The fastest theme ever? (SEO)

[AcidLava]

Hello,

I’m looking for a well-known and reputable theme that stands out for its SEO optimization, speed, and performance on Google PageSpeed Insights — the best across all categories.

I currently have a site running on the Warehouse theme, but I’m struggling to achieve good performance, especially on mobile. I’m therefore looking for the best possible compromise in terms of overall performance.

Thank you in advance for your suggestions and for sharing your experience.

[El Patron]

Hi @AcidLava

Try using https://www.webpagetest.org/. It not only identifies performance issues, but also suggests actionable fixes you can implement. Your current front office can definitely be optimized for better performance, and pinpointing exactly what’s slowing down your page loads is the first step to effective improvement.

It’s also important to note that PrestaShop, by default, doesn’t fully support modern methods for optimizing above-the-fold rendering—such as eliminating CSS and JS blocking, adding DNS preconnects, or preloading remote fonts and scripts. Even if you switch to another theme known for its performance, you’ll likely find these advanced features are still missing. For best results, you’ll need to apply custom tweaks and optimizations beyond what’s available out of the box.

Additionally, tuning your MySQL configuration and implementing NVMe storage technology can significantly boost overall site performance, especially for larger or more dynamic shops. If you’d like step-by-step guidance, my  PrestaShop MySQL Performance Tuning Service page offers a paid optimization service but also provides free instructions on how to check your own MySQL optimization variables.

to get back to your question of best performing themes, note: if your current modules/db etc have issues a new theme is probably not going to help that much.

Classic Rocket by ThemeForest / Leotheme

Why it’s recommended:

• Built from the ground up for speed, Classic Rocket strips out unnecessary features and keeps everything lightweight. Many users report substantial improvements in both mobile and desktop PageSpeed scores right after switching.
• SEO and code quality:
• Clean, semantic code and strong focus on Core Web Vitals.
• Support:
• Active updates and good documentation.

Panda Theme by SunFlowerBiz

Why it’s recommended:

• Panda is a premium, highly optimized theme known for flexibility and performance. It includes many built-in optimization options, such as lazy loading, minified assets, and smart mobile layouts.
• SEO features:
• Schema.org markup, fast-loading structure, and customizable metadata out of the box.
• Performance:
• Excellent scores on both desktop and mobile with the right configuration.

Transformer Theme by SunFlowerBiz

Why it’s recommended:

• Similar to Panda but designed with even more customization options for layout and marketing. Performance is very close to Panda, and it’s popular with high-traffic shops.
• SEO and performance:
• Fast, flexible, and easy to tweak for best results.

4. Warehouse (latest versions)

Note:
You’re already using Warehouse, which can achieve high scores, but only with careful optimization, removal of unused modules, and possibly some custom development. Many users see a dramatic improvement after a “spring cleaning” of features and modules they don’t use.

[AcidLava]

Hello,

Thanks for your feedback. See the results enclosed.

I've already seen the Classic Rocket theme but it sadly doesn't support Prestashop 8.

Also, i'm on a Pro mutualised o2switch server. Maybe I could get better results with a VPS?

 

[El Patron]

7 minutes ago, AcidLava said:

Hello,

Thanks for your feedback. See the results enclosed.

I've already seen the Classic Rocket theme but it sadly doesn't support Prestashop 8.

Also, i'm on a Pro mutualised o2switch server. Maybe I could get better results with a VPS?

 

Well, that’s not terrible… but I have no idea which page you’re actually testing. My recommendation? Run your tests on both desktop and mobile for your homepage, category, and product pages to get proper baselines.

Keep in mind, the blocking you’re seeing is almost certainly due to JavaScript and CSS render-blocking—these files are responsible for most of the delays. The tool you’re using now is far more insightful than GTmetrix ever was.

One more tip: don’t obsess over how long it takes your footer to load. What matters—both for users and Google—is your ‘above the fold’ render time. That’s what gets measured, and in fact, Google even holds a patent on their specific measuring method.

Edited June 20 by El Patron (see edit history)

[AcidLava]

It is the homepage. How to run it on mobile (the actual problem), I can't see any way to do it?

is this tool better than Google Speed Insight? It rank me 44 on mobile.

Best regards.

 

 

[El Patron]

you can run mobile on your home page using https://www.webpagetest.org/

you can private message me with  link to your shop  and I can take a look,  but https://www.webpagetest.org/ will provide a lot of informtion including suggested changes....also  for index you can preload images,  i.e. add to header of home page  only, preloads, dns preconnects, etc....just find a html editor that allows you to define home page,  category, product....learn about advanced attributes....none of which prestashop supports.

also  I have some  works  you might consider

https://prestaheroes.com/collections/performance

the csspro and javapro....are awesome additon to 'any' shop...

[El Patron]

There really aren’t any PrestaShop themes that could be considered “fast” out of the box. Most lack modern optimizations like preconnects, preloads, and DNS prefetching. That’s why we end up building our own solutions—CSSPro, JSPro, and so on. Unfortunately, most shop admins aren’t familiar with these techniques, and many are understandably wary of third-party modules because of past negative experiences. My advice? Don’t build your business expecting PrestaShop modules to solve all your performance issues—seriously!

I see a lot of people become obsessed with performance, which is understandable, but often they end up with tunnel vision. Without a deeper technical understanding, they’re searching for standard solutions that just don’t exist in the PrestaShop ecosystem. If you want to see how it should be done, just view the source of any Shopify page—you’ll see a different approach entirely (though even Shopify is still missing things like speculative preloading of pages, but that’s coming… even if I have to build it myself!).

Edited June 30 by El Patron (see edit history)

[Divine]

Hello,

I would like to suggest mine : Prestashop Universal Theme 😉