Website Performance Impact Calculator
Page load time has a measurable impact on user behavior, conversion rates, and revenue. Research from Google, Amazon, Walmart, and Akamai consistently shows that every additional second of load time reduces conversions, increases bounce rates, and lowers search rankings. This calculator quantifies the potential revenue impact of improving your site speed.
Estimate Speed Impact on Revenue
Estimates are based on published research from Google (2017-2023), Amazon, Walmart, Akamai, and Deloitte. The commonly cited figures include ~7% conversion loss per second (Amazon), 53% mobile abandonment above 3 seconds (Google), and ~100ms improvement yielding 1% revenue increase (Akamai). Actual impact varies by audience, device mix, and site type. This calculator provides directional estimates for planning and prioritization, not guaranteed outcomes.
Key Performance Research Findings
| Source | Finding | Year |
|---|---|---|
| 53% of mobile users abandon sites that take over 3 seconds to load | 2017 | |
| Amazon | Every 100ms of latency costs approximately 1% in revenue | 2012 |
| Walmart | Every 1 second of improvement increased conversions by 2% | 2012 |
| Akamai | A 100ms delay in load time can decrease conversion rates by 7% | 2017 |
| Deloitte | 0.1-second improvement in site speed yielded 8% increase in conversions for retail | 2020 |
| Page speed is a ranking factor for mobile searches | 2018 | |
| Portent | Highest e-commerce conversion rates occur at 0-2 second load times | 2022 |
Core Web Vitals Thresholds
| Metric | Good | Needs Improvement | Poor |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) | ≤ 2.5s | 2.5s – 4.0s | > 4.0s |
| First Input Delay (FID) | ≤ 100ms | 100ms – 300ms | > 300ms |
| Cumulative Layout Shift (CLS) | ≤ 0.1 | 0.1 – 0.25 | > 0.25 |
| Interaction to Next Paint (INP) | ≤ 200ms | 200ms – 500ms | > 500ms |
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a good page load time?
For most sites, under 2.5 seconds for the Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) metric is considered good by Google. Portent research found that the highest e-commerce conversion rates occur at 0-2 second load times. For mobile users, sub-3 seconds is critical since 53% abandon after 3 seconds. The ideal target depends on your audience and competitor benchmarks.
What are the most impactful speed optimizations?
The highest-impact improvements are typically: image optimization and lazy loading (can reduce page weight 30-60%), enabling browser caching and compression (GZIP/Brotli), using a CDN for static assets, reducing render-blocking JavaScript, and choosing a faster hosting provider. Server-side improvements like database query optimization and caching can improve Time to First Byte (TTFB) significantly.
Does page speed affect SEO?
Yes. Google confirmed page speed as a ranking factor for mobile searches in 2018. Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, CLS, INP) became part of the page experience ranking signal in 2021. While content quality remains the primary ranking factor, poor performance can hurt rankings and reduce organic traffic. Sites that pass Core Web Vitals thresholds have a competitive advantage in search results.