Shopify is an incredible platform, largely because of its massive App Store. It is incredibly tempting to install every new app that promises to double your sales. But what most merchants don't realize is that installing too many apps is the fastest way to kill your store's performance.
If your Shopify store is feeling sluggish, it is time for a digital spring cleaning. Here is how to identify the culprits and safely remove them.
Step 1: Identify the Heavy Lifters
Not all apps are created equal. Some apps operate purely on the backend (like inventory syncing) and do not affect site speed. The ones that slow you down are "frontend" apps—anything that alters what the customer sees. This includes:
- Page builders
- Review widgets
- Popup and chat apps
- Currency converters
Run your store through GTmetrix and look at the "Waterfall" chart. If you see dozens of requests coming from different domains before your page fully loads, you have an app problem.
Step 2: The Danger of Leftover "Liquid" Code
Here is the dirty secret of Shopify apps: When you click "Uninstall" in your Shopify dashboard, it stops billing you, but it does not always remove the code from your theme. Many apps leave snippets of "Liquid" code and JavaScript tags embedded in your theme.liquid file.
Even though the app is gone, your website is still trying to execute that code every time a customer loads a page. Over time, installing and deleting 10 apps can leave your theme in a tangled, slow mess.
Step 3: Consolidate Your Tech Stack
The best way to speed up your store is to simply use fewer apps. Look at your current stack. Do you really need a separate app for your announcement bar, your email popup, your stock counter, and your sticky cart?
By switching to LiftSell, you can delete 4 or 5 heavy apps and replace them with one ultra-fast, visually stunning widget platform. LiftSell requires zero Liquid coding, meaning if you ever decide to turn it off, it leaves zero ghost code behind.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
How do I safely remove leftover app code in Shopify?
If you are not comfortable editing HTML/Liquid, duplicate your theme first as a backup. Search your theme.liquid file for tags related to the deleted app (often enclosed in {% include 'app-name' %}) and carefully delete them. When in doubt, hire a Shopify expert.
What is a good page speed score for Shopify?
Due to the nature of e-commerce platforms, scoring a perfect 100 on Google Mobile PageSpeed is very rare. Aim for a mobile score above 50, and ensure your "First Contentful Paint" happens in under 2.5 seconds.
Are Shopify 2.0 themes faster?
Yes. "Online Store 2.0" themes utilize "App Blocks," which are much cleaner. When you uninstall an app that uses App Blocks, it automatically removes the code, preventing the leftover code problem of older themes.