Perfmatters is a lightweight WordPress performance plugin designed to speed up your site by optimizing code and reducing bloat.
- Free version
- No
- Price
- From $29.95/year
- Category
- Performance
Not announcedBlack Friday deal for Perfmatters
Perfmatters vs ShortPixel
ShortPixel wins 2 of the 3 points we can measure. Here's how they compare on price, features, ratings and deals.
At a glance
| Feature | Perfmatters | ShortPixel |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 7.8/10 | 8/10 (better) |
| Starts at | $29.95/year | $4.99/month |
| Free version | No | Yes (better) |
| Refund window | 30 days | – |
| Billing | Subscription | Free + paid plans |
| Active installs | – | 300K+ |
| Last Black Friday | 30% off (better) | 25% off |
| Category | Performance | Performance |
| Vendor | Perfmatters | ShortPixel |
| Black Friday 2026 | Not announced | Not announced |
Which should you choose?
Choose Perfmatters if…
- Site owners who want manual control over scripts
- Agencies managing several WordPress sites
Choose ShortPixel if…
- WordPress sites with large image libraries
- Agencies managing several client sites
- You want to start free
Features
Perfmatters
- Script Manager
- Lazy loading
- Database optimization
- CDN rewrite
- Bloat removal
ShortPixel
- SmartCompress image optimization
- Bulk optimization
- Automatic WebP and AVIF conversion
- Per-thumbnail control
- WP-CLI and multisite support
- API key aliases for agencies
- Direct Cloudflare integration
Pros and cons
Perfmatters
- Per-page Script Manager removes unused scripts without code
- Lazy loading includes iframe thumbnails for YouTube and Vimeo embeds
- Scheduled database cleanup
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- No free version and no WordPress.org listing
- No lifetime deal
- Each plan includes one year of support and updates
ShortPixel
- Free version is available on WordPress.org
- Automatic WebP and AVIF conversion is included on all plans
- WP-CLI, multisite and WPML support are listed
- 24/7 support is listed for every plan
- Free plan limits are not stated on the pricing page
- AI credits differ by plan, with a fixed monthly allowance on the unlimited yearly plan
Pricing plans
Perfmatters
1 Site - PersonalStarts here
$29.95/year
1 site
- 1 year premium support and updates
- 30-day money-back guarantee
3 Sites - Business
$59.95/year
3 sites
- 1 year premium support and updates
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Unlimited Sites
$124.95/year
Unlimited sites
- 1 year premium support and updates
- Multisite support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
ShortPixel
Plans not listed. See ShortPixel pricing
What Reddit says
Perfmatters
Reddit users ask whether Perfmatters or WP Rocket is the better choice for WordPress performance, in two near-identical threads. The threads contain no verdicts or first-hand experience, so there is no clear praise or complaint.
ShortPixel
Reddit users mostly ask for help with ShortPixel, either pairing it with FastPixel and WP Rocket for site speed or deciding whether its one-time credit pack suits bulk image compression. The threads show interest in the tool, but also doubt about hidden costs and unclear setup.
Perfmatters vs ShortPixel questions
Is Perfmatters better than ShortPixel?
On our comparison ShortPixel comes out ahead on 2 of 3 measurable points. The right pick still depends on what you build.
Which is cheaper, Perfmatters or ShortPixel?
Perfmatters starts at $29.95/year and ShortPixel starts at $4.99/month.
Can I get Perfmatters or ShortPixel cheaper on Black Friday?
Both are on our Black Friday tracker. Perfmatters was 30% off last year. ShortPixel was 25% off last year.
Both products
ShortPixel is an image optimization service that uses advanced compression technology to reduce image size without affecting quality, enhancing page load times and SEO performance.
- Free version
- Yes
- Price
- $4.99/month
- Category
- Performance
Not announcedBlack Friday deal for ShortPixel
