AI Speed: Site Speed Optimizer vs Lighthouse‑md
Two Shopify apps, side by side: detected stores, momentum, reviews, plans, listed features and who runs each. Store counts as of Nov 9, 2026 for AI Speed, Oct 13, 2026 for Lighthouse‑md.
The short answer
- Only Lighthouse‑md lists a free plan. Paid plans start at $19.97/month for AI Speed and $9/month for Lighthouse‑md.
- Lighthouse‑md lists 14 features AI Speed’s listing doesn’t mention, including ALT text, Analytics, Audits.
Head to head
Increase Conversions & SEO by making your store Faster!
- United States
- India
- Australia
Momentum
New reviews each month
Review pace is the clearest public read on how fast an app is winning new merchants.
Starter
- · 5 pages monitored
- · 500 image optimizations / mo
- · App analysis + image optimizer
- · Automatic safe speed fixes
- · Deep fixes — preview & 1-click revert
- · Email support
Growth
- · 2,000 image optimizations / mo
- · 25 pages monitored
- · AI Assistant grounded in your store data
- · Bulk AI alt-text
- · Daily scans + real-user monitoring
- · Priority support
Pro
- · 100 pages monitored
- · 5,000 image optimizations / mo
- · Advanced AI deep audits
- · Continuous monitoring + auto-revert
- · Proven-impact ROI ledger (real traffic)
- · Slack support
Scale
- · 20,000 image optimizations / mo
- · Bulk vision QA across entire catalog
- · Dedicated success manager + priority SLA
- · Priority AI queue your job process first
- · Unlimited pages + multi-store
- · White-glove onboarding
Free
- · 3 audits included
- · CLAUDE.md fix plan export
- · Full report with Shopify-specific fixes
- · Sidekick answers about your speed
Pro
- · All features from Free
- · Audits every theme template
- · Fix plan and Sidekick always current
- · Score and Core Web Vitals trends
- · Unlimited audits on demand
- · Weekly automatic audit
Coverage counts what each App Store listing names. Every feature, checked off app by app, is in Shoplist.
See every featureSlow pages quietly cost you sales and search rankings. AI Speed fixes the causes automatically: it analyzes your store, optimizes theme templates on a safe copy, compresses images to modern formats with AI-written alt text, defers heavy scripts, and improves Core Web Vitals (LCP, INP, CLS). Your design, layout, and functionality never change.
Lighthouse-md turns speed audits into action. One click runs Google Lighthouse on your storefront and translates every failing audit into Shopify terms: theme, images, app embeds. Ask Sidekick why your store is slow and get answers from your own data. Export the fixes as a CLAUDE.md file that Claude Code applies to your theme while you review and publish. Nothing changes on your store until you approve.
- Image Optimization: AI-driven optimization for lighter, yet high-quality images.
- Lazy Load: AI-boosted load speed, ensuring a swift and smooth user experience.
- Defer: Intelligent loading, courtesy of AI, streamlines site functionality.
- App Analytics: Precise AI analysis identifies and rectifies performance issues.
- Mobile Lighthouse audit: Performance, Accessibility, Best Practices, SEO
- Core Web Vitals with change-vs-previous deltas
- Sidekick integration: conversational answers from your latest audit
All the numbers
Every figure, side by side
A green dot marks the app ahead on a measured figure. Estimates, gaps and apps that leave no storefront trace never take the lead.
Adoption
| Measure |  AI Speed |  Lighthouse‑md |
|---|---|---|
| Detected stores | 30 | Not published |
| Net store change, 28 days | −4 | 0 |
| Stores added, 28 days | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Big-brand share | Not enough data | Not enough data |
| Top store categories | Health & Beauty, Apparel & Accessories, Home & Garden | Not published |
| Top store countries | United States, India, Australia | Not published |
Reviews
| Measure | AI Speed | Lighthouse‑md |
|---|---|---|
| App Store rating | 4.9 ★ | Not published |
| App Store reviews | 33 | Not published |
| New reviews, 28 days | 0 | Not enough data |
| Reviewers a year or more in | Not enough data | Not enough data |
Pricing
| Measure | AI Speed | Lighthouse‑md |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Not listed | Yes |
| Lowest paid monthly plan | $19.97/month | $9/month(ahead) |
| Longest free trial | 14 days | Not listed |
| Plans listed | 4 | 2 |
Listing
| Measure | AI Speed | Lighthouse‑md |
|---|---|---|
| Shopify category rank | #162(ahead) | #582 |
| Shopify App Charts | Not on this week’s charts | Not on this week’s charts |
| Built for Shopify | Yes | No |
| Launched | Sep 30, 2019 | Aug 5, 2026 |
| Languages | 1 | 1 |
| Developer | Arctic Grey | Lighthouse-md |
FAQ
AI Speed and Lighthouse‑md: common questions
- Is AI Speed or Lighthouse‑md cheaper?
- Only Lighthouse‑md lists a free plan. Paid plans start at $19.97/month for AI Speed and $9/month for Lighthouse‑md. Shoplist compares base prices only between monthly plans in the same currency; usage charges and annual plans vary, so check each plan’s limits.
- What features does each app list that the other doesn’t?
- AI Speed lists 1 the others don’t mention, such as Preloading. Lighthouse‑md lists 14 the others don’t mention, such as ALT text, Analytics, Audits, Content optimization. A feature missing from a listing may still be supported; this compares what each App Store listing says.
- Where does this comparison’s data come from?
- Shoplist crawls Shopify storefronts to detect which apps each store runs, and reads each app’s Shopify App Store listing for reviews, pricing, features and integrations. Store counts are as of Nov 9, 2026 for AI Speed, Oct 13, 2026 for Lighthouse‑md; estimated figures are labeled.
How Shoplist compares apps
Store counts come from Shoplist’s crawl of Shopify storefronts, which detects the apps each store runs; they are as of Nov 9, 2026 for AI Speed, Oct 13, 2026 for Lighthouse‑md. Reviews, ratings, plans, features and integrations come from each app’s Shopify App Store listing. 28-day figures are labeled when estimated, and a figure that is missing or estimated never decides who leads. Read the methodology.