Comparison · Updated February 2026
Thunder vs Tapita Speed Booster
Two budget-friendly Shopify speed optimizers with different strengths. We compare features, pricing, and real-world performance to help you choose the right one.
8.4%
more conversions
per 0.1s faster
90%
more bounce
at 5s load time
+53%
revenue/visitor
after CWV fixes
Every millisecond counts. Stores that load 0.1s faster see 8.4% more conversions (Google/Deloitte, 37 brands). Speed is also a Google ranking factor — faster stores get more organic traffic. Choose the right speed optimizer.
⚡ Quick Verdict
Both are solid, affordable speed optimizers with similar pricing. Choose Thunder if you want to diagnose which apps are slowing your store — its third-party script scanner and per-app impact reports are unique, helping you pass Core Web Vitals and improve your Google search rankings. Choose Tapita if image compression and code minification are your priority. Thunder goes deeper on diagnostics; Tapita covers more traditional optimization techniques.
Overview
⚡ Thunder Page Speed Optimizer
- • Rating: 4.6★ (59 reviews)
- • Focus: Maximum speed improvement with smart diagnostics & Core Web Vitals monitoring
- • Pricing: Free plan, paid from $4.99/mo
- • Developer: Thunder
- • Unique feature: Per-app speed diagnostics — shows exactly what's slowing your store
🚀 Tapita Speed Booster
- • Rating: 4.7★ (400+ reviews)
- • Focus: Image compression, lazy loading, code minification
- • Pricing: Free plan, paid from $4.99/mo
- • Developer: Tapita
- • Unique feature: Built-in image compression and code minification
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Thunder | Tapita |
|---|---|---|
| Third-party app script scanner | ✓ | ✗ |
| Smart script deferral | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lazy loading (images) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Lazy loading (videos/iframes) | ✓ | ✓ |
| Core Web Vitals monitoring | ✓ | ✗ |
| Per-app speed impact reports | ✓ | ✗ |
| Image compression | ✗ | ✓ |
| Code minification (CSS/JS) | ~ | ✓ |
| Critical CSS generation | ~ | ✓ |
| Preloading / preconnect | ✓ | ✓ |
| Google Fonts optimization | ✓ | ✓ |
| One-click optimization | ✓ | ✓ |
| No theme code changes | ✓ | ✓ |
| Free plan | ✓ | ✓ |
| Real-time speed dashboard | ✓ | ~ |
Detailed Breakdown
Third-Party Script Diagnostics
The biggest difference between these two apps. The average Shopify store runs 15-25 third-party app scripts — review widgets, email popups, analytics, chat widgets — and these cause the majority of speed issues. But most store owners have no idea which apps are the worst offenders.
Thunder scans every installed app, measures each script's impact on page load, and generates per-app speed reports. You see exactly which apps cost you milliseconds (or seconds). This diagnostic capability is unique among Shopify speed apps — no other optimizer, including Tapita, offers it.
Tapita applies general script deferral and minification but doesn't tell you which specific apps are problematic. It optimizes code broadly rather than targeting the specific culprits.
Image Optimization
This is Tapita's strength. Tapita includes built-in image compression that can reduce image file sizes significantly without visible quality loss. For stores with hundreds or thousands of product images, this can make a meaningful speed difference.
Thunder offers lazy loading for images but doesn't include image compression. If unoptimized images are your main speed bottleneck, Tapita has the edge here. That said, Shopify now handles basic image optimization natively, which narrows the gap.
Code Minification
Tapita offers CSS and JavaScript minification — removing whitespace, comments, and unnecessary characters to reduce file sizes. It also generates critical CSS to improve above-the-fold rendering.
Thunder focuses more on when scripts load rather than making them smaller. Both approaches improve speed, but they target different aspects of the problem.
Core Web Vitals Monitoring
Thunder includes real-time Core Web Vitals monitoring (LCP, INP, CLS) in your Shopify dashboard. You can track how your scores change over time and correlate improvements with specific optimizations.
Tapita shows some speed metrics but doesn't offer the same depth of CWV tracking. For merchants who care about Google's ranking signals, Thunder's monitoring is a significant advantage.
Pricing Comparison
⚡ Thunder Pricing
- Free Plan$0/mo
- Basic script optimization, app scanner (limited)
- Pro Plan$4.99/mo
- Full optimization, CWV monitoring, priority support
🚀 Tapita Pricing
- Free Plan$0/mo
- Basic speed optimization, limited image compression
- Standard Plan$4.99/mo
- Full optimization, image compression, code minification
- Advanced Plan$9.99/mo
- Priority support, advanced features
Pricing is nearly identical at the entry level. Both offer free plans and $4.99/mo paid plans. The decision should be based on features, not price — these are two of the most affordable speed optimizers on Shopify.
Pros & Cons
⚡ Thunder
✓ Pros
- • Unique third-party app script scanner
- • Built-in Core Web Vitals monitoring
- • Per-app speed impact reports
- • Targets the root cause of most speed issues
- • Affordable pricing ($4.99/mo)
✗ Cons
- • No image compression
- • Limited code minification
- • Smaller review base (59 vs 400+ reviews)
- • Less effective if images are your main issue
🚀 Tapita Speed Booster
✓ Pros
- • Built-in image compression
- • CSS/JS minification
- • Critical CSS generation
- • Solid review base (4.7★, 400+ reviews)
- • Affordable pricing ($4.99/mo)
✗ Cons
- • No third-party app script analysis
- • No Core Web Vitals monitoring
- • Can't identify which apps slow your store
- • Less effective if app bloat is your main issue
Who Should Pick Which?
Pick Thunder if you…
- ✓ Have many installed apps and suspect they're causing slowdowns
- ✓ Want to know exactly which apps impact your speed
- ✓ Need real-time Core Web Vitals monitoring
- ✓ Have already optimized images and need deeper fixes
- ✓ Care about Google's Core Web Vitals ranking signals
Pick Tapita if you…
- ✓ Have a large product catalog with many images
- ✓ Need image compression and optimization
- ✓ Want CSS/JS minification and critical CSS
- ✓ Don't have many third-party apps installed
- ✓ Prefer a more established app with a larger review base
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Thunder better than Tapita Speed Booster?
It depends on your speed issues. Thunder excels at diagnosing and fixing third-party app script bloat — it tells you exactly which apps slow your store. Tapita is stronger for image-heavy optimization with built-in image compression. If slow apps are your problem, Thunder is better. If large images are the issue, Tapita may be more effective.
Can I use Thunder and Tapita together?
We don't recommend running two speed optimizers simultaneously. Their lazy loading and script optimization features can conflict. Choose one based on your primary speed issue — app bloat (Thunder) or image optimization (Tapita).
Which is cheaper — Thunder or Tapita?
Both have similar pricing structures. Each offers a free plan, and paid plans start at $4.99/mo for both apps. The value difference comes from features, not price.
Does Tapita scan third-party app scripts like Thunder?
No. Tapita focuses on image compression, lazy loading, and code minification. It doesn't analyze which installed apps are impacting your page speed. Third-party script scanning is unique to Thunder among Shopify speed apps.
Which app is better for image-heavy Shopify stores?
Tapita has an edge for image-heavy stores. It includes built-in image compression and optimization features that Thunder doesn't offer. However, if your store has both image issues and app bloat, you might want Thunder for its diagnostic capabilities and handle images through Shopify's built-in image optimization.
Try Thunder Free
See which apps are slowing your store. Install Thunder and get your speed report in under 60 seconds.
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