Updated on: 08/07/2024

Website performance matters. And to ensure top-tier performance, you’ll need to use a plugin that gets your site running optimally. However, choosing one might feel like a challenge, with so many to select from and all.

That’s why we’re comparing two side-by-side today. On deck we have WP-Optimize and WP Rocket. Both plugins aim to speed up your site and enhance user experience. But they bring unique features and benefits to the table worth exploring.

We’ll begin by discussing their key features, pricing, and overall effectiveness. And once we put these plugins through their paces, you’ll have a clear understanding of which suits your needs best by the time we’re done.

Let’s get started!

WP-Optimize vs WP Rocket: Key features

No plugin comparison would be complete without a rundown of their top features. Here’s a quick table so you can see what each offers, side-by-side:

Now let’s look at each of these features in more detail.

Database optimization

How your database performs can impact your overall site’s performance by a great deal. WP-Optimize offers comprehensive database cleanup, including the removal of spam comments, expired transients, and unused data. It also allows for advanced options like optimizing individual tables (with WP-Optimize Premium) and automatic cleanups to keep the database speedy​​.

WP Rocket, on the other hand, includes basic database optimization features like clearing out post revisions, drafts, and spam comments. It allows for automatic scheduling of cleanups but lacks advanced options​ like cleaning auto-draft posts and removing expired transients.

Cache preloading

As for how these plugins handle cache preloading, WP-Optimize preloads the cache to improve site performance. This ensures pages are quickly accessible to site visitors.

WP Rocket does this as well and offers both manual and automatic options.

Lazy load

Both plugins also provide lazy loading for images and videos. This delays content loading until a site visitor scrolls to it on the page. This improves page speed​, especially for media-heavy websites. For WP-Optimize Premium, you can turn this feature on for images, background images, iFrames and videos.

With WP Rocket, you have identical options.

GZIP compression

Another key optimization feature on deck here is the ability to implement GZIP compression. This helps to reduce the size of files sent from the server to the browser. This speeds up site performance overall​​.

You can enable GZIP compression by going to the same-named tab in the WP-Optimize settings.

If your website runs on an Apache server, WP Rocket enables GZIP automatically. If not, this feature is unavailable. 

Image compression

WP-Optimize offers bulk image compression and automatic compression of new uploads. This feature is available in both free and premium versions​.

However, WP Rocket doesn’t include built-in image compression. If you need this feature, you’ll need to buy WP Rocket (since they don’t have a free version) and an additional Imagify plugin, which is a definite drawback.

Critical CSS

WP Rocket generates critical CSS to optimize the rendering of above-the-fold content, significantly improving load times and user experience​​. This is the Load CSS asynchronously option in WP-Optimize. 

However, the preferred option is to remove unused CSS, as this is more powerful way to optimise performance.

WP-Optimize doesn’t include a feature for generating critical CSS or removing unused CSS. It does however offer several CSS customisation options like minification, merging, and control over which CSS files to include (or exclude) from these processes.

CDN integration

WP-Optimize offers CDN integration via Cloudflare. No configuration is required as this operates separately from any page caching the plugin would provide. 

WP Rocket integrates with Cloudflare, KeyCDN, and RocketCDN to improve global load times.

File minification

You’ll be pleased to hear both plugins provide file minification and concatenation of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript files to reduce file size and improve loading speed​​.

In WP-Optimize, this is presented in a straightforward manner, with simple toggle on and off buttons for each feature.

A similar presentation is offered by WP Rocket.

Automatic database backups

WP-Optimize includes automatic database backups when used with UpdraftPlus, providing an extra layer of security during optimizations​. In contrast, WP Rocket doesn’t offer built-in automatic database backups.

Key feature comparison: Summary

WP-Optimize provides a more comprehensive set of features. Especially of note are its powerful image compression and advanced database optimization capabilities. These features are available even in its free version. 

This makes it an excellent choice for those who need reliable performance enhancements without additional costs.  

WP Rocket excels in offering critical CSS generation and removing unused CSS. These aspects matter for improving Core Web Vitals and overall site speed​.

But when you consider WP-Optimize has a free version, it’s a top choice for anyone seeking cost-effective optimization. WP Rocket is premium-only. 

WP-Optimize vs WP Rocket: Areas of difference 

After using both of these plugins for some time, a few key differences present themselves. 

Here’s what we noticed:

Ease of use

WP-Optimize has a super user-friendly interface. It makes it easy for beginners to navigate and use. The dashboard is straightforward, where people can quickly access features like database optimization, image compression, and caching. The plugin also offers detailed settings for those who want to customise further. It’s all there and well-organised.

WP Rocket is also easy to use. Its setup process is simple, and many of its optimizations are applied automatically, like GZIP compression. This reduces the need for manual configuration. 

Database optimization

WP-Optimize excels in database optimization. It comes with comprehensive tools to clean up and streamline your WordPress database. With these tools, you can remove unnecessary data such as post revisions, spam comments, and transients. And it provides advanced options like optimizing individual database tables and scheduling automatic cleanups​. 

You can also set up and schedule when these optimizations run.

While WP Rocket includes basic database optimization features, such as clearing post revisions and spam comments, it doesn’t offer the same level of detail and control as WP-Optimize. You can schedule automatic cleanups, but the features are more limited compared to WP-Optimize’s extensive database management tools​​.

Image optimization

One of the standout features of WP-Optimize is its built-in image compression. This is available in both free and premium versions. It supports bulk image compression and automatic compression of new uploads. This helps to reduce the size of images and improve site speed. WP-Optimize also offers WebP conversion. 

And it’ll show you images currently in your Media Library that have yet to be compressed so they can be attended to.

CDN integration

WP-Optimize integrates with Cloudflare automatically and many other CDNs with some tweaking. 

WP Rocket provides integration with multiple CDN providers, including Cloudflare as well as KeyCDN. CDN integration with either plugin allows you to enhance site performance and reduce load times for international visitors. 

The last key area of difference we’d like to draw your attention to are the caching and performance optimization features. 

WP-Optimize provides essential caching features, including cache preloading and browser caching. These help improve site speed. 

WP Rocket also excels in advanced caching and performance optimization. It includes features like critical CSS, delay of JavaScript execution, and removing unused CSS.

Pricing and plans

Before coming to a decision about which plugin to use, having a clear sense of their pricing can be helpful.

WP-Optimize pricing

Free version:

The free version of WP-Optimize offers a range of features including database optimization, image compression, cache preloading, and GZIP compression. This makes it an excellent option for users who want to enhance their website performance without incurring additional costs.

Premium plans:

You have three plans to choose from with WP-Optimize: 

• Starter Plan ($49/year for 2 websites): This plan includes all the features of the free version plus additional benefits such as advanced scheduling, more comprehensive image optimization, and priority support.
• Business Plan ($99/year for 5 websites): In addition to the Starter Plan features, the Business Plan supports up to 5 websites, making it ideal for small businesses or agencies managing multiple sites.
• Unlimited Plan ($199/year for unlimited websites): This plan supports unlimited websites. It is designed for larger businesses or agencies with a broad portfolio of websites.

WP Rocket pricing 

WP Rocket has no free version available.

Premium plans:

This plugin has three plans available as well: 

• Single Plan ($59/year for 1 website): This entry-level plan includes all WP Rocket features, such as advanced caching, critical CSS, and delay of JavaScript execution.
• Plus Plan ($119/year for 3 websites): This plan extends the Single Plan benefits to up to 3 websites, suitable for small businesses or developers managing a few sites.
• Infinite Plan ($299/year for unlimited websites): Designed for agencies or large businesses, this plan supports unlimited websites.

Conclusion and recommendations

Both WP-Optimize and WP Rocket offer valuable tools for optimizing WordPress sites. WP-Optimize provides comprehensive database optimization, built-in image compression, and a cost-effective pricing structure. It also has a robust free version.

Which you go with depends on what you need. That being said, Based on the comparison, here’s why WP-Optimize stands out and is our preferred choice:

• Cost-effectiveness: WP-Optimize’s free version delivers significant value, making it an excellent choice for budget-conscious users. Its premium plans are also competitively priced, offering advanced features at a lower cost than WP Rocket​​.
• Comprehensive optimization: WP-Optimize’s all-in-one approach covers database cleanup, image compression, and cache management, providing a more powerful, complete optimization solution without additional costs.
• Advanced database tools: With superior database optimization capabilities, WP-Optimize ensures your site remains fast and efficient. Features like individual table optimization and scheduled cleanups set it apart​.
• Integration with UpdraftPlus: The seamless integration with UpdraftPlus for automatic backups adds an extra layer of security. WP-Optimize  is a safer choice for maintaining site integrity during optimizations​​.
• Affordable premium plans: WP-Optimize’s premium plans are more affordable and flexible, supporting multiple sites at lower price points compared to WP Rocket​.

FAQs

 Updated on: 28/10/2024

There are plenty of WordPress cache plugins, but two of the top contenders are WP-Optimize and WP Fastest Cache. With over a million installations each, these are two plugins that people definitely trust to improve their site’s performance.

Caching and optimization plugins are key to speeding up your website and improving SEO. That’s where WP-Optimize and WP Fastest Cache come in, but how do they compare? Both are all-in-one performance solutions, but they each have varying features and are ideal for different types of users.

In this article, we’ll take a close look at these two popular performance-enhancing plugins. Breaking down their various features, ease of use and value for different kinds of users will help you figure out which one fits your needs.

WP-Optimize vs. WP Fastest Cache: Key features

It’s clear that WP-Optimize is the more feature-rich of the two, especially in the free version. Things like database cleanup, minification and mobile cache are extremely limited or absent in the free version of WP Fastest Cache.

Between the premium versions of both plugins, there isn’t any glaring lack of major features, but the user interface for WP-Optimize is easier to use and better organized. The full suite of performance enhancements – caching, database optimization and minification – is there. But many features are a lot less configurable in WP Fastest Cache, like the lack of role-based cache or ability to customize database cleanup scheduling.

As for what WP Fastest Cache does better than WP-Optimize, it supports more CDNs while WP-Optimize supports only Cloudflare. And multisite support is included in the free version.

Otherwise, WP-Optimize definitely has more free features, so it’s likely to appeal to more users.

WP-Optimize vs WP Fastest Cache: Areas of difference

Both WP-Optimize and WP Fastest Cache do a good job at improving website performance, but the features they offer are very different. Each plugin has its own strengths and weaknesses. Let’s go over the key differences between the two and how their major features compare.

Ease of use and interface

One of the first things users look for in a plugin is ease of use and user-friendliness of the interface. Most WordPress users aren’t developers, and a complicated and confusing interface can be very hard to work with. How do these two plugins compare?

The WP-Optimize interface is designed to be clean, intuitive and easy to navigate. Everything you need is located on a single page; just use the tabs in the top right corner to move between performance settings.

There are quite a few settings to familiarise yourself with,, but they are cleanly laid out and explained clearly with on-page tooltips.

As for WP Fastest Cache, they also use a similar one-page style that’s easy to navigate with tabs. And since it’s a simpler plugin, most of the options fit onto a single page.

The issue here is that the options here are not organized or broken up in any way. Finding what you’re looking for is a lot less intuitive, which can be overwhelming for users.

In the free version, premium settings and tabs aren’t hidden, just greyed out. This makes the interface all the more cluttered and potentially confusing. The tooltips also open up entire articles in another tab, which is more likely to overload users than short, on-page explanations.

Page caching

Page caching is a crucial feature for any performance optimization plugin, and both WP-Optimize and WP Fastest cache include it. But how do the two stack up?

In WP-Optimize, turning on caching is as easy as clicking Enable page caching. The plugin will configure itself, so you don’t need to do anything special to get it working.

But if you do need to configure the cache or (in premium) set up special purging rules, there’s plenty of settings to do so under Advanced settings.

You can also find extra settings like the ability to create a separate mobile cache, scheduling preloading and setting up the cache lifespan. In the premium version of WP-Optimize, you can set a user and role-specific cache as well. Or even generate country-specific files for WooCommerce.

In WP Fastest Cache, it’s even simpler, though that’s not necessarily a good thing. Enabling the cache is also a one-click affair.

There are other cache rules in the Delete Cache or Exclude tabs too. Unlike WP-Optimize, where all cache settings are kept together, WP Fastest Cache tends to scatter its settings around different tabs which can make them harder to find.

Most of these settings have a lot less configuration, or no configuration at all. They’re just a setting you turn on or off. While that makes it simpler, caching can be finicky and sometimes more control is better.

Database optimization

Over time, your database will inevitably fill with junk. Post revisions, drafts, spam comments and orphaned metadata can all unnecessarily slow down your website.

Database cleaning is a free feature in WP-Optimize. Besides a general tool to optimize all database tables, it can delete the following:

• Post revisions
• Auto-draft posts
• Trashed posts
• Spam and trashed comments
• Unapproved comments
• Expired transient options
• Pingbacks
• Trackbacks
• Orphaned post metadata
• Orphaned user metadata
• Orphaned comment metadata
• Orphaned relationship data

If you don’t want to delete some of this, it’s as easy as unticking the box and not including that optimization in the scheduler.

Additionally, you can take a closer look at your database tables and manually delete anything you don’t want, like orphaned plugin data.

The only difference between the free and premium versions of WP-Optimize here is that you get more control over scheduled database cleanups. There are also power tweaks you can turn on to speed up your database.

• Post revisions
• Trashed posts and pages
• Trashed and spam comments
• Trackbacks and pingbacks
• Transient options

That’s less than WP-Optimize. It also has an auto cleanup feature, but it’s very limited. You can only clean up your database once a day or once a week at 5 AM. With WP-Optimize, on the other hand, you can schedule database cleanups to run at times that suit you.

It’s a lot less flexible than WP-Optimize, which offers the same feature for free.

Minification

Minifying HTML, CSS and Javascript is an essential part of performance optimization, and a feature available in both of these plugins. But the way they go about it is very different, so let’s take a closer look.

In WP-Optimize, you can enable minification by just clicking a few buttons. Like caching, minification can require extra fine-tuning, so you’ll find advanced settings for CSS and Javascript minification in their own tabs.

The only premium setting here is the ability to preload key requests and assets to improve load speed. Everything else is accessible in the free version.

WP Fastest Cache takes a much different approach. You can minify HTML and CSS in the free version, but minifying Javascript is a premium-only feature.

Also, the HTML and CSS minification does not work as well as it could in the free version. By purchasing premium, you unlock ‘Minify HTML/CSS Plus’ which is more powerful.

But this means that minifying with the free version of WP Fastest Cache is probably not as effective as minifying with WP-Optimize.

Image optimization

Optimizing images is easy to do and can give your website an instant performance boost. WP-Optimize and WP Fastest Cache both have their own ways of tackling large image files.

Within the free version of WP-Optimize, you can find the image compression feature. You can fully configure the level of lossy or lossless compression, optionally compress newly uploaded images or manually compress existing images on your site in bulk.

Converting to WebP is another free setting. All this works through the reSmush.it API. Additionally, in the premium version, you can enable lazy loading and delete unused images taking up space on your site.

In WP Fastest Cache, image optimization is a premium-only feature. There’s not much customization or control over lossy and lossless settings at all; you just click a button to optimize the images. Even turning off WebP conversion requires adding code to wp-config.php.

Another issue is that you’re given a limited number of optimization credits which don’t replenish on their own. If you need more, you have to buy them. But since you get over 9000 credits to start with (one per image), this is unlikely to be a problem for most users.

Plugin documentation and support

Clear documentation and helpful support may not be strictly necessary, but they can definitely be helpful. Whether you prefer to read through documentation or to contact support and ask for help, either option should be there.

WP-Optimize provides thorough documentation that covers both basic and advanced features. The extensive FAQs are also full of solutions to common issues.

And if you’d rather contact support for help, you can either visit the WordPress plugin forums for prompt assistance or, for premium users, send in a ticket. Most messages get a reply within 24 hours.

As for WP Fastest Cache, free support is provided through its own plugin forums, or you can get premium support through its website. However, there’s no documentation available at all. There are some blog posts you can access through tooltips within the plugin. While it is a fairly simple plugin, if you do have a problem, it can be hard to find the solution.

Pricing and plans

Both WP-Optimize and WP Fastest Cache have free versions with solid features, but they also have premium plans that introduce new features. Which one fits your budget more, or has more value for its cost?

WP-Optimize’s free version includes essential features like page caching, database cleanup, image compression, and minification. By upgrading to premium, you unlock more advanced features: image lazy loading, preloading key requests, user role cache and more.

There are three premium plans: The $49/year Starter plan, $99/year Business plan and $199/year Unlimited plan.

All of these plans unlock the premium features. A higher-tier plan gives you access to WP-Optimize on more websites, with the Unlimited plan working with as many websites as you want.

WP Fastest Cache uses a different type of pricing. Instead of a yearly fee, it only costs a one-time fee. The single-licence plan costs $49, with the most expensive 10-licence plan costing $300.

While this makes WP Fastest Cache the cheaper option for single licence plans, it does come with fewer features and less depth to those features.

Another issue is if you need a lot of licences; with WP-Optimize, you can get unlimited licences for only $199/year, but you only get 10 licences for $300 with WP Fastest Cache.

Conclusion and recommendations

Both WP-Optimize and WP Fastest Cache work well as all-in-one performance-enhancing plugins, filling slightly different niches. WP Fastest Cache is simpler and its lifetime pricing may be more appealing, but it lacks many of the advanced features WP-Optimize provides.

As the more comprehensive solution, WP-Optimize offers database optimization, image compression, and advanced caching tools all in its free version, while WP Fastest Cache lacks many of these features in its free version.

If you’re not sure which one will work better with your site, you can always download and try them both. Download WP-Optimize free or buy the premium version to see for yourself.

FAQs