It isn’t easy to choose the best caching plugin for your WordPress website. There are dozens available. This article will provide an overview of the top five picks and explain why they are necessary. We’ll also compare their pricing and recommended usage cases.
Caching is one of the most popular techniques for optimizing WordPress performance. It increases traffic to the website and conversion rates by accelerating the website. But… How Does Caching Work?
Caching is the process of storing requested data (static files on websites) temporarily in order to provide faster access. How it works in practice:
When visitor A requests your homepage, the hosting server creates the code and returns it to the visitor’s web browser; the result is then stored on the server (in a cached version). The server does not build the code when visitor B requests your homepage. It serves up the cached page instead.
This means that the server must build the code each time a user requests a webpage. This is a waste of computer resources (CPUs, RAMs, disks, etc.). The time it takes to finish the task. Caching can save time and resources needed to finish processing.
WordPress is a dynamic Content Management System (CMS). The hosting server fetches the data from the database, runs PHP scripts and then sends the response (in the format of a website) to the browser of the visitor. As a website grows in traffic, this process increases the workload on the server. Caching is, therefore, necessary for WordPress websites.
WordPress.org has several caching plugins, but they may not be suitable for your website. This article will explain the best WordPress caching plugin for your website and why it is important to understand your caching requirements.
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What is a Caching Plugin on WordPress, and why do you need one?
WordPress caching plugins manage page caching on WordPress websites. A cache plugin, technically speaking, creates a static web page and delivers it to the visitor when they request it. WordPress cache plugins work in slightly different manners. Some cache plugins let you select which pages you do not want to be cached. This is especially useful for WordPress-managed online stores. For the best user experience, you shouldn’t cache the cart or checkout pages.
Do you still need a WordPress caching plugin? Understanding the two types of caching is important. Browser-level caching is handled exclusively by the visitor’s web browser. The hosting servers will handle server-level caching. It implements caching for all website visitors.
You don’t need to worry about caching at the server level if you use a WordPress automated hosting platform, like 10Web. 10Web caches everything, from feeds to pages and 301 redirects on subdomains of websites hosted by 10Web. It uses Nginx FastCGI Caching, which is the fastest page cache solution. This gives you full control over which pages to cache and ensures that they are fetched quickly.
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You should choose the best WordPress caching plugin if you manage your WordPress hosting.
What is the Best Caching Plugin to Use for Your WordPress Site?
The best WP caching plugin for WordPress, as we have said before, is subjective. Some plugins are very robust but may not be the most suitable for certain use cases. The plugins in this section have been categorized according to their intended use.
10Web Booster
10Web Booster does more than just a cache plugin for WordPress. It’s a powerful tool for solving WordPress speed problems. It’s a great plugin that optimizes WordPress sites for speed. Its feature-rich functionalities handle website caching intelligently while employing other advanced fixes for performance that are paid on other plugins in its free version.
Why is 10WebBooster one of the best WordPress Caching Plugins?
- The interface is designed for both beginners and advanced users.
- This free service offers 5 inner pages + frontend optimization for all sites.
- 10Web Booster enables static pages to be read from the Cache entirely, improving server responsive time.
- 10Web Booster works with all WordPress hosts.
- Cloudflare Enterprise Plan CDN is used to deliver static and dynamic content at ultra-fast speeds across Cloudflare’s global network.
- It allows you to pass the Core Web Vitals test (CWV).
- It creates critical CSS by separating critical from non-critical CSS and loading the critical CSS first.
- 10Web uses lazy loading to load images, videos and iframes, improving webpage performance.
- It prioritizes important scripts and styles intelligently and non-blockingly without executing the wrong ones.
- 10Web optimizes web font loading by using a font swap. This prevents Flash of Unstyled Text and Flash of Invisible Text.
- 10Web Booster offers image optimization, including image conversion as well as container-specific resizing.
- It is more than just a plugin. 10Web allows you to move to automated 10Web hosting on Google Cloud in one click.
Recommended Use Case
- All-round speed optimization
- The plugin is optimized for mobile devices and networks.
- Ideal for blogs, e-commerce websites and image-heavy sites.
- The 10Web Booster free version is perfect for simple websites.
Pricing
10Web Booster, a free WordPress Plugin, offers 24/7 live chat support and tutorials. It also publishes guides. The paid version of 10Web Booster includes all page optimization and Cloudflare CDN and starts at $6 for each website. How good is it that the price of 10Web Booster Pro drops with the number of websites?
WP-Rapid
WP Rocket, another WordPress caching plugin, is considered to be a superior choice in the WordPress ecosystem. It is regarded as one of the top WordPress caching plugins.
Why is WP Rocket one of the best WordPress Caching Plugins?
- Instant Website Caching with One Click
- WP Rocket activates GZIP compression automatically, as well as page caching and cache preloading.
- Drop-dead simple user interface suitable for beginners.
- It minifies CSS and JS to accelerate delivery and page rendering.
- This application uses Google Font Optimization to optimize font rendering and preload fonts.
- It removes unused CSS and delays JS execution to render pages optimally.
WP Rocket offers a number of add-ons that you can control with just one click. Rocket CDN, for CDN integration, and Imagify image optimization are among its paid add-ons.
Recommended Use Case
- WP Rocket is the best cache plugin for WordPress for ecommerce storefronts.
- WP Rocket is a powerful WordPress plugin that can be used for a variety of WordPress businesses.
Pricing
WP Rocket Premium is a WordPress caching plugin. There are three plans: single, plus and infinite. The single plan costs $59 per annum, while the plus plan costs $119, and the endless plan costs $299. The plans all offer product updates. However, the Single plan supports a single website. The Plus plan supports three sites, and the Infinite Plan provides support for an unlimited number of websites.
WP Rocket’s pricing is the main reason that small and medium businesses choose free alternatives. WP Rocket’s plans do not include CDN or image optimizations. These are paid add-ons. Read this for a detailed review of WP Rocket.
Total Cache
W3 Total cache is one of the most popular WordPress caching plugins. It offers a wide range of settings and features that allow for seamless and flexible integration with other tools. It’s not for beginners.
For beginners, W3 Total Cache’s configurations can be difficult to understand. It is a great choice for a WordPress caching plugin because of its many options.
Why is WP Total Cache one of the best caching plugins?
- W3 Total Cache implements resource and page caching.
- By default, it supports object caching.
- W3 Total cache converts all images into WebP for faster webpage loading.
- It offers a framework for extensive customization and plug-and-play with other tools, e.g. Cloudflare CDN (CDN) and the WordPress Multilingual Plugin WPML.
- It compresses and minifies CSS and JS to accelerate page loading.
- The Cache also stores stylesheets or scripts on disk to make retrieval faster.
- The Pro version allows for the lazy loading of images and compression of static files with GZIP, Brotli or GZIP.
- W3 Total Cache Pro also removes render-blocking CSS and lazy loads Google Maps.
Recommended Use Case
W3 Total Cache is the best choice for complex websites due to its advanced caching settings. It is not the best choice for simple sites due to its complex configuration. As a WordPress cache plugin, W3 Total Cache will improve the performance of any site.
WP Super Cache
You should find WP Total Cache, WP Super Cache and other plugins with similar reviews and download counts when you search for “cache” on the WordPress repository. This plugin, developed by Automattic, the developers of WordPress, is limited in features. It creates static HTML files and serves them to your users instead of hitting your server each time. It’s easy to use, and it provides settings that are recommended for users who may not be as technically savvy.
The WP Super cache offers three caching options: Simple, Expert and WP Cache. The Expert mode offers extensive configurations but also requires you to edit your PHP files. The Simple option is recommended for most users. Authenticated users should use the final option: WP-cache cache. It creates cached pages for each user and ensures they all have the same experience.
Why is WP Super Cache one of the best caching plugins?
- It supports page caching as well as resource caching and cache preloading.
- It offers a REST endpoint to access its settings programmatically. This feature does require authentication.
- Beginners will find it easy to use.
- Instead of clearing the Cache and reaching, it uses the cache rebuilding method to update cached contents.
- There are three different cache options available depending on your level of skill.
Use cases
WP Super cache is the best WordPress caching plugin for blogs. Its limited feature set doesn’t provide the flexibility needed for other website niches.
WP-Optimize
WP-Optimize, with over 1,000,000 active installations, is one of the most popular WordPress caching plugins. This advanced WordPress plugin caches and optimizes images on your website. It also cleans up your database.
Why is WP – Optimize one of the best caching plugins?
- This tool combines and minifies CSS and JS files.
- This software implements the caching of pages and resources.
- Multisite support is available as an option, along with lazy loading.
- WP-Optimize deletes images that are not used, allowing you to free up space on your server.
- This plugin offers database optimization, as one of its core features.
- You can also schedule general cleanings with the paid version.
Use cases
WP-Optimize offers a wide range of caching options for WordPress websites. Y However, its advanced optimization methods, like critical CSS and JS delays, are somewhat limited. WebP conversion is also not available. The paid version also excludes CDN. Due to these features, the ability to achieve a PageSpeed score of 90+ using WP Optimize has been limited.
Pricing
WP-Optimize offers a free version. The WP-Optimize premium has more features than the free edition. The cost is $49 for two sites, $99 for up to five websites, and $199 for unlimited sites.
The Best WordPress Caching Plugins
The fact that a plugin is installed on over one million WordPress websites doesn’t mean it is the best choice for your site. Imagine downloading WP Super Cache, which has over two million installations, for your image-heavy online storefront. See why I said that the “best” WordPress cache plugin is relative. It is important to understand their features other than caching when making a decision.
A plugin’s compatibility with all WordPress hosts is another important factor to consider. You don’t have to worry if your website is hosted by 10Web. The best WordPress caching plugin for your website is the one which complements your requirements.
The FAQ
Can I use two cache plugins on WordPress?
This is strongly discouraged. Look for alternatives if your cache plugin is no longer sufficient. It is because they may conflict with each other after installation, since they both serve the same function. You won’t need to worry about other website optimization tools after you install 10Web Booster.
When should you avoid using Cache?
The Cache should always be used. You don’t require a caching plugin if your host provides file and page caching. You don’t need to worry about caching on the server if you use an automated WordPress platform like 10Web. Automatic caching is done for you.
