Our original Astra vs GeneratePress comparison needed a refresh: both themes shipped major releases this year, and one of them moved significantly. We re-ran the identical benchmark rig — same server, same demo content, same test protocol from the 2026 benchmark report.
What changed in the numbers
| Metric | Astra (this year) | GeneratePress (this year) |
|---|---|---|
| Uncached LCP | 1.68s (was 1.61s) | 1.31s (was 1.34s) |
| Page weight | 283 KB (was 265 KB) | 218 KB (was 221 KB) |
| DB queries | 72 (was 68) | 58 (was 60) |
GeneratePress got slightly lighter; Astra gained weight — mostly from expanded default styling in its new block options. The gap widened from ~0.3s to ~0.37s uncached. Neither move is dramatic, but the direction is now consistent.
Editor experience: the bigger change
Astra’s update brought its block options deeper into the editor, reducing some reliance on Spectra for common sections — a genuine improvement, and it narrowed the “build the same page” time gap from our earlier test (Kadence comparisons document that methodology in the Astra vs Kadence review). GeneratePress added block-variant controls to Elements, which our developers immediately used for conditional FAQ blocks.
Does the verdict change?
No, it sharpens. The original verdict was: GeneratePress for speed-first content sites, Astra for WooCommerce-leaning builds and ecosystem familiarity. This year’s data strengthens both halves. The new wrinkle: if your site is uncached-traffic-heavy (publishers, guide sites), the widening gap matters more than it did.
For existing users of either theme
Neither update is a reason to switch. Both remain top-tier — the difference between them is smaller than the difference between either and an average theme. If your site is slow on either theme, the cause is likely elsewhere: run the diagnostic before blaming the theme, or start with the free audit for measured numbers.
Yes — the gap actually widened slightly to ~0.37s uncached LCP (1.31s vs 1.68s) in our re-test with this year's releases. Marginally — page weight rose from 265 to 283 KB with expanded default block styling. It remains a fast theme overall. Not based on speed alone. If WooCommerce is central or your team knows Astra well, stay. The switch math lives in our decision framework. Yes — the benchmarks ran free versions. Pro tiers add features and templates, not fundamentally different front-end performance.Is GeneratePress still faster than Astra in 2026?
Did Astra get slower this year?
Should Astra users switch to GeneratePress?
Is this comparison relevant to free versions?
