualmodo, a renowned company in web development and design. With over 15 years of experience, Claudio has honed his skills in content creation, web development support, and senior web designer. A trilingual expert fluent in English, Portuguese, and Spanish, he brings a global perspective to his work. Beyond his professional endeavors, Claudio is an active YouTuber, sharing his insights and expertise with a broader audience. Based in Brazil, Claudio continues to push the boundaries of web design and digital content, making him a pivotal figure in the industry.