WP Rocket Review 2024
When it comes to improving the loading times of a WordPress website, installing a caching plugin is a great way to achieve this. WP Rocket is a popular caching plugin that promises impressive results with minimal effort. However, is it the right choice for your website?
In this review, the features of WP Rocket will be examined, the user experience will be explored, and the results of installing the plugin on test sites will be shared. By the end of this article, readers will have all the information they need to make an informed decision on whether or not WP Rocket is the best option for enabling caching on their WordPress website.
Buy WP Rocket Cheap Price $3.50
Key Takeaways
- WP Rocket is a caching plugin that promises great results with minimal effort.
- This review will examine the features of WP Rocket, explore the user experience, and share the results of installing the plugin on test sites.
- By the end of this article, readers will have all the information they need to make an informed decision on whether or not WP Rocket is the best option for enabling caching on their WordPress website.
Table of Contents
What Is WordPress Caching?
WordPress caching is a technique used to speed up WordPress websites by creating a static version of the site and its content. This static version is displayed to visitors instead of dynamically generating the webpage each time a user visits the site.
How Do You Enable Caching on a WordPress Website?
There are two main options for enabling caching on a WordPress website: using a web host that provides caching as part of their hosting plans or installing a caching plugin.
If a web host offers caching as part of their hosting plans, it can be used alongside a caching plugin for maximum site speed. However, if a web host does not offer caching, a caching plugin can be installed to enable caching on the website.
To enable caching using a caching plugin, the plugin must be installed and activated on the WordPress website. WP Rocket is an all-encompassing caching plugin built specifically for WordPress. It is easy to use and offers minimal setup, making it a popular choice among users.
Once WP Rocket is installed and activated, it automatically starts caching the website and its content. WP Rocket also offers a range of other optimization features, such as file optimization and lazy loading, to further improve website performance.
In conclusion, WordPress caching is an effective way to speed up WordPress websites and improve user experience. By enabling caching using a caching plugin such as WP Rocket, website owners can significantly improve their website’s loading speed and overall performance.
About WP Rocket
Can WP Rocket Really Speed Up WordPress Websites?
WP Rocket is a premium caching plugin for WordPress that aims to improve website loading times. It comes with a price tag starting at $49, but it promises to deliver better results than free caching plugins. Based on tests conducted by WP Rocket, the plugin can indeed speed up WordPress websites.
After installing WP Rocket on three different websites, the load times improved by 27 to 69 percent, with the fastest improvement being 1.1 seconds or 69%. In comparison to other popular free caching plugins like WP Super Cache and W3 Total Cache, WP Rocket delivered the best results.
While there are free options available, WP Rocket can be a good investment for those who are willing to pay for a premium caching plugin. However, for those who are on a tight budget, it might not be the best option.
WP Rocket has some features that can help speed up websites, which include:
- Cache preloading
- GZIP compression
- Lazy loading
- Minification/Concatenation
- Database optimization
- CDN integration
Cache preloading is a feature that makes sure that the cache is always up-to-date, and it can be set up to automatically preload the cache at regular intervals. GZIP compression compresses files before they are sent to the browser, which can reduce the size of the files and speed up loading times. Lazy loading is a technique that delays the loading of images and videos until they are needed, which can also speed up loading times. Minification/Concatenation is a technique that reduces the size of CSS and JavaScript files by removing unnecessary characters and combining them into one file. Database optimization can help to reduce the size of the database and improve website performance. Finally, CDN integration can help to distribute website content to servers around the world, which can improve loading times for users in different regions.
Overall, WP Rocket is a premium caching plugin that can help speed up WordPress websites, and it has features that can improve website performance. However, it comes with a price tag, and it might not be the best option for those who are on a tight budget.
Best Features of WP Rocket
Ease of Use
WP Rocket is designed to cater to both beginners and power users. The plugin has a user-friendly dashboard that simplifies the process of enabling and managing caching for WordPress websites. As soon as the plugin is activated, it starts caching the website to improve loading times. WP Rocket also provides video guides that cover all of the features of the plugin, making it easy for users to understand how it works and how to configure it.
CDN Compatibility
WP Rocket is compatible with most CDN providers, making it easy for users to distribute their website files around the world and improve the performance of their site.
Media Optimization
WP Rocket has features to help with large image files that can slow down a website. The plugin includes an optional LazyLoading feature that delays the loading and display of images and videos until the user has scrolled down to their position on the page. WP Rocket also provides Imagify, an image optimization plugin that can compress website images to reduce file sizes and improve loading times.
Database Optimization
WP Rocket has database optimization features that help to combat the growth of the WordPress database over time, potentially slowing down the website. The plugin has the ability to clear out old post revisions, drafts, trashed posts, comments that have been deleted or marked as spam, and can be scheduled to automatically clean up the database on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.
Minification
WP Rocket can decrease the size of files, including JavaScript, CSS, and HTML files, through its optional minification feature. The plugin can remove unnecessary whitespace, comments, line-breaks, and extra characters from code in the files that make up the website, resulting in faster loading times.
Mobile Detection and Caching
WP Rocket can optimize the website for mobile devices through its settings, enabling caching for mobile devices and creating separate cache files for mobile devices to speed up loading times for smartphone and tablet users.
Ecommerce Friendly
WP Rocket works with ecommerce plugins, automatically excluding the view cart and checkout pages of the website from the cache to ensure customers don’t experience any problems when the site is being optimized.
Custom Cache Lifespan
WP Rocket gives users the option to empty the cache themselves or set the plugin to delete the cache files at regular intervals, ensuring visitors always experience the most up-to-date version of the website. Users can set a cache lifespan of multiple minutes, hours, or days, and enable or disable caching for logged-in users.
Exclude Content From Cache
WP Rocket automatically excludes certain parts of the website, such as the login page or a shopping cart, from being cached. However, users can also exclude other parts of the website from being cached if necessary.
WP Rocket Speed Testing Results
Test Site #1
The first test site used for WP Rocket speed testing was a new WordPress installation with the Avada theme activated. Pingdom monitored the homepage of the site, which included videos, animations, and other elements, for 24 hours to establish its average load time, which was 1.78 seconds. After installing WP Rocket and enabling some of its features, the loading time of the first test site improved by 0.48 seconds, or 27 percent. The average load time of test site #1 was 1.3 seconds after enabling WP Rocket and some of its features, which was an improvement of 0.48 seconds, or 27 percent.
Test Site #2
For the second test, a small business WordPress website with just a few posts and pages was optimized and cached with WP Rocket. Before installing WP Rocket, the average loading time of the site after 24 hours of monitoring with Pingdom was 1.65 seconds. After activating WP Rocket and enabling some of its features, the new average loading time was 0.53 seconds, which was an improvement of 1.12 seconds, or 68 percent.
Test Site #3
The third test measured the performance of a five-year-old blog created with WordPress using a StudioPress theme. After monitoring the site for 24 hours without WP Rocket installed, the average loading time was 1.72 seconds. Once WP Rocket was activated and some of its features enabled, including database and file optimization, the new average loading time was 0.54 seconds, which was an improvement of 1.18 seconds, or 69 percent.
Speed Test Summary
WP Rocket improved the loading times of all three test sites by varying amounts. The table below summarizes the results:
| Site # | Before | After | Time Improvement | % Improvement |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1.78 s | 1.3 s | 480 ms | 27% |
| 2 | 1.65 s | 526 ms | 1.12 s | 68% |
| 3 | 1.72 s | 540 ms | 1.18 s | 69% |
Part of the way WP Rocket optimizes WordPress websites involves reducing file sizes through its optional features, such as HTML and CSS minification and image optimization. As well as enabling caching on the test sites, the sizes of the pages being measured were reduced by the plugin. This can be seen in the screenshots of the Pingdom test results.
These results demonstrate that WP Rocket can significantly improve the loading times of WordPress websites. However, it is important to note that each website is unique, and the actual improvements may vary.
WP Rocket Pricing
WP Rocket is a premium WordPress caching plugin that offers three different purchasing options to suit different needs. The Single option costs $49 for one year of support and updates, and it covers use on one website. The Plus option costs $99 for one year of support and updates, and it covers use on three websites. Finally, the Infinite option costs $249 for one year of support and updates, and it covers use on an unlimited number of websites.
WP Rocket’s license automatically renews after one year with a 30% discount applied to the price, but users can disable the auto-renewal through their account area on the WP Rocket website if necessary. Additionally, WP Rocket offers a 14-day 100% money-back refund policy, allowing users to try the plugin and evaluate its impact on their site’s speed without any financial risk.
Overall, WP Rocket’s pricing options provide users with flexibility and affordability, making it a great choice for those looking to improve their website’s performance.
Final Thoughts
WP Rocket is an easy-to-use WordPress caching plugin that can significantly improve website loading times with minimal effort. While there are free alternatives available, WP Rocket’s plug-and-play feature and helpful documentation make it a worthwhile investment for those without technical knowledge.
WP Rocket’s additional caching and optimization features can further improve website loading times, and the plugin’s responsive email support provides an added benefit over free alternatives. Regardless of the type of WordPress website being managed, WP Rocket can help it load faster.
For those considering WP Rocket, the 14-day money-back guarantee allows for a risk-free trial to see the impact the plugin can have on a website’s loading time.
Related Reading:
- Using WP Rocket? Thoughts?
By Joe Fylan
Joe Fylan is a seasoned WordPress user who has amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience from using the platform for many years. He enjoys sharing his tips and insights with others who are interested in learning more about WordPress. Visit his website to learn more about Joe and his work.
Frequently Asked Questions
Pros and Cons of Using WP Rocket on WordPress
WP Rocket is a popular caching plugin for WordPress that can help improve website performance by optimizing various components. Some of the pros of using WP Rocket include easy installation, user-friendly interface, and compatibility with various themes and plugins. On the other hand, some of the cons of using WP Rocket include its premium pricing model, lack of customization options, and limited support for some hosting providers.
Is WP Rocket Worth the Investment?
WP Rocket is a premium plugin that offers various features to improve website performance. Whether WP Rocket is worth the investment depends on the specific needs of the website owner. WP Rocket can be a good investment for website owners who prioritize website performance and are willing to pay for a premium plugin. However, website owners who are looking for a free or open-source plugin may find WP Rocket to be too expensive.
Common Issues with WP Rocket and How to Resolve Them
Although WP Rocket is a reliable plugin, some users may encounter issues while using it. Some common issues include compatibility issues with other plugins or themes, cache-related issues, and issues with the minification of files. To resolve these issues, users can try disabling other plugins or themes, clearing the cache, or adjusting the minification settings in WP Rocket.
WP Rocket vs. LiteSpeed Cache
WP Rocket and LiteSpeed Cache are both popular caching plugins for WordPress. While WP Rocket is a premium plugin, LiteSpeed Cache is a free and open-source plugin. WP Rocket offers more features and customization options compared to LiteSpeed Cache, but LiteSpeed Cache can be a good option for users who are looking for a free plugin.
Where to Download WP Rocket
WP Rocket can be downloaded from the official WP Rocket website. Users can purchase a license for WP Rocket and download the plugin from their account dashboard. WP Rocket is not available for download on GitHub.
WP Rocket Free or Paid Plugin
WP Rocket is a premium plugin that offers various features to improve website performance. There is a cost associated with using WP Rocket, and users must purchase a license to use the plugin on their website. While there are other free caching plugins available for WordPress, WP Rocket offers more features and customization options compared to free plugins.