Do you feel helpless regarding your website’s slow loading speed? Does your blog not minimize the bounce rate and increase the sessions on your posts?
When I’d just begun my blogging journey, I had the same problem. In fact, it was sometimes frustrating having the web page loading slowly.
As you may know, the slow loading speed of your blog will impact the search engine rankings and user experience.
Slow loading speed forces visitors to wait to access the content on the page. That frustrates them, and they bounce right off the page.
- As per Google, most don’t wait for 3 seconds for a web page to load (source).
- And on an average, 15.3 seconds is the time web pages take to load on smartphones (source).
- 70% of people are reluctant to buy from a website that loads slowly (source).
- Per year, a 1-second delay costs $2.5 million for a website that generates $100,000/day (source).
These numbers clearly depict that we as bloggers must strive to achieve the super-fast loading speed of our blogs.
Besides creating content and promoting it, I always make sure to provide world-class user experience to my readers on my blog.
How do I do that?
I use the website cache.
I know that you might have heard about the term or probably have implemented it on your WordPress websites.
Today, I am going to show you why it matters for your WordPress blog. Also, I have listed the top 10 WordPress cache plug-ins that can fuel your blog’s loading speed.
Before we get started, let me explain what cache memory for a website really is.
What is Cache Memory for a Website?
The objective of cache memory is to store a dynamic website’s static version so users can quickly access it.
Cache memory is a part of a server’s RAM, which is lightning-fast.
So the cache memory will transform your dynamic website’s elements to static elements.
Next time a request is made on your website, the cache memory will quickly entertain that request and provide the static version so that users can start interacting with the site.
Cache memory’s objective is to load web pages exceptionally quickly so that users don’t have to wait to access the content.
Now, you might ask, “Why do we need a static version of our website in the first place? Can’t the server only deliver fast loading for our blogs?”
Well, let’s discuss that.
How Cache Boosts the Website Speed
If I ask you, what is 5 + 5? You would immediately respond 10.
Here, you don’t have to calculate complex mathematical equations because 5+5 is an easy summation, and you are used to doing such quick calculations.
Our website host also does calculations. Indeed, those are advanced calculations, and it increases the load on the server.
Whenever a user requests to access a landing page, it has to be rendered first. Since a page is made of MySQL database, JavaScript, PHP, HTML, and CSS, the system requires CPU and RAM to calculate the programs.
So as soon as a request is made from a web browser, it transfers to the WordPress host, which then forwards it to the WordPress database.
The database collects, calculates, and returns the data to the WordPress host, which then transfers the rendered PHP and HTML code into a user interface—i.e., landing page—that is shown in the web browser.
This is the process of executing one-page requests. Now, what if a blog usually serves several hundred users, or there is a sudden rise in the website traffic for one day?
The server load will increase, and that will eventually impact the calculations of the host. So users will have to wait to access the page.
Blogs that share few articles per week or per day don’t have updates for already-shared articles. But those posts still have to be rendered every single time a request is made.
So what if we already compiled those static pages’ content and stored them in the RAM of the server? Now, as soon as the request is made, it will be instantly served because the pages are already rendered and stored in the cache.
The server won’t have to render the data every single time. This will reduce the server load significantly, and users can quickly access the pages.
Now, the cache memory has to be updated regularly to provide the latest version of the website to end-users.
If your blog is on WordPress, you have several WordPress cache plug-ins that can help you. They can take this heavy load and discard the headache of slow loading speed and its negative impacts on search rankings.
Now, let’s see the top 10 WordPress cache plug-ins that you can implement on your website to improve the user experience through quick loading of the website.
Top 10 WordPress Cache Plugins to Speed up Your Blog
1. WP-Rocket
WP-Rocket is a perfect WordPress cache plug-in for beginners or professional bloggers to ensure quick loading speed of web pages.
With its minimal configuration to enable caching for a WordPress website, you can get started quickly with this WordPress plug-in.
All you have to do is install this plug-in and activate it; WP-Rocket will automatically start working.
WP rocket is very efficient at what it does. By optimizing the page loading time, it can improve search engine ranking for your website.
You can still utilize quick loading speed by current source code size. You don’t have to delete media, pages, or content to optimize the performance. The static file compression is efficient enough to do the heavy lifting for you.
Now you don’t need to worry about the slugging refresh rate of your website due to HD images. WP rocket will load images only if requested by the end-user.
Whenever a user scrolls down the page, the images below the fold will be loaded only then.
WP-Rocket has three packages: Single, Plus, and Infinite. They cost $49, $99, and $249 per year, respectively.
If you do not like the tool after purchasing, you can claim the refund after 14 days of first purchase under 100% No-Risk Money Back Guarantee.
2. W3 Total Cache
W3 Total Cache is arguably one of the best free WordPress cache plug-ins that not only improve the loading speed but help in getting higher search engine positions.
The user-friendly plug-in is straightforward to set up and get acquainted with even for beginners.
The plug-in has been rated for 5 stars by more than 3,000 users on WordPress.org.
Along with dedicated hosting, the plug-in also supports shared hosting, virtual private servers, and cluster architectures.
It also supports CDN servers and works with SSL too.
It will allow you to effectively target mobile users by smart caching. It works with support accelerated mobile pages too.
The plug-in uses trending techniques to minify JavaScript, CSS, database, and HTML files on a blog. It can also cache RSS feeds on the website. With this plug-in, you can also cope with in-line scripts, comments, and search results by storing them on memory, disk, or CDN.
3. WP Super Cache
WP Super Cache is another renowned WordPress caching plug-in that is very successful at what it does, improving page speed of websites.
The plug-in has all the settings that you require to provide blazing-fast customer experience to visitors.
Now your website won’t lag by rendering the web page request each time as the plug-in automatically creates static versions.
It uses three ways to cache a WordPress website.
The fastest method is Apache mod_rewrite, which entirely bypasses PHP scripts. So the server doesn’t waste time rendering the extended scripts. You have to tweak the .htaccess and Apache mod_rewrite module to implement this.
Another way to cache websites is through permalinks. It is similar to the previous won’t bypass PHP this time. With this method, the plug-in also allows you to keep some portion of your landing page dynamic.
The third way is for the registered users of your WordPress website or blog. People who log in, share comments, or frequently visit your sites will be served through this caching method.
4. Cash Enabler
Cash Enabler is developed by KeyCDN, which is a popular content delivery network out there.
Cache Enable is very easy to integrate on a WordPress site with minimal effort.
With the help of this plug-in, creating a static version of your website becomes straightforward.
Once you activate the plug-in, it creates two cached files. One is a simple HTML file, and the other one is gzip level 9.
This way, your website will be there to assist the visitors without requesting a database recursively.
To compress high-resolution images on your blogs, you can combine this plug-in with Optimus.
The HD images on your website would be converted into WebP formats, so the website’s load will be lower on the server.
5. Comet Cache
With more than 60,000+ active installations, Comet Cache is one of the most reliable WordPress plug-ins to manage website cache.
Comet Cache creates a static version of your landing pages and delivers it seamlessly to visitors.
The robustly built plug-in will ensure that your prospects and readers are not forced to stare on a blank screen while they are expecting an article to read.
Comet Cache takes the real-time snapshot of pages, posts, categories, links, and comments on your landing pages. Then it dynamically stores them in the cache memory.
It has WP-CLI compatibility to provide granular control over your website management. It can also do gzip compression.
It also has Pro versions where you get access to all the features of the tool.
6. Hyper Cache
Hyper Cache can create two caches for your website, one for each desktop and mobile platform.
With the help of Hyper Cache, you can entertain mobile visitors by getting a dedicated cached version for the platform.
This particular WordPress plug-in is especially developed only on PHP. You can just install and activate the plug-in, and you are set.
It can help you cover the expired pages to the bots to improve the speed of the overall website.
The plug-in has an option to change your website’s theme for mobile devices. Therefore, you can provide a unique layout to your existing mobile readers and serve them quickly and dynamically.
7. Perfmatters
Perfmatters is an all-in-one website performance management plug-in that can ease the process and technical hurdles for a website’s admin and let visitors have a dynamic user experience.
This plug-in is robustly built and provides upgraded features and elements to create a responsive website cache to serve users quickly.
After installing this plug-in on your WordPress website, you will get a user-friendly interactive dashboard that makes the process effective.
You can decrease the HTTP requests by minimizing back-end requests and trimming the code.
By using its dashboard, you can optimize the loading speed of your website by disabling embeds, images, query springs, RSS feed, etc.
The basic plan starts at $24.95/year. It also has other plans, Business and Unlimited, which costs $54.95 and $124.95/year, respectively.
You also get a refund policy from Perfmatters.
If you are not satisfied with the tool, you can claim your refund under a 30-day money-back guarantee by the tool.
8. WP Fastest Cache
This plug-in is installed on more than 1 million active websites.
Along with website caching, you get useful features to improve the loading speed of a website and make it fast and rank higher in SERPs.
The plug-in has CDN, SSL, and cloud support to provide extensive assistance to website owners to improve the loading speed.
You get a preload caching system where you can create a cache automatically of your entire site. You can also exclude special pages and posts from caching.
You also get to decide whether you want to cash content for your members. This will allow you to give them a responsive user interface when they log in.
It can optimize the HTML and CSS files so that the least amount of source code is rendered every time someone requests anything. With the help of gzip compression, you can dynamically reduce the size of the file sent to users.
WP Fastest Cache’s paid plan starts at $49.99. You also get Silver and Gold plans, with $125 and $175 one-time fee.
9. WP Super Minify
WP Super Minify is one of the most compact, lightweight, and effective website cache plug-ins.
You can combine the HTTP requests with these plug-ins and deliver multiple requests that lead to the quick loading speed of your website.
With WP Super Minify, you can also minimize the size of in-line JavaScript snippets for instant loading and dynamic response.
Most importantly, WP Super Minify is an open-sourced WordPress plug-in.
Therefore, you don’t have to pay anyone for using this plug-in to its fullest potential.
Small business owners or newbie bloggers can leverage this WordPress plug-in to get the benefit of website caching.
10. WP Speed of Light
With WP Speed of Light, you can get more conversion and engagement by making your website load faster and be more responsive.
You get tools to enable database cleanup. You get optimization features for cache cleaner, CDN assistance, gzip compression, etc.
Generating stating static cache for your website is blazingly fast and efficient with WP Speed of Light.
You get a selective caching mechanism for desktop, mobile, and tablet.
You can effectively block query strings to get a good score on GTmetrix and PageSpeed Insights.
For bloggers who are upgrading their website by uploading content frequently, they can enable automatic cache cleanup so that visitors can have the new version of the site quickly.
The plug-in works seamlessly with page editors of Elementor, Divi, Beaver Gutenberg, WP Bakery, etc.
Plus, you can clear cache in WordPress or WooCommerce with a single click through this plug-in.
The paid version of the tool starts $34 for 6 months. There is also one more plan that costs $44/year.
Conclusion
So that is it for the top 10 WordPress cache plug-ins. Apart from those mentioned, these plug-ins have more multifold benefits.
Once you improve the loading speed, your website will have high search engine rankings. Plus, you can ensure an unparalleled user experience that will make people visit your website recursively.
Let me know what your thoughts are about the ideas discussed here. If you want to add something or you have some questions, feel free to drop your views in the comments below.
Keep reading the article at Blog – Blogging Cage. The article was originally written by Kulwant Nagi on 2020-05-12 05:34:31.
The article was hand-picked and curated for you by the Editorial Team of WP Archives.