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
W3 Total Cache
Host-agnostic caching framework with page, object, database and browser caching, minify and CDN tools; BoldGrid sells a Pro upgrade.
Free installs900K+WordPress.org, active
Est. Pro installs~39KLikely 20K–78K
Vendor claims1M+Vendor's own figure
Rating4.4/55,420 reviews
Price from$99/yrFreemium
Last updated20 Oct 2026Version 2.11.0
Overview
W3 Total Cache (W3TC) is one of the oldest WordPress performance plugins, now developed by BoldGrid. Rather than a single page cache it is a framework of separate modules, each with its own settings tab: page cache, minify, database cache, object cache, browser cache, CDN, fragment cache, user-agent groups and a set of front-end “user experience” tools.
What the free version covers
The free plugin on WordPress.org is genuinely capable. Pages can be cached to disk (including a rewrite-based Disk: Enhanced mode) or to Redis, Memcached, APCu and other memory stores, and the same back ends can hold database query and object caches. A sitemap-based preloader primes the page cache, user-agent groups let you keep separate caches for mobile devices, and the browser cache tab writes expires, cache-control and ETag rules. Front-end tools include CSS/JS/HTML minification with combining, deferred JavaScript, lazy loading of images, an Image Converter that turns uploads into WebP (100 conversions a month free) and CDN URL rewriting for many providers, with Bunny CDN as the recommended partner. A free Cloudflare extension, WP-CLI commands, multisite support and reverse-proxy integration with Nginx or Varnish round it out.
What Pro adds
- Full Site Delivery through a CDN, fragment cache and REST API caching.
- Delay Scripts, Remove CSS/JS on chosen pages and Eliminate Render-Blocking CSS (inlines minified CSS).
- Preload Requests for DNS prefetch, preconnect and preloading fonts, CSS, JS and images.
- Unlimited WebP and AVIF conversion, lazy-loaded Google Maps, WPML extension, statistics and purge logs.
Limitations
The flexibility comes with a steep learning curve: wrong combinations of minify or object-cache settings can break layouts or slow a site down. There is no database cleanup, no Heartbeat control, no automatic critical CSS generation and no YouTube facade, and BoldGrid does not run its own CDN.
Who should pick it
W3TC is a good fit for developers and sysadmins on VPS or dedicated servers who want to choose cache back ends, use Redis or Memcached, and fine-tune every layer. Beginners who want a one-click result will usually be happier with a simpler plugin.
Best for: Developers and technical site owners on VPS or dedicated hosting who want granular control over page, object and database caching back ends.
W3 Total Cache remains the most configurable free caching plugin for standard hosting, especially if you have Redis or Memcached available. It demands time and care to set up, and several modern front-end optimisations sit behind a fairly pricey Pro licence, so less technical users may get better results elsewhere.
Pros
- Works on any host and supports disk, Redis, Memcached and APCu back ends
- Free page, object, database and browser caching in one plugin
- Mobile caching through configurable user-agent groups
- Broad CDN support including Bunny CDN, CloudFront and Cloudflare
- WP-CLI commands and reverse-proxy (Nginx/Varnish) integration
- Free WebP conversion via the Image Converter extension
Cons
- Steep learning curve; misconfiguration can break or slow a site
- Delay scripts, unused CSS removal and resource preloading are Pro-only
- No database cleanup or Heartbeat control
- No automatic critical CSS generation
- Pro is expensive per site compared with rivals
Key features
What W3 Total Cache highlights on its WordPress.org page and its own website, split by version.
Free version WordPress.org
- Page cache on disk or memory
- Redis, Memcached and APCu support
- Object and database caching
- Browser cache headers and ETags
- Minify and combine CSS, JS, HTML
- Defer non-critical JavaScript
- Lazy load images
- Mobile user-agent cache groups
- Sitemap-based cache preload
- CDN URL rewriting, Bunny CDN partner
- Free Cloudflare extension
- WebP Image Converter (monthly limit)
- WP-CLI and multisite support
- Nginx and Varnish reverse proxy
Pro / paid adds From $99/yr
- Full Site Delivery via CDN
- Fragment cache
- REST API caching
- Delay Scripts
- Remove CSS/JS per page
- Eliminate render-blocking CSS
- Preload Requests and resource hints
- Unlimited WebP and AVIF conversion
- Lazy load Google Maps
- WPML extension
- Caching statistics and purge logs
Feature checklist
21 of 25 features we track in Caching & Speed, feature score 85/100
Caching 8/8
Page caching Key
Serves pre-built HTML pages.
Page cache to disk (basic or enhanced) or to Redis, Memcached, APCu and others.
Included
Browser caching rules
Sets cache headers for static files.
Cache-control, expires headers and ETags with cache-busting.
Included
Cache preloading
Builds the cache before visitors arrive.
Page cache can be primed from a sitemap on a schedule, including a one-pass mode.
Included
Object cache
Redis or Memcached object caching.
Object and database caching in memory (Redis, Memcached, APCu) or on disk.
Included
Separate mobile cache
Different cache for mobile devices.
User-agent and referrer groups keep separate caches, with optional theme switching.
Included
WooCommerce-aware caching
Excludes cart, checkout and account pages automatically.
Honours WooCommerce's DONOTCACHEPAGE signal on cart/checkout/account; no Woo-specific panel.
Included
Page cache on any server
Page caching works on Apache, Nginx and LiteSpeed alike.
Built to be host-agnostic: shared hosting, VPS, dedicated and clusters.
Included
Multisite support
Works on WordPress multisite networks.
Supports WordPress networks, including network-admin configuration.
Included
CSS & JavaScript 7/7
Minify CSS & JS
Strips whitespace from CSS and JavaScript.
Minify CSS, JS and HTML, including inline and third-party assets.
Included
Combine files
Merges CSS/JS files.
Minify module groups and combines CSS/JS files, with template-based grouping.
Included
Defer / delay JavaScript Key
Loads scripts after the page renders or on interaction.
Free non-blocking/deferred JS embedding; Delay Scripts requires Pro.
Included
Remove unused CSS Key
Generates only the CSS each page uses.
Remove CSS/JS unloads chosen files on chosen pages (manual rules, not automatic).
Paid version Pro
Critical CSS
Inlines above-the-fold CSS.
Pro's Eliminate Render-Blocking CSS inlines minified CSS; no true critical CSS generation.
Partial Pro
Font optimisation
Self-hosts or preloads web fonts.
Only font preloading via Preload Requests; no Google Fonts localisation.
Paid version Pro
Preload and prefetch
Preload fonts, images or links and prefetch DNS.
Preload Requests adds DNS prefetch, preconnect and preload of fonts, CSS, JS and images.
Paid version Pro
Media & delivery 5/7
Lazy loading
Defers off-screen images and iframes.
Lazy loads images and background images; Google Maps lazy load is Pro.
Included
Image compression
Compresses uploaded images.
Image Converter changes format via BoldGrid API; no separate compression of originals.
Partial
WebP / AVIF delivery
Serves next-gen image formats.
Free WebP conversion capped at 100/month; AVIF and unlimited conversions in Pro.
Included
CDN integration
Rewrites asset URLs to a CDN.
Rewrites media, theme and core files to many CDNs incl. Bunny, CloudFront, Azure.
Included
Cloudflare integration
Purges or configures Cloudflare.
Free bundled Cloudflare extension for API purging and settings.
Included
Lazy-load video embeds
Replace YouTube and Vimeo embeds with a lightweight preview.
Lazy load handles images and backgrounds only; no YouTube facade.
Not included
Included CDN service
A CDN is part of the product or plan, not just URL rewriting.
No vendor-run CDN; partners with Bunny CDN, which needs its own account.
Not included
Housekeeping 1/3
Database cleanup
Removes revisions, transients and spam.
Offers database query caching, but no cleanup of revisions or transients.
Not included
Heartbeat control
Limits the WordPress Heartbeat API.
No Heartbeat API control among its modules.
Not included
WP-CLI commands
Clear or warm the cache from the command line.
WP-CLI commands for cache purging, query-string updates and more.
Included
Pricing
Free
$0On WordPress.org
Free
FreelifetimeUnlimited
WordPress.org version; Image Converter limited to 100 WebP conversions per month.
Pro - 1 Site
$99per year1 site
30-day money-back guarantee.
Pro - 5 Sites
$350per year5 sites
Includes a complimentary configuration service.
Pro - 10 Sites
$500per year10 sites
Includes a complimentary configuration service; bulk licences via sales.
Prices are list prices from the vendor's site, checked 14 Oct 2026. Many vendors discount the first year.
How many sites use W3 Total Cache?
Free installs from WordPress.org, the vendor's own claim, and our estimate of paid installs.
Free version (WordPress.org)
900K+
Active installations reported by WordPress.org.
Vendor claim
1M+
Sites/users claimed on the vendor's website. source
Estimated Pro / paid installs
~39K
Our estimate, see method below.
How we estimated this: WordPress.org shows 900K+ free installs, which could mean anything from 900K to 1M. The vendor says 1M+ sites, so we put the free count halfway between the middle of that range and the vendor figure, at about 980K. About 980K free installs x 4% (the usual share of free sites that also run the paid version when most features are free) gives 39K. Likely range: 20K to 78K. This counts sites running the paid version, including sites whose licence has lapsed. Estimates are rough and based on public figures as of 14 Oct 2026.
Stats & health
Weekly downloads
108,861 downloads last week, 67.6M all time
Rating breakdown
| Version | 2.11.0 |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 20 Oct 2026 (14 days ago) |
| Tested up to | WordPress 7.1.4 |
| Requires | WordPress 6.0+, PHP 7.4+ |
| Support threads (2 months) | 8 of 13 resolved |
| On WordPress.org since | 29 Jul 2009 |
Company & policy
| Refund policy | 30-day money-back (source, 5 Oct 2026) |
|---|
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FlyingPress/W3 Total Cache Alternatives to W3 Total Cache
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FAQ
Is W3 Total Cache free?
Yes. W3 Total Cache has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at $99/yr.
How many sites use W3 Total Cache?
WordPress.org reports 900K+ active installations of the free version. The vendor claims 1M+ sites in total. We estimate around 39K sites run the paid version.
Does W3 Total Cache have page caching?
Yes: included. Page cache to disk (basic or enhanced) or to Redis, Memcached, APCu and others.
Does W3 Total Cache have defer / delay javascript?
Yes: included. Free non-blocking/deferred JS embedding; Delay Scripts requires Pro.
Does W3 Total Cache have remove unused css?
Yes: paid version (Pro). Remove CSS/JS unloads chosen files on chosen pages (manual rules, not automatic).
What is the difference between W3 Total Cache free and Pro?
Free includes page, object, database and browser caching, minify, lazy load, CDN and Cloudflare integration. Pro adds Full Site Delivery, fragment and REST API caching, Delay Scripts, Remove CSS/JS, Preload Requests, render-blocking CSS removal, unlimited WebP/AVIF conversion and statistics.
How much does W3 Total Cache Pro cost?
BoldGrid lists Pro at $99 per year for one site, $350 for five sites and $500 for ten sites, with a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Does W3 Total Cache work with WooCommerce?
Yes. Its page cache honours WooCommerce's do-not-cache signal, so cart, checkout and account pages are not cached. WooCommerce also recommends adding 'mfunc' to the minify ignored comment stems.
Do I need Redis or Memcached?
No. Disk-based caching works on shared hosting. Memory back ends such as Redis or Memcached give better results for object and database caching on servers that provide them.
Last updated 5 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit.