Despite being a paid plugin, WP Rocket manages to secure a spot as one of the most popular caching plugins for WordPress. Some alternatives exist, though, if you prefer a free solution.
I have tested some free plugins that have similar functionality as WP Rocket and curated them in the list below.
WP Rocket itself is not just a caching plugin. Instead, it also has extra features. Such as file optimization, database optimization, ability to load Google Fonts locally, and so on.
So, if you really want to replace WP Rocket, make sure that the replacement doesn’t only add caching functionality to your site.
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Before You Install a Caching Plugin on Your WordPress Site
While WP Rocket has some extra optimization features, its main functionality remains to add a caching functionality to your WordPress site.
The problem is that some managed hosting services like Rocket.net and Kinsta already have a solid caching feature.
Cloudways also has a built-in caching feature although you need to install an extra plugin to further configure it.
So, before you install a caching plugin on your WordPress site, it’s crucial to find out whether your hosting service already has a caching feature. If it already has one, then you no longer need to install a caching plugin, unless you need its additional optimization features.
FYI. Some hosting services block you from installing a caching plugin. If you can’t install a certain caching plugin, you can check your hosting policy before blaming the plugin.
How These WP Rocket Alternatives are Curated
I tested all of the WP Rocket alternatives on the list below. I wanted to explore the features they offer, other than caching, to find out whether they are worth including to the list.
Caching functionality remains the primary consideration factor. I didn’t include plugins that don’t have caching functionality because it is the main feature of WP Rocket.
Also, I only included plugins in which the caching feature works on all web servers. That’s why I didn’t include LiteSpeed Cache.
Some features I put into consideration when crafting the list include:
- Caching
- File optimization like CSS minification and JavaScript minification
- Ability host files locally (Google Fonts in particular)
- Ability to preload assets (images, fonts, etc)
- Ability to control WordPress heartbeat
- Database optimization
List of Free WP Rocket Alternatives
| Plugin | Key highlights | Price of pro version |
|---|---|---|
| Breeze | An ideal WP Rocket alternative for Cloudways users. | 100% free |
| WP-Optimize | An optimization plugin with a great database clean up feature. | Starts from $49/year |
| W3 Total Cache | A caching plugin with lots of caching options. | Starts from $99/year |
| WP Super Cache | A caching plugin with a clean interface. | 100% free |
| WP Fastest Cache | Offers an easy initial setup. Comes with a simple settings panel. | Starts from $49 (lifetime) |
| Super Page Cache | An ideal WP Rocket replacement for Cloudflare users. | Starts from $39/year |
| WP Compress | An optimization that comes with useful graphical reports. | Starts from $9/month |
1. Breeze
Breeze is an ideal WP Rocket replacement if you are a Cloudways user. It is a free plugin developed by Cloudways that has nearly all features that WP Rocket offers.
Apart from caching as its main feature, Breeze also comes with extra features like file optimization and database optimization. It even has the ability to host files from services like Google Fonts and Google Analytics locally, which is great to reduce HTML requests on your website.
While Breeze is developed by Cloudways, non-Cloudways users can also use it. Even if your hosting service doesn’t use Varnish like Cloudways.
For hosting services that don’t have Varnish installed, Breeze will use its internal caching mechanism to work.
Breeze has a preload feature, but you can only use it to preload webfonts and links. No option to preload images.
File optimization feature is also available in Breeze. The feature offers options to minify CSS, HTML and JavaScript files.
Key Features of Breeze:
- Caching
- Gzip compression for HTML
- Lazy load images
- File minification for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
- Preload
- Heartbeat control
- Ability to host files locally (Google Fonts, Google Analytics, Gravatars, Facebook Pixel)
- Database optimization
Pros and Cons of Breeze:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Completely free | No option to preload images |
| Works on most hosting services | |
| Has file optimization and database optimization features | |
| Easy-to-use interface |
Breeze vs WP Rocket
| Breeze | WP Rocket | |
|---|---|---|
| Caching | ✅ | ✅ |
| File optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Host files locally | ✅ | ✅ |
| Preload assets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Lazyload | ✅ | ✅ |
| Database optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Heartbeat control | ✅ | ✅ |
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2. WP-Optimize
WP-Optimize is another great plugin to replace WP Rocket. It also has nearly all features that WP Rocket has. However, not all of the WP-Otimize features are accessible for free because WP-Optimize is a freemium plugin.
Some features that are not accesible on the free version are lazyload and ability to run files locally (Gravatar and Google Analytics).
WP-Optimize has a feature that automatically converts your images to webP format, a format loved by Google. This feature uses the free API from reSmush.it. You can also manually convert your images if you want.
One of the features I love from WP-Optimize is the ability to detect leftover database tables from the uninstalled plugins. The feature is quite useful to clean up a database at a minimum risk.
Cleaning up unused database tables is a good practice to reduce CPU usage on your hosting server.
Key Features of WP-Optimize (the Free Version):
- Caching
- Gzip compression
- WebP image conversion
- File minification for HTML, CSS, and JavaScript
- Database optimization
Pros and Cons of WP-Optimize:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Super useful database optimization | No heartbeat control |
| Works on all web servers | Local files are only accessible on the pro version |
| All basic features are accessible on the free version | |
| Automatic WebP conversion on the free version |
WP-Optimize Free vs WP Rocket:
| WP-Optimize | WP Rocket | |
|---|---|---|
| Caching | ✅ | ✅ |
| File optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Host files locally | ❌ | ✅ |
| Preload assets | ❌ | ✅ |
| Lazyload | ❌ | ✅ |
| Database optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Heartbeat control | ❌ | ✅ |
3. W3 Total Cache
W3 Total Cache is a caching plugin from Boldgrid. It is one of the most popular caching with over one million installations according to WordPress.org.
W3 Total Cache is a great WP Rocket replacement if you want to focus on caching to boost the performance of your website. It allows you to select which parts on your website to exclude from the caching. For instance, you can exclude the homepage, blog posts, etc.
While W3 Total Cache is functionally great, the interface is a bit complicated. It’s not the best solution for beginners or those who hate complexity.
W3 Total Cache itself is released as a freemium plugin. Features like lazyload and WebP conversion are only available on the pro version.
Key Features of W3 Total Cache (Free Version):
- Caching
- Database caching
- File optimization
Pros and Cons of W3 Total Cache:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Works on all web servers | Complex interface |
| Can exclude pages and posts on caching | Lack of supporting features |
| Pro version is expensive |
W3 Total Cache vs WP Rocket
| W3 Total Cache | WP Rocket | |
|---|---|---|
| Caching | ✅ | ✅ |
| File optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Host files locally | ❌ | ✅ |
| Preload assets | ❌ | ✅ |
| Lazyload | ❌ | ✅ |
| Database optimization | ❌ | ✅ |
| Heartbeat control | ❌ | ✅ |
4. WP Super Cache
WP Super Cache is a caching plugin from Automattic. Same as W3 Total Cache, it is also a popular caching plugin with over one million installs. Also, WP Super Cache is an ideal option if you only want to add caching functionality to your website.
Compared to W3 Total Cache, WP Super Cache has a cleaner interface and is easier to configure.
WP Super Cache offers two caching methods: simple and expert. You can use the first option if you are a beginner and have a little technical optimization knowledge.
Conversely, you can use the second option if you want to further tweak the caching on your website.
WP Super Cache is completely free.
Key Features of WP Super Cache:
- Simple caching
- Dynamic caching
- Compression
- Clean up cache files
- Preload
Pros and Cons of WP Super Cache:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Completely free | Offers no other optimization features |
| Super clean interface | |
| Multiple caching methods | |
| Works on all web servers |
WP Super Cache vs WP Rocket:
| WP Super Cache | WP Rocket | |
|---|---|---|
| Caching | ✅ | ✅ |
| File optimization | ❌ | ✅ |
| Host files locally | ❌ | ✅ |
| Preload assets | ❌ | ✅ |
| Lazyload | ❌ | ✅ |
| Database optimization | ❌ | ✅ |
| Heartbeat control | ❌ | ✅ |
5. WP Fastest Cache
WP Fastest Cache is another popular caching plugin that has over one million active installs. The plugin offers an extremely simple settings panel.
All of the setting options that WP Fastest Cache offers are accessible on the same page. It adopts a tab approach to split the setting options.
WP Fastest Cache is not designed specifically for a certain web server. Meaning that it works on all major web servers.
The plugin itself is released as a freemium plugin and the free version comes with extra optimization features — other than caching. Such as minification, Gzip compression and preload.
Key Features of WP Fastest Cache (Free Version):
- Caching
- Preload
- File optimization (minification)
- Gzip compression
Pros and Cons of WP Fastest Cache:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Easy initial setup | Requires pro version to unlock basic extra features |
| Extremely simple settings panel | |
| Advanced caching control | |
| Works on all web servers |
WP Fastest Cache Free vs WP Rocket:
| WP Fastest Cache | WP Rocket | |
|---|---|---|
| Caching | ✅ | ✅ |
| File optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Host files locally | ❌ | ✅ |
| Preload assets | ✅ | ✅ |
| Lazyload | ❌ | ✅ |
| Database optimization | ❌ | ✅ |
| Heartbeat control | ❌ | ✅ |
6. Super Page Cache
If you are a Cloudflare user, then Super Page Cache is a great fit to replace WP Rocket. The plugin allows you to easily integrate Cloudflare with your WordPress site by just entering API keys.
What if you are not a Cloudflare user?
You can still use Super Page Cache. The Cloudflare integration is optional. You can enable the integration if you want to add the edge caching functionality to your site.
Without the Cloudflare integration, Super Page Cache will add local caching functionality to your website just like plugins above. You can also enjoy extra features like lazyload, ability to host Google Fonts locally, and so on.
Super Page Cache comes with a useful database optimization feature. You can schedule things like automatic old post revisions deletion and automatic spam comments deletion.
Key Features of Super Page Cache (Free Version):
- Caching
- Local Google Fonts
- Lazyload
- Database optimization
Pros and Cons of Super Page Cache:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Clean interface | Lack of extra optimization features |
| Easy integration with Cloudflare | |
| Works on all web servers | |
| Super useful database clean up feature |
Super Page Cache vs WP Rocket:
| Super Page Cache | WP Rocket | |
|---|---|---|
| Caching | ✅ | ✅ |
| File optimization | ❌ | ✅ |
| Host files locally | ✅ | ✅ |
| Preload assets | ❌ | ✅ |
| Lazyload | ✅ | ✅ |
| Database optimization | ✅ | ✅ |
| Heartbeat control | ❌ | ✅ |
7. WP Compress
I first got to know WP Compress from an ad on Instagram. Turns out, it also has a free version on WordPress.org. After testing it, I decided to include it on the list because it has some of the features that WP Rocket has.
WP Compress has a super clean, intuitive interface. You can find a graph presenting the optimization reports on the main screen of the plugin. You can switch between a simple settings mode to the advanced settings mode to access all the settings offered by the plugin.
On the initial setup of WP Compress, you will be asked to enter your license key, but it is not required. You can use WP Compress without a license key.
WP Compress comes with a feature to make it easy for you to integrate your website with Cloudflare like Super Page Cache above.
Key Features of WP Compress (Free Version):
- Caching
- Visual optimization reports
- Lazyload
- Local Google Fonts
- WebP conversion
- Cloudflare integration
Pros and Cons of WP Compress:
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Clean, modern interface | No database optimization |
| Easy integration with Cloudflare | |
| Free WebP conversion | |
| Works on all web servers |
WP Compress vs WP Rocket:
| WP Compress | WP Rocket | |
|---|---|---|
| Caching | ✅ | ✅ |
| File optimization | ❌ | ✅ |
| Host files locally | ✅ | ✅ |
| Preload assets | ❌ | ✅ |
| Lazyload | ✅ | ✅ |
| Database optimization | ❌ | ✅ |
| Heartbeat control | ❌ | ✅ |
Summary — Which WP Rocket Alternative Should You Use?
WP Rocket is a popular optimization plugin for WordPress. While it mainly adds a caching functionality to your website (on the application level), extra features are available to allow you to optimize other areas on your website.
Not every WordPress user can’t afford it, though. If you prefer a free solution, then you can use one of the alternatives on the list above.
Breeze is a great WP Rocket alternative if you use Cloudways or other hosting services that use Varnish. If you need a WP Rocket alternative that has a WebP conversion, then you can go to WP-Optimize and WP Compress.
WP Super Cache is a great option if you only want to add caching functionality to your WordPress site. It is extremely easy to use and doesn’t require complex configuration to work properly.
