Understanding Fundraise Up’s impact on page load time
It is sometimes a concern that Fundraise Up on-page checkout may slow your website down, when compared to sending a donor off to a different page for donations. We take every step to mitigate this, and do our best to make sure our checkout flow loads as quickly as any new page visit would, if not faster.
A few things to know:
- Fundraise Up code is delivered via an asynchronous script.
- No other applications or scripts will be blocked or slowed.
- We optimize our loading and performance for all principal browsers.
- All our scripts are compressed using the modern Brotli algorithm.
- Fundraise Up uses industry-leading Cloudflare so our checkout loads from the server physically closest to the donor. This means a donor in NYC would see the same speed as one in Sydney, even if the organization web hosting is in San Francisco.
- We're lazy! We use lazy load practices — we only load when we need to.
What does "Asynchronous" mean?
Asynchronous JavaScript refers to a programming technique. In this technique, a script runs independently of other scripts: this allows multiple scripts to run at the same time without blocking or halting the execution of the rest of the scripts. In other words, asynchronous scripts allow your website to continue processing other tasks while one script is running in the background. This is especially useful for improving the performance and responsiveness of web pages, especially for long-running tasks or those that require external data, such as API requests.
To give you a simple example, imagine you're waiting in line at a busy coffee shop. You order your drink, and the barista starts making it. While you're waiting, you can continue browsing your phone or chatting with friends, instead of being stuck in place until your drink is ready. This is similar to how asynchronous JavaScript works on a web page - it allows you to continue interacting with the page while a script is running in the background.
Our test results
In our tests across various website platforms (WordPress, Drupal, Squarespace, etc.) we typically see a full-load time of about .5 seconds.
However, our script is loading in the background, and therefore not blocking the loading of anything else on your website. This can really only be noticed in the half-second you may see before Fundraise Up Elements appear on the page.
Improving website speed
- Consider improving your Element pop-in experience – sometimes, a site can feel faster by being less disruptive as new buttons and menus load in!
- Evaluate which scripts are necessary – what is the goal of your website? Prioritize those scripts first. Everything should be loaded and used as-needed only.
- Leverage a CDN platform for all of your website content, such as Akamai, Cloudflare, or others. You may be able to contact your web hosting company to add this feature.
- We recommend https://www.webpagetest.org/ for measuring page speed and overall website technical health. We do not recommend using any of Google's tools, as they tend to rely on assumptions rather than empirical analysis.
Rest assured! Fundraise Up will consistently have the smallest impact on any website speed issues you may be experiencing.