How to Speed Up a Slow Website and What It Costs
Learn what usually makes a website slow on mobile, what a developer can actually fix, how to measure results yourself, and typical Hylance pricing.
Key takeaways
- Most slow websites come down to a few common causes: heavy images, too many plugins and scripts, a bloated theme, weak hosting, and no caching.
- Measure your site yourself before ordering using Google’s free PageSpeed Insights tool, and save the result so you can compare it after delivery.
- Ask the developer for a list of changes, a full backup before they start, and before-and-after measurements for your key pages, not just the homepage.
- On Hylance, a website speed audit with a report of the main fixes starts at about SAR 45 (about $12), and WordPress speed optimization starts at about SAR 90 (about $24) at the time of writing.
A slow website can usually be fixed with familiar steps: compressing and resizing images, removing plugins and scripts you do not need, enabling caching, delaying the loading of anything that does not appear above the fold, and moving the site to stronger hosting if the server itself is slow. Before you order speed optimization, measure your site with a free tool and save the result, then ask the developer for before-and-after measurements for your most important pages. On Hylance, a speed audit with a report of the fixes starts at about SAR 45 (about $12), and WordPress speed optimization starts at about SAR 90 (about $24) at the time of writing.
Why is your website slow? The most common causes
Most slow websites do not have some mysterious issue. Usually, one or two items from this list are the real cause. Knowing them helps you understand the developer’s report and ask the right questions:
- Heavy images: an image that is several megabytes is uploaded straight from the camera, then displayed very small on mobile.
- Too many plugins: in WordPress, for example, each plugin may add files that load on every page even when they are not used there.
- External scripts: tracking codes, chat tools, maps, and embedded videos load from other servers and delay the page.
- A bloated theme: some ready-made themes load more fonts, effects, and page builder tools than your site actually needs.
- No caching: this means saving a ready-made copy of the page so the server does not rebuild it from scratch for every visitor.
- Weak hosting: if the server is slow to respond, other fixes will not help much.
How to measure your website speed yourself before ordering
Open Google’s free PageSpeed Insights tool, paste in your page URL, and choose the mobile result because it is the toughest and the most important for most visitors. You will see a score out of 100 and the Core Web Vitals metrics, which are three measures Google uses for visitor experience:
- LCP: the time until the largest element appears above the fold, such as the banner image or main heading. Google considers it good if it is 2.5 seconds or less.
- INP: how quickly the page responds when a visitor clicks a button or opens a menu. Good is 200 milliseconds or less.
- CLS: how much elements shift and jump around while the page loads. Good is 0.1 or less.
Measure at least three pages: the homepage, a product or service page, and a page your ad visitors land on. Take a screenshot of each result and save it. You will need it for comparison after delivery. And do not worry if the score changes slightly from one test to another. That is normal.
What does a developer usually fix?
This table summarizes the most common fixes and their impact. Not every site needs all of them, and a good audit tells you which ones fit your site first:
| Problem | Fix | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Heavy images | Compress them, convert them to WebP, and set proper dimensions | Usually a quick fix with a big impact |
| All images load at once | Lazy loading: the image loads when the visitor gets close to it | Do not apply it to the top-of-page image |
| Too many plugins | Remove what is not used and replace heavy ones with lighter alternatives | Needs testing after each removal |
| Too many CSS and JavaScript files | Combine and minify them, and defer what is not essential | Can break the page layout if not tested |
| No cache | Enable caching on the server or with a plugin | The cart and checkout pages are excluded |
| Slow server or visitors from distant countries | Use a content delivery network like Cloudflare or move hosting | Moving is a bigger decision and comes after other fixes |
What should you send the developer before they start?
A clear request saves time and protects you from surprises. Send these in the order conversation on Hylance:
- Your website URL and type of site (WordPress, WooCommerce, custom-built site, and so on).
- The links to the three pages you measured and screenshots of their results.
- What must not be changed: the order form, payment gateway, or tracking codes used to measure your ads.
- Temporary access through a separate account for the developer, which you delete after the order is closed, not the password to your main account.
- A clear request to take a full backup before any changes are made.
How do you make sure the result is good at delivery?
Do not rely on a single score screenshot from the developer. Before you confirm delivery, do the following:
- Measure the same three pages yourself and compare them with your old screenshots.
- Open the site on your phone and test the most important actions a visitor takes: search, add to cart, checkout, and the contact form.
- Make sure the images are still clear and the page design has not changed.
- Ask for a written list of what the developer changed and which plugins were removed or added, so you know what to maintain later.
Common mistakes when ordering website speed optimization
- Chasing a score of 100 instead of improving what the visitor actually feels.
- Measuring only the homepage, even though most visitors may enter through product pages.
- Installing three speed plugins together, causing conflicts that slow down or break the site.
- Moving hosting first before knowing the real cause of the slowdown, only to find the site is still slow because the issue was images or the theme.
- Uploading new heavy images after optimization, so the site becomes slow again within weeks.
How much does website speed optimization cost on Hylance?
The following figures are approximate, based on services published on Hylance at the time of writing. The exact price is shown on each service card in your currency. A mobile website speed audit with a report of the top ten fixes ranked by impact is about SAR 45 (about $12), and it is a good starting point if you do not know the cause of the slowdown. WordPress speed optimization and a higher PageSpeed score are about SAR 90 (about $24). Speed optimization for a larger site and improved mobile Core Web Vitals is about SAR 450 (about $120), which suits stores and websites that need deeper changes.
You pay from your Hylance wallet, and the amount stays held by the platform until you confirm delivery. Before delivery, you can cancel the order and the amount returns to your wallet. After delivery, if the work does not match what you agreed on, you can open a dispute for the platform team to review. On your first order, you also get a 10% discount.
Website Speed Optimization Services on Hylance
Mobile Speed Audit and Top 10 Fixes Report
- Programming & Tech
- Recently added
- New service
WordPress Speed Optimization and PageSpeed Improvement
- Programming & Tech
- New service
Improve Your Site Speed and Core Web Vitals on Mobile
- Programming & Tech
- New service
Frequently asked questions
Can a developer guarantee my website will score 100 on PageSpeed?
Do not accept that promise. The score is affected by things the developer may not be able to change, such as your hosting and the external scripts your site needs, like tracking codes and chat tools. Ask instead for clear improvement in Core Web Vitals on your most important pages, with before-and-after measurements.
Do I need new hosting to speed up my website?
Not always. Start with an audit to identify the cause of the slowdown. If the issue is images, plugins, or the theme, fixing those is often enough. If server response time is still slow after that, then hosting is the cause, and moving becomes a logical next step.
How long does WordPress speed optimization take?
A small website is usually optimized in two to three days. A store or larger site that needs theme changes or plugin replacements may take longer. Agree with the developer on the timeline and which pages are included before they start.
Ready to put this into practice?
Browse Programming & Tech services on Hylance and order what your business needs, with escrow that protects both sides. Or create an account and list your first service in minutes.
