ProRank vs Autoptimize
Autoptimize is a popular free CSS/JS optimizer. ProRank scores 95 mobile vs Autoptimize's 79 — and includes page caching, image optimization, and complete SEO.
Average Score Across 3 Themes
ProRank SEO Premium
Autoptimize 3.1.14
Key Findings
Scores by Theme
Astra
Mobile Score
Hello Elementor
Mobile Score
GeneratePress
Mobile Score
Mobile Scores by Theme
Astra
Hello Elementor
GeneratePress
Detailed Core Web Vitals
FCP, LCP, TBT, CLS, and Speed Index for each theme (mobile)
Astra
Hello Elementor
GeneratePress
Autoptimize is a CSS/JS optimization plugin only — no page caching, no image optimization, no SEO features. Critical CSS requires a paid add-on.
Complete Results Table
| Metric | Astra | Hello Elementor | GeneratePress | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ProRank | Autoptimize | ProRank | Autoptimize | ProRank | Autoptimize | |
| Mobile Score | 96 | 77 | 93 | 80 | 96 | 80 |
| FCP (ms) | 1.8s | 1.8s | 1.1s | 2.1s | 1.1s | 1.9s |
| LCP (ms) | 2.4s | 5.8s | 2.6s | 4.9s | 2.7s | 5.0s |
| TBT (ms) | 0ms | 3ms | 0ms | 30ms | 0ms | 0ms |
| CLS | 0.000 | 0.029 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
| Speed Index | 2.7s | 2.7s | 2.4s | 2.7s | 1.1s | 3.0s |
| Desktop Score | 100 | 96 | 100 | 99 | 100 | 98 |
| Desktop FCP | 295ms | 846ms | 302ms | 401ms | 304ms | 514ms |
| Desktop LCP | 407ms | 1.2s | 561ms | 861ms | 548ms | 1.0s |
| Desktop TBT | 0ms | 0ms | 0ms | 0ms | 0ms | 0ms |
| Desktop CLS | 0.000 | 0.007 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 | 0.000 |
Test Methodology
Server: Hetzner Dedicated (Germany) with Elementor Pro page builder
Method: PageSpeed Insights — median of 3 runs per config, single verified runs for v2 re-test
Themes tested: Astra, Hello Elementor, GeneratePress
PageSpeed Insights has inherent variability (±5-10 points between runs). All plugins configured for best performance. LiteSpeed Cache tested on Nginx (no server-level page cache).
27 Active Plugins During Testing:
Feature Comparison
| Feature | ProRank | Autoptimize |
|---|---|---|
| Caching & Delivery | ||
| Page caching | ||
| Browser cache headers | ||
| Cache preloading | ||
| CDN integration | ||
| Assets & Core Web Vitals | ||
| CSS/JS minification | ||
| Delay JavaScript | ||
| Script Manager | ||
| Critical CSS | Paid add-on | |
| Remove unused CSS | ||
| Image Optimization | ||
| Lazy load images | ||
| WebP/AVIF conversion | ShortPixel add-on | |
| Bulk image optimization | ||
| SEO & Content | ||
| Titles & meta descriptions | ||
| XML sitemaps | ||
| Schema markup (30+ types) | ||
| Internal linking suggestions | ||
| Content analysis | ||
| Redirect manager | ||
Features may vary by plan and version. Last verified February 16, 2026.
The Bottom Line
Autoptimize does CSS/JS optimization well and it's free. But without page caching, JavaScript delay, or image optimization, it can only go so far. ProRank scores M95 vs M79 by combining aggressive script delay, page caching, critical CSS, and a full SEO toolkit into a single plugin.