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Why Use a WordPress Cache Plugin?
WordPress cachePlugins Make your website faster. WordPress Cache Cache plugin, not only can it improve the access speed of the website, but most importantly, it can also improve the website score, PageSpeed Insights. The website score is used to measure the ranking of your website on the search engine results page after optimization. A high score can bring a large number of search users. A must-have cache plugin for SEO!
How do we test the speed of caching plugins?
Some information about the test site. It was set up on a Linode server with WordPress 5.3, WP Rocket 3.4.2.2, using PHP 7.3.
The theme I used for these tests is our own Astra, a blazingly fast, lightweight WordPress theme. And I also used one of our Astra starter site templates, which allow you to build a complete site in just minutes.
Our previous load time when testing speed after enabling the cache plugin was 3.1 seconds of page load time, 916KB of page size, and 69 requests.
Best WordPress Caching Plugins
We tested numerous WordPress Caching Plugins, and compiled 15 speed-up plugins that, in our opinion, are the best options for increasing the speed of your WordPress website.
All of the following plugins are fully compatible with Astra, which happens to be one of the fastest themes for WordPress and is incredibly lightweight at just 50KB!
1. WP Rocket
WP Rocket is the most popular premium caching plugin for WordPress. Trusted by over 900,000+ websites.
It is known for its one-click convenient configuration and is the first choice for both novice and advanced users.
WP Rocket Speed Test
Here are the site speed results after activating WP Rocket and setting up the basic configuration:
The page load time was 2.5 seconds with a total page size of 830KB and 25 requests.
What are the benefits of WP Rocket?
Without a doubt, the best thing about WP Rocket is a beautiful user interface, check this out:
But it’s not just the user interface that makes WP Rocket stand out. It’s also:
- One-click configuration. Install and activate the plugin, and the cache will be automatically activated.
- Built-in WooCommerce compatibility. Out-of-the-box support for WooCommerce, no additional configuration required.
- Built-in lazy loading. Load images only as needed, rather than loading them on every page request.
What’s not to like about WP Rocket?
This is a premium plugin, so unlike almost all the other WordPress caching plugins we mentioned on this list, there is no free or limited version to try before you buy. However, WP Rocket does offer a 30-day money-back guarantee.
WP Rocket Pricing
As we mentioned above, WP Rocket is premium only and is priced as follows:
- $49 per site.
- $99 for 3 sites.
- $249 for unlimited sites.
Conclusion about WP Rocket
An all-around great caching plugin that offers a wealth of features and is the easiest to use caching plugin on the market today.
While the fact that it only has premium solutions might put some people off, it’s well worth the entry price.
2. WP Super Cache
WP Super Cache is one of the most popular caching plugins for WordPress with over 2 million installations. It is maintained and developed by Automattic (the company behind WordPress.com).
WP Super Cache Speed Test
Here are our site speed results after enabling WP Super Cache and setting up a basic configuration.
Loading time was 2.7 seconds, number of requests was 69, and total page size was 917KB.
What are the benefits of WP Super Cache?
Maintained by Automattic, you can be sure that the development is top-notch, and it comes with everything you need in a caching plugin and nothing you don’t.
Keeping things straight, while the UI isn’t as pretty as WP Rocket, it’s still a great plugin and has a good reputation.
Is there anything wrong with WP Super Cache?
As far as WordPress acceleration plugins go, the main issue against WP Super Cache is the lack of support.
While the plugin is maintained and actively developed, there is no official support. So if you have problems asking in the plugin forum or can't get it set up, you're usually down a road that leads to nowhere.
This is in stark contrast to most other WordPress caching plugins that actively encourage users to sign up for premium support.
WP Super Cache Pricing
Completely free! No paid add-ons or options. Install, activate and use on as many websites as you want at zero cost.
While as mentioned above this is a good thing in most people's books, it can be a negative depending on whether you actively need support from the plugins you use.
Conclusion about WP Super Cache
A great all-around caching plugin that works well with most WordPress website configurations.
Get started with WP Super Cache
3. W3 Total Cache
W3 Total Cache is one of the most popular speed-up plugins for WordPress. It still has over a million active installations today, however, there was some bad press when it went months without an update and premium support requests went unanswered.
BoldGrid (the professional WordPress company) acquired W3 Total Cache in 2019, and things have definitely improved since then.
W3 Total Cache Speed Test
Here are our site speed results after enabling W3 Total Cache and setting up a basic configuration:
Loading time was 1.8 seconds, page size was 842KB, and there were 34 requests in total.
What are the benefits of W3 Total Cache?
Offering a plethora of features and being a well-known name in the world of WordPress caching, it will only continue to improve with the new investment from BoldGrid.
Is there anything wrong with W3 Total Cache?
There are still question marks around this plugin because so many users have lost trust in it, but we believe BoldGrid has put it back on track.
The pro version is confusing and is only available from the WordPress backend, which isn’t ideal if you don’t want to install something to find out the cost.
If you compare W3 Total Cache vs WP Rocket, WP Rocket is a better choice.
W3 Total Cache Pricing
The free version is available at WordPress.org.
W3 Total Cache Premium is only available in the plugin’s admin interface and costs $99 per year, with no multisite license available.
W3 Total Cache Conclusion
An excellent plugin that went through a tough patch and has emerged in another one that is even better. Well worth a look to help speed up your WordPress site.
Get started with W3 Total Cache
4. WP Fastest Cache
As one of the most well-known caching plugins for WordPress, WP Fastest Cache is actually one of my favorite free speed-up plugins. It is simple to use and does not offer fancy excitement, but it does its job well.
WP Fastest Cache speed test
Here are the results of our site speed after enabling WP Fastest Cache and setting up a basic configuration
The page load time was 2.4 seconds, the total page size was 907KB, and there were 56 requests in total.
What are the benefits of WP Fastest Cache?
WP Fastest Cache is a simple caching plugin. It doesn’t include things you don’t need or things that make up an entire performance plugin. Instead, it caches really well and solves the problem with minimal fuss.
Is there anything wrong with WP Fastest Cache?
The user interface isn’t as intuitive as other plugins like WP Rocket, but we’re being picky here.
WP Fastest Cache Pricing
A free version of WP Fastest Cache is available on WordPress.org, and premium licenses can be purchased from the WP Fastest Cache website.
Advanced licenses are:
- $49.99 for 1 site.
- $125 for 3 sites.
- $175 for 5 sites.
However, unlike most premium pricing, WP Fastest Cache is a one-time payment, just pay once and keep using it!
WP Fastest Cache Conclusion
A great no-irritation caching plugin that does exactly what it says it will do.
Get started with WP Fastest Cache
5. WP-Optimize
WP-Optimize originally started as a tool to clean and optimize your WordPress database, and since then it has become an all-encompassing WordPress performance plugin.
While the new direction the plugin took wasn’t welcomed by everyone, we think it was a success and added a ton of features that make it one of the best caching plugins available for WordPress.
WP-Optimize Speed Test
Here are the site speed results after enabling WP-Optimize and setting up a basic configuration:
The total page load time was 2.7 seconds, the page size was 0.96MB, and there were 69 requests in total.
What are the benefits of WP-Optimize?
WP-Optimize offers everything you need in a WordPress performance plugin, including the ability to cache your site, optimize your site, and compress images.
While there are usually other plugins (such as WP Rocket) that offer this functionality, they require the installation of an additional plugin. With WP-Optimize, you only need one plugin.
Is there anything wrong with WP-Optimize?
Out of the box, the plugin works great, with the only minor downside being that multisite support is locked into the priced premium version.
WP-Optimize Pricing
The free version of WP-Optimize is available at WordPress.org, and the pricing structure for the paid version is as follows:
- 2 site license £30/year
- 5 site license £45/year
- Unlimited site license £113/year
Conclusion about WP-Optimize
WP-Optimize is a great WordPress performance plugin that is more than just another caching plugin, it can speed up your WordPress site, compress images, and optimize your database. Definitely worth a look!
6. Hummingbird Cache Plugin
By WPMU DEV, Hummingbird is a new player in the WordPress caching market. However, that doesn’t mean it lacks features.
In fact, it’s one of the most feature-rich plugins out there!
Hummingbird Speed Test
Here are the results of the site speed after enabling Hummingbird and setting up a basic configuration:
The page load time was 2.9 seconds with a total page size of 916KB and 69 requests.
What are the benefits of Hummingbird?
Hummingbird is backed by one of the best teams in the industry. With 24/7 expert support and consistent updates, by using Hummingbird you are using a reliable, dependable caching plugin.
One of the features that stands out is the scan and fix feature. With one click Hummingbird will scan your site for performance issues and then attempt to automatically fix them.
Is there anything bad about Hummingbird?
Not really a criticism but there's a lot going on in Hummingbird and for a beginner it can be a lot to take in, and while everything is well planned out and explained it can be unclear what you need to use instead of installing the plugin in the first place.
Hummingbird Pricing
The free version of Hummingbird is feature-rich and available at WordPress.org.
Hummingbird Pro costs range from $5 per month for a single site to $82.50 per month for a full WPMU DEV membership and use of all its products on unlimited sites.
Conclusion about Hummingbird
Hummingbird may well be a newcomer to the market, but it’s feature-rich and backed by an experienced development team, so it’s certainly worth a look.
Getting started with Hummingbird
7. Hyper Cache
Hyper Cache is probably one of the lesser-known WordPress speed-up plugins, but it offers a wealth of features. It includes the ability to change your active theme based on whether a user is accessing your site on a mobile device.
Hyper Cache speed test
Here are the results of website speed after enabling Hyper Cache and setting the basic configuration:
The page load time was 2.8 seconds, the page size was 916KB, and there were 69 requests in total.
What are the benefits of Hyper Cache?
Hyper Cache has a host of features and doesn’t require a complicated setup; it’s fully bbPress compatible, which means it can automatically clear the cache when new topics and replies are posted.
Plus, of course, it has all the usual caching plugin features.
Is there anything wrong with Hyper Cache?
There is no option to compress or merge files like most caching plugins offer. Although this is good in a sense (the plugin is focused on one thing: caching).
If you ask most experts about speed, they will suggest merging files to speed up your website, so, in that case, you have to install an extra plugin.
Hyper Cache Pricing
Hyper Cache is a completely free plugin with no paid version or paid support.
Conclusion about Hyper Cache
Hyper Cache is a solid all-around caching plugin that does what it says on the tin, and while the interface is a little dated, it makes up for that with its unique approach to mobile caching.
Getting started with Hyper Cache
8. LiteSpeed Cache
LiteSpeed Cache is a little different from all the other plugins we’ve featured in this list because while it works in a standard way across all different web hosts, it also offers LiteSpeed-exclusive features to enhance your website.
LiteSpeed is a server-side technology, and unless you’re a super geek or happen to be on a host that uses LiteSpeed, you probably won’t use LiteSpeed features, even though they will make your site shine.
LiteSpeed Cache speed test
Here are the site speed results after enabling LiteSpeed Cache and setting up a basic configuration:
The page load time was 3.0 seconds, the page size was 967KB, and there were 32 requests in total.
What are the benefits of LiteSpeed Cache?
The wide range of features coupled with LiteSpeed’s exclusive features make it a unique proposition, and the control over the heartbeat of WordPress and direct Cloudflare integration make it a caching plugin you should strongly consider.
Is there anything wrong with LiteSpeed Cache?
While there isn't anything negative about plugins, trying to understand why you must follow certain server specifications in order to use plugins can be confusing for some users.
LiteSpeed Cache Pricing
LiteSpeed Cache is a completely free plugin with no paid version.
While the interface is modern and there are a lot of options, it's not exactly beginner-friendly.
Conclusion about LiteSpeed Cache
One of our favorite caching plugins of 2022, we can only see it becoming more popular in 2022, definitely worth a look!
Getting started with LiteSpeed Cache
9. Swift Performance Cache Plugin
Swift Performance made a splash when it was first released. It quickly became a favorite among users in various speeding up WordPress Facebook groups and pretty much everywhere else.
All was not rosy in paradise though, the first negative reviews appeared, and within a short time the plugin was removed from the WordPress.org repository.
However, that is now in the past, as Swift Performance is now a stable WordPress caching plugin.
Swift Performance speed test
Here are the results of the site speed after enabling Swift Performance and setting up a basic configuration:
The page load time was 2.5 seconds, the total page size was 849KB, and there were 27 requests in total.
What are the benefits of Swift Performance?
Swift Performance provides an option called "Plugin Organizer", what does it do? It allows you to disable plugins on individual pages and run them only when needed.
We should note that plugin developers are supposed to load their plugins only when needed, although unfortunately, this is not always the case, even with popular plugins like contact forms.
Using Swift Performance you can disable Contact Form 7 on all pages except the contact form page, problem solved!
Is there anything wrong with Swift Performance?
This support is often mixed with reviews, and a glance at the support forums on WordPress.org will tell you that sometimes users get the answers they need; other times they’re left on hold for months, and in other cases they’re simply told to buy the pro version.
Swift Performance pricing
The free version, “Swift Performance Lite”, is available for free at WordPress.org.
Paid version pricing is as follows:
- $39.99 for 1 site.
- $99.99 for 4 sites.
- $199.99 for unlimited sites.
All licenses require annual renewal.
Conclusion about Swift Performance
Swift Performance is definitely worth considering for your site; however, if you’re a beginner, then we recommend Hummingbird or WP Rocket due to the support these solutions offer.
Getting started with Swift Performance
10. Comet Cache
Comet Cache is the successor to the popular ZenCache plugin, improved with many new features and functionality.
It’s a little geeky here, but it’s compatible with the WordPress Command Line Interface (WP CLI), and if you’re a WordPress developer, you’re going to love it!
Comet Cache speed test
Here are the website speed results after enabling Comet Cache and setting up a basic configuration:
Loading time was 3.0 seconds, total page size was 976KB and 69 requests.
What are the benefits of Comet Cache?
Comet Cache has a one-click setup process and then has a host of advanced features. The Pro version brings more advanced features such as cache rebuilding, which automatically builds and fetches the cache every 15 minutes to ensure that the content remains relevant.
Comet Cache pro also includes the possibility to automatically clear the cache after you publish your content and comes with advanced WooCommerce caching features.
Is there anything wrong with Comet Cache?
While we found the plugin to be simple to use and it was developed to keep things simple, the interface with lots of text explanations can feel overwhelming at times.
Comet Cache Pricing
A free version of Comet Cache is available at WordPress.org, and a paid version is available from the Comet Cache website.
Like WP Fastest Cache, pricing is a one-time non-recurring payment. You get lifetime updates and 3 years of support from the Comet Cache team.
Comet Cache is priced at:
- $39 for a single site.
- $99 for three sites.
- $139 for unlimited sites.
Conclusion about Comet Cache
Comet Cache is an easy to use plugin that speeds up your WordPress website. While its management setup may seem daunting at first, it is easier to use than it initially appears.
Getting started with Comet Cache
11. Cache Enabler
Cache Enabler is a WordPress caching plugin from the KeyCDN team. KeyCDN is one of the most popular CDN solutions. If you want to learn more about what a CDN is, check out our The Ultimate Guide to WordPress Caching.
Cache Enabler Speed Test
Here are the website speed results after enabling Cache Enabler and setting up a basic configuration:
Loading time was 2.7 seconds, page size was 976KB, and there were 69 requests in total.
What are the benefits of Cache Enabler?
One of the best features of Cache Enabler is that you actually need an additional plugin called “Optimus”, with both Optimus and Cache Enabler enabled your .png and .jpg images will be served in webP format, no conversion required!
WebP is a new image format recommended by Google that is designed to load quickly on mobile and desktop devices.
Is there anything wrong with Cache Enabler?
No browser caching! Most users will want browser caching functionality, but, even without this it’s still a great plugin, just with a few things to be aware of.
Since there are no paid plugin options, support is minimal, and since Cache Enabler is not the main focus of KeyCDN’s business and does not bring in any revenue, how effective are they in resolving issues?
Cache Enabler Pricing
Cache Enabler is completely free on WordPress.org, and there is no paid plugin version available.
Conclusion about Cache Enabler
Cache Enabler is an excellent WordPress caching solution, but it has some drawbacks, such as no browser caching. Nonetheless, it’s still a useful plugin that’s worth a look.
Getting Started with Cache Enabler
12. Autoptimize
We broke our own rules here and included Autoptimize in our list even though it’s not actually a caching plugin? So what exactly is it?
Well, Autoptimize is a plugin for optimizing, minifying, and aggregating scripts on your WordPress website. It can also perform other optimizations like disabling the WordPress emoji script.
Why is it on our list? Well, it is closely associated with caching plugins and various caching plugins even mention it on their websites for use with page caching.
Autoptimize Speed Test
This is our site speed after enabling Autoptimize and setting up a basic configuration:
The total page load time was 3.9 seconds, the page size was 882KB, and there were 52 requests in total.
What are the benefits of Autoptimize?
Autoptimize focuses on one thing (optimizing scripts) and does it well. It’s easy to use and simple enough that both beginners and advanced users will find enough features in it to make it worthwhile to install.
Is there anything wrong with Autoptimize?
It’s just that you also need to install a caching plugin alongside Autooptimize to make your WordPress website run at top speed.
Autoptimize Pricing
Autooptimize has a rather unique pricing structure where the plugin itself is free. You can then pay €159 per site to have a developer set up and configure it for your website individually.
Conclusion about Autoptimize
Autoptimize is one of the best plugins for optimizing your website’s static scripts (CSS and JS), even if you need an additional caching plugin, it’s worth testing it.
13. Breeze Cache Plugin
Breeze is a WordPress caching plugin developed by the folks at Cloudways hosting. It works with all hosting providers, and you don’t need to be hosting with Cloudways to use Breeze.
Breeze speed test
Here are the results of our site speed after installing Breeze and setting up a basic configuration:
The page load time was 2.8 seconds, the total page size was 961KB, and there were 38 requests in total.
What are the benefits of Breeze?
Breeze is a simple to use caching plugin that makes everything set up… a breeze! No real standout or unique features, but what it does, it does well.
Is there anything bad about Breeze?
Support isn’t great, questions on the WordPress.org support forums are often misinterpreted or ignored, and there’s no paid version of the plugin that comes with premium support.
Breeze Pricing
Breeze is a 100% free WordPress cache plugin available on WordPress.org, with no premium version.
Conclusion about Breeze
Breeze is a simple to use caching plugin that works out of the box and will meet most people’s needs, but if you’re looking for something a little more amazing, then we recommend WP Rocket.
14. Speed Up – Browser Cache
A simple, lightweight WordPress caching plugin. The plugin itself weighs less than 10KB. It is one of the lesser-known plugins on the list, with just over 1,000 active installations at the time of writing.
Speed Up – Browser Cache speed test
Below are our site speed test results after turning on Speed Up – Browser Cache. No configuration is required, just activate it and you’re done!
The page load time was 3.6 seconds, the total page size was 0.96MB, and there were 69 requests in total.
What are the benefits of Speed Up – Browser Cache?
In an age of caching plugins, it’s a breath of fresh air, and if you just want simple caching functionality without the bells and whistles, this is the plugin for you.
No configuration required, just install and activate.
What’s wrong with Speed Up – Browser Cache?
Given the simplicity of it probably not working everywhere, you should also note that it only works on Apache based hosting configurations, so if you're using Nginx it won't work.
Speed Up – Browser Cache Pricing
There is no premium version of this plugin, a free version is available from WordPress.org.
Conclusion about Speed Up – Browser Cache
Overall, a great lightweight plugin that works great out of the box, its lack of features might be a turnoff for some, but if you’re looking for a simple plugin without a ton of features, this is the plugin for you!
Get started with Speed Up – Browser Cache
15. Cachify
Cachify is a unique WordPress cache plugin in that it is run by a community called PluginKolletiv rather than by a specific company.
PluginKolletiv is a group of WordPress developers who work to maintain various plugins on WordPress.org and make them available to the community.
Cachify Speed Test
Here is what we have done after installing Cachify and setting up a basic configuration:
The total page load time was 3.1 seconds, the page size was 976KB, and there were 69 requests in total.
What are the benefits of Cachify?
Besides working great as a caching plugin and supporting all server types and various caching methods, we like the community approach taken to the plugin development.
Is there anything bad about Cachify?
Since it is made by the community for the community, there is a greater distance between releases than with "for-profit" solutions. However, the plugin is always stable and the developers respond quickly to support requests.
Cachify Pricing
Cachify is available for free from WordPress.org, and there is no premium version available.
Conclusion about Cachify
Cachify is a great community spirit plugin that works out of the box, has great support from the community, and it’s free!
