# Why is my website slow?

> Find out what's slowing your website down, measure it, and speed it up with caching, smaller images, fewer plugins and the right PHP version.

Source: https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/getting-started/website-troubleshooting/why-is-my-website-slow/

## 1. Measure first

Test your site with a free tool, so you know where the time goes and can see whether changes help:

- [PageSpeed Insights](https://pagespeed.web.dev/) (by Google)
- [GTmetrix](https://gtmetrix.com/)

Test the same page a few times. Look at:

| Measure | What it tells you | If it's slow |
| --- | --- | --- |
| **Time to First Byte (TTFB)** | How long the server takes to build the page | Caching, plugins, PHP version, database |
| **Largest Contentful Paint (LCP)** | When the main content appears | Images, fonts, scripts |
| **Total page size** | How much the visitor downloads | Images and videos |

## 2. Turn on caching (biggest win)

Without caching, WordPress builds every page from scratch for every visitor. With caching, most visitors get a ready-made copy instantly.

- **WordPress:** install [LiteSpeed Cache](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/wordpress/guides/installing-and-configuring-the-litespeed-cache-for-wordpress-plugin/). It's free and works directly with our LiteSpeed servers.
- **Object cache:** for online stores and busy sites, add Redis or Memcached. See [Using Redis or Memcached object cache with WordPress](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/wordpress/guides/using-redis-or-memcached-object-cache-with-wordpress/).
- **Cloudflare** serves your site from servers near your visitors. See [Cloudflare CDN](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/add-ons/cloudflare/cloudflare-content-delivery-network-cdn/).

## 3. Shrink your images

Large photos are the most common reason pages are heavy.

- Resize images to the size they're shown, usually no wider than 2000 pixels.
- Use modern formats such as WebP. LiteSpeed Cache can convert images for you. See [Optimizing images with LiteSpeed Cache](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/wordpress/guides/optimizing-images-for-wordpress-with-litespeed-cache/).
- Host videos on YouTube or Vimeo and embed them, rather than uploading them.

## 4. Remove what you don't need

- **Plugins:** deactivate and delete plugins you don't use. Replace heavy ones, such as all-in-one page builders, sliders and statistics plugins, with lighter options.
- **Theme:** a lightweight theme makes a big difference.
- **Third-party scripts:** chat widgets, ad networks, social feeds and trackers each add time.

## 5. Use a current PHP version

Newer PHP versions are much faster. Use PHP 8.2 or newer if your site supports it. See [Changing your PHP version and settings](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/cpanel/software/changing-php-versions-and-settings-using-php-selector/).

## 6. Clean up your database

Old revisions, spam comments, expired data and logs slow down database queries. See [Optimizing WordPress database](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/wordpress/guides/optimizing-wordpress-database/).

## 7. Check your account isn't at its limits

If your site is fast sometimes and very slow at others, your account may be reaching its CPU or memory limits during busy periods. Check **Resource Usage** in cPanel. See [Fixing 503 and 508 errors](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/getting-started/website-troubleshooting/fixing-503-and-508-errors/).

## WordPress dashboard slow but the site is fast?

The dashboard isn't cached, so plugins show their true cost there. Common causes are plugins that load data from other websites, the WordPress Heartbeat, and a large database. The [Query Monitor](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/wordpress/guides/monitoring-the-mysql-database-for-wordpress-using-query-monitor/) plugin shows which plugin is slow.

## Related articles

- [Improving speed and performance in WordPress](https://helpcenter.ruachost.com/wordpress/guides/improving-speed-and-performance-in-wordpress/)