1
Advanced Database Cleaner
Site owners who want a capable free cleaner with scheduling, and anyone needing to find leftovers from removed plugins.
87overall scoreDetails
Best WordPress Database Optimization Plugins (2026)
Revision cleanup, transients, orphaned tables and options, autoload control and scheduled optimisation: how the main WordPress database cleanup plugins compare.
About Database Optimization Plugins
Every WordPress database collects clutter over time: thousands of post revisions, expired transients, spam comments, metadata with no parent post, and tables and options left behind by plugins you removed years ago. A bloated database makes backups slower, can slow down admin pages and queries, and large autoloaded options load on every single page view.
We compare popular WordPress database cleanup and optimisation tools, including dedicated plugins such as Advanced Database Cleaner, WP-Sweep, Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions and Database Cleaner, and performance plugins with built-in database tools such as WP-Optimize, Perfmatters, WP Rocket and LiteSpeed Cache. Each one is checked against 22 features covering cleanup, optimisation, automation and safety, and insights.
Every feature is marked as free, paid, add-on, partial or not offered, with a note and a link to the source. The ranking combines feature coverage with popularity and ratings.
The ranking
Overall score = 55% features, 20% popularity, 25% ratings. Filter by the features you need, or tick two plugins to compare them.
Must have
2
WP-Optimize
Budget-conscious site owners who want caching, image compression and database cleanup from one free plugin.
84overall scoreDetails
3
Database Cleaner
Large or long-lived sites that need to find out which plugin owns each table and option and clean in safe batches.
78overall scoreDetails
4
LiteSpeed Cache
Sites hosted on LiteSpeed or OpenLiteSpeed servers that want server-level caching and a full optimisation toolkit for free.
67overall scoreDetails
5
Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions
Small sites and blogs that want revisions and trash trimmed automatically with almost no setup.
65overall scoreDetails
6
WP Rocket
Site owners and agencies who want strong, low-effort speed improvements on standard hosting and are happy to pay a yearly licence.
62overall scoreDetails
7
WP-Sweep
Developers who want a safe, scriptable free cleaner they can run via WP-CLI.
60overall scoreDetails
8
Perfmatters
Sites that already have page caching and want granular control over scripts, CSS and WordPress bloat.
60overall scoreDetails
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Pricing compared
Entry and top plans on the same billing period, plus any lifetime deal. Prices are list prices before discounts or tax.
| Plugin | Free version | Entry plan | Top plan | Lifetime | Paid plans |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Advanced Database Cleaner |
Yes | $39/yrStarter, 1 site | $119/yrAgency, Unlimited | — | 3 |
| WP-Optimize |
Yes | $49/yrStarter, 2 sites | $194/yrEnterprise, Unlimited | — | 3 |
| Database Cleaner |
Yes | $39/yrStarter, 1 site | $99/yrProfessional, 20 sites | $499Developer Life, 500 sites | 5 |
| LiteSpeed Cache |
Yes | Free only | — | — | — |
| Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions |
Yes | Free only | — | — | — |
| WP Rocket |
No | $59.95/yrSingle, 1 site | $299.95/yrMulti, 50 sites | — | 3 |
| WP-Sweep |
Yes | Free only | — | — | — |
| Perfmatters |
No | $29.95/yrPersonal, 1 site | $124.95/yrUnlimited Sites | — | 3 |
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Full feature matrix
Every plugin against every feature. Scroll sideways on small screens.
| Feature | Advanced Database Cleaner | WP-Optimize | Database Cleaner | LiteSpeed Cache | Optimize Database after Deleting Revisions | WP Rocket | WP-Sweep | Perfmatters |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleanup | ||||||||
| Post revisions | ||||||||
| Auto-drafts & trashed posts | ||||||||
| Spam & trashed comments | ||||||||
| Expired transients | ||||||||
| Orphaned & duplicate metadata | ||||||||
| Leftover plugin tables | ||||||||
| Leftover options & cron jobs | ||||||||
| Action Scheduler logs | ||||||||
| Optimisation | ||||||||
| Optimise tables | ||||||||
| Repair tables | ||||||||
| Autoloaded options control | ||||||||
| Convert to InnoDB | ||||||||
| Limit future revisions | ||||||||
| Automation & safety | ||||||||
| Scheduled cleanup | ||||||||
| Preview before deleting | ||||||||
| Keep recent data | ||||||||
| Backup before cleanup | ||||||||
| Exclusions | ||||||||
| Insights & admin | ||||||||
| Database size report | ||||||||
| Identify table & option owners | ||||||||
| Multisite support | ||||||||
| WP-CLI | ||||||||
Statuses: Yes Pro Add-on Partial 3rd-party No ?
Head-to-head comparisons
LiteSpeed Cache/WP RocketAdvanced Database Cleaner/WP-OptimizeDatabase Cleaner/Optimize Database after Deleting RevisionsOptimize Database after Deleting Revisions/WP-OptimizeAdvanced Database Cleaner/WP RocketOptimize Database after Deleting Revisions/WP RocketAdvanced Database Cleaner/LiteSpeed CacheLiteSpeed Cache/Optimize Database after Deleting RevisionsAdvanced Database Cleaner/WP-SweepAdvanced Database Cleaner/Database CleanerPerfmatters/WP-SweepDatabase Cleaner/WP-SweepWP-Optimize/WP-SweepWP Rocket/WP-SweepDatabase Cleaner/PerfmattersLiteSpeed Cache/WP-SweepDatabase Cleaner/WP-OptimizeAdvanced Database Cleaner/Optimize Database after Deleting RevisionsDatabase Cleaner/WP RocketOptimize Database after Deleting Revisions/WP-SweepDatabase Cleaner/LiteSpeed CacheAdvanced Database Cleaner/PerfmattersOptimize Database after Deleting Revisions/PerfmattersPerfmatters/WP RocketLiteSpeed Cache/PerfmattersPerfmatters/WP-OptimizeWP-Optimize/WP RocketLiteSpeed Cache/WP-Optimize Buyer's guide
Back up first
Database cleanups permanently delete data. Take a full backup before the first run, and prefer plugins that show you what will be removed before anything is deleted.
Basic cleanup versus deep cleanup
Most performance plugins can remove revisions, drafts, spam and expired transients. Dedicated tools go further, finding orphaned metadata and the tables, options and cron jobs left behind by plugins you no longer use, and telling you which plugin created them. That is where the biggest savings on older sites usually are.
Autoloaded options
Options set to autoload are loaded on every request. A few large leftover entries can noticeably slow a site, so a view of autoload size, with the option to turn heavy entries off, is one of the most useful features on established sites.
Automation
Scheduled cleanups keep things tidy without manual work. Use "keep recent" settings so you do not lose the last few revisions or days of data you might still need.
Do you need another plugin?
If you already run WP Rocket, LiteSpeed Cache, WP-Optimize or Perfmatters, check their database tools before adding another plugin. A dedicated cleaner is worth it for older or heavily customised sites where leftover tables and options pile up.
Browse by feature
Post revisions (8)
Auto-drafts & trashed posts (8)
Spam & trashed comments (8)
Expired transients (8)
Orphaned & duplicate metadata (6)
Leftover plugin tables (3)
Leftover options & cron jobs (2)
Optimise tables (8)
Repair tables (3)
Autoloaded options control (3)
Convert to InnoDB (3)
Limit future revisions (2)
Scheduled cleanup (6)
Preview before deleting (8)
Keep recent data (5)
Exclusions (5)
Database size report (5)
Identify table & option owners (3)
Multisite support (7)
WP-CLI (3)