LiteSpeed Cache
Free server-level cache and optimisation suite from LiteSpeed Technologies; full-page caching needs a LiteSpeed web server or QUIC.cloud CDN.
94
Breeze
Free caching plugin from Cloudways with page cache, minification, lazy load, Varnish support, CDN rewriting and database cleanup. Works on any host.
Free installs300K+WordPress.org, active
Rating3.6/5133 reviews
Price fromFreeFree
Last updated2 Nov 2026Version 2.6.4
Overview
Breeze is a free, all-in-one caching and optimisation plugin built by Cloudways, the managed cloud hosting company. Although it was designed to pair with the Varnish layer on Cloudways servers, its file-based page cache and front-end optimisations work on other hosts too, and there is no paid edition: everything in the settings screen is free.
How it works
Breeze stores static HTML copies of pages on disk and serves them to visitors, with an optional separate cache for mobile devices, a configurable purge interval and the option to cache pages for selected logged-in user roles. Alongside the page cache it adds Gzip compression and browser-cache expiry headers. A Preload tab lets you warm the cache for chosen URLs, preload web fonts, prefetch DNS for third-party domains and prepare internal links on hover.
The File Optimization tab covers HTML, CSS and JavaScript minification, combining files, moving scripts to the footer, deferring chosen scripts and delaying inline JavaScript. Images and iframes can be lazy-loaded with either a script or native browser lazy loading. Housekeeping tools include one-click database cleanup (revisions, drafts, spam, transients) and Heartbeat API frequency control. Settings can be exported and imported as JSON, and cache purging and settings import/export are available from WP-CLI.
Strengths
- Completely free with no upsell inside the plugin.
- Covers caching, minification, lazy load, database and Heartbeat in one place.
- Varnish purging is preconfigured for Cloudways servers.
- Works with WooCommerce and multisite without extra configuration, according to the developer.
Limitations
Breeze does not generate critical CSS, remove unused CSS, compress images or convert them to WebP, so sites chasing top Core Web Vitals scores usually need extra tools. Its built-in Cloudflare cache purging only works with the Cloudways Cloudflare Enterprise add-on, not a personal Cloudflare account, and there is no Redis object-cache setting in the plugin itself (Cloudways handles that at server level). Its WordPress.org rating is noticeably lower than most rivals.
Who should pick it: Cloudways customers first and foremost, plus anyone on another host who wants a capable, no-cost caching plugin and is willing to add separate tools for images and CSS delivery.
Best for: Cloudways customers, and budget-conscious site owners elsewhere who want a free all-round cache plugin.
Breeze is a solid free caching plugin that covers the essentials well and is the obvious choice on Cloudways. Off Cloudways it still works, but the lack of critical CSS, image optimisation and general Cloudflare integration means it trails the more complete premium options.
Pros
- Entirely free, with no locked premium features
- Page, mobile and browser caching plus cache warmup in one plugin
- Delay inline JS, defer, minify and combine options
- Built-in database cleanup and Heartbeat control
- Tight Varnish integration on Cloudways hosting
- WP-CLI commands for purging and settings import/export
Cons
- No critical CSS or unused CSS removal
- No image compression or WebP conversion
- Cloudflare purge only works with Cloudways' Cloudflare Enterprise add-on
- Lower WordPress.org rating than most competitors
Key features
What Breeze highlights on its WordPress.org page and its own website, split by version.
Free version WordPress.org
- File-based page cache
- Separate mobile cache
- Gzip and browser cache headers
- Cache warmup for chosen URLs
- HTML, CSS and JS minification
- Combine CSS and JS files
- Defer and delay JavaScript
- Lazy load images and iframes
- CDN URL rewriting
- Varnish purge integration
- Database cleanup tools
- Heartbeat API control
- Settings import/export and WP-CLI
Feature checklist
19 of 25 features we track in Caching & Speed, feature score 71/100
Caching 7/8
Page caching Key
Serves pre-built HTML pages.
File-based static page cache with configurable purge interval.
Included
Browser caching rules
Sets cache headers for static files.
Browser Cache option adds expiry headers for static files.
Included
Cache preloading
Builds the cache before visitors arrive.
Cache Warmup URLs option rebuilds cache for chosen pages after purges.
Included
Object cache
Redis or Memcached object caching.
No Redis/Memcached setting in the plugin; Cloudways offers object caching at server level.
Not included
Separate mobile cache
Different cache for mobile devices.
Mobile Cache option keeps a dedicated cache for mobile devices.
Included
WooCommerce-aware caching
Excludes cart, checkout and account pages automatically.
Developer states it works with WooCommerce out of the box.
Included
Page cache on any server
Page caching works on Apache, Nginx and LiteSpeed alike.
Core caching and optimisation work on any host; Varnish features need Varnish.
Included
Multisite support
Works on WordPress multisite networks.
Multisite supported with settings handled at network level.
Included
CSS & JavaScript 5/7
Minify CSS & JS
Strips whitespace from CSS and JavaScript.
Minifies HTML, CSS and JS, including inline code if chosen.
Included
Combine files
Merges CSS/JS files.
Separate Combine CSS and Combine JS options.
Included
Defer / delay JavaScript Key
Loads scripts after the page renders or on interaction.
Defer chosen JS files, move JS to footer and delay inline scripts.
Included
Remove unused CSS Key
Generates only the CSS each page uses.
No unused CSS removal option.
Not included
Critical CSS
Inlines above-the-fold CSS.
Does not generate critical CSS.
Not included
Font optimisation
Self-hosts or preloads web fonts.
Preload web fonts and host Google Fonts locally.
Included
Preload and prefetch
Preload fonts, images or links and prefetch DNS.
Preload fonts, prefetch DNS and preload links on hover.
Included
Media & delivery 4/7
Lazy loading
Defers off-screen images and iframes.
Script-based or native browser lazy load for images.
Included
Image compression
Compresses uploaded images.
No image compression.
Not included
WebP / AVIF delivery
Serves next-gen image formats.
No WebP or AVIF conversion.
Not included
CDN integration
Rewrites asset URLs to a CDN.
Rewrites static asset URLs to a custom CDN hostname.
Included
Cloudflare integration
Purges or configures Cloudflare.
Cloudflare purge only works with Cloudways' Cloudflare Enterprise add-on.
Partial
Lazy-load video embeds
Replace YouTube and Vimeo embeds with a lightweight preview.
Lazy-loads iframes (incl. video embeds) but no thumbnail placeholder.
Partial
Included CDN service
A CDN is part of the product or plan, not just URL rewriting.
No CDN bundled with the plugin; Cloudways CDN is a separate hosting service.
Not included
Housekeeping 3/3
Database cleanup
Removes revisions, transients and spam.
Cleans revisions, drafts, trash, spam and transients.
Included
Heartbeat control
Limits the WordPress Heartbeat API.
Set Heartbeat frequency for front end, editor and admin.
Included
WP-CLI commands
Clear or warm the cache from the command line.
WP-CLI commands for cache purging and settings import/export.
Included
Pricing
Free
$0On WordPress.org
Free
Freeper yearUnlimited
Free on WordPress.org; no paid edition.
Prices are list prices from the vendor's site, checked 14 Oct 2026. Many vendors discount the first year.
How many sites use Breeze?
Free installs from WordPress.org, the vendor's own claim, and our estimate of paid installs.
Free version (WordPress.org)
300K+
Active installations reported by WordPress.org.
Vendor claim
—
The vendor does not publish a total.
Estimated Pro / paid installs
n/a
There is no paid version.
Stats & health
Weekly downloads
46,575 downloads last week, 18.5M all time
Rating breakdown
| Version | 2.6.4 |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 2 Nov 2026 (1 days ago) |
| Tested up to | WordPress 7.1.4 |
| Requires | WordPress 6.0+, PHP 7.4+ |
| Support threads (2 months) | 8 of 14 resolved |
| On WordPress.org since | 22 Jul 2017 |
Breeze compared
Alternatives to Breeze
xSpeed Cache
Free WordPress cache plugin with static page caching, Redis and Memcached object cache, database cleanup and a built-in MCP server.
100
FlyingPress
Premium all-in-one WordPress speed plugin: page cache, used-CSS generation, delayed JS, image optimisation, Redis and an optional FlyingCDN add-on.
97
WP Rocket
Premium all-in-one caching and performance plugin for WordPress that applies page caching, file optimisation and lazy loading as soon as it is…
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NitroPack
Cloud-based speed optimisation service with caching, critical CSS, image optimisation and a built-in Cloudflare-powered CDN, billed by pageviews.
87
Hummingbird
WPMU DEV's performance plugin with page, browser and Gravatar caching, asset optimisation, Cloudflare tools and Redis; Pro adds critical CSS and a…
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FAQ
Is Breeze free?
Yes. Breeze has a free version on WordPress.org.
How many sites use Breeze?
WordPress.org reports 300K+ active installations of the free version.
Does Breeze have page caching?
Yes: included. File-based static page cache with configurable purge interval.
Does Breeze have defer / delay javascript?
Yes: included. Defer chosen JS files, move JS to footer and delay inline scripts.
Does Breeze have remove unused css?
No: not included. No unused CSS removal option.
Is Breeze only for Cloudways hosting?
No. The page cache, minification, lazy load, CDN and database tools work on any host. Varnish purging and the built-in Cloudflare purge are tied to Cloudways infrastructure.
Is there a Breeze Pro?
No. Breeze is completely free and all features in the settings screen are available without payment.
Does Breeze work with WooCommerce?
The developer states Breeze is compatible with WooCommerce out of the box, and you can add extra never-cache URLs if needed.
Can I connect my own Cloudflare account?
Not for purging. Breeze's Cloudflare purge feature is designed for the Cloudways Cloudflare Enterprise add-on; personal API tokens are not supported, though Cloudflare itself can still sit in front of the site.
Does Breeze optimise images?
It lazy-loads images and iframes but does not compress images or create WebP files, so pair it with an image optimisation plugin.
Last updated 5 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit.