Choose the best solution to increase the performance of your website. WP Super Cache vs. W3 Total Cache (Page Load Speed).
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Update 2023:
WP Super Cache & W3 Total Cache are two popular caching modules for the WordPress platform, designed to improve the performance and speed of websites. Although their main purpose is the same, there are some differences between the two modules.
Let's take a look at what each module offers, then you can choose the best solution for your website.
WP Super Cache vs. W3 Total Cache
WP Super Cache
Simple to use: WP Super Cache is a simple and easy-to-use module, especially suitable for less experienced users.
HTP Static: It generates static HTML files for dynamic pages generated by WordPress, allowing the server to serve these static files instead of dynamically generating each page on each hit.
Features for beginners and advanced: The module offers three caching modes: Simple, Expert and WP-Cache. The Simple module is generally recommended as it is easier to configure.
Function CDN integrity: WP Super Cache supports integration with the services of CDN (Content Delivery Network), allowing you to distribute static content via a fast delivery network.
Preload cache: The module also provides additional functionality such as preloading the cache to keep the cache up to date and automatically cleaning expired cache files.
W3 Total Cache
Extended functionalities: W3 Total Cache is a more complex and powerful module, offering an extensive range of functionality and configuration options.
Extended cache: The module provides various caching methods, including caching for pages, objects, databases, and browsers, allowing you to finely control how different site elements are stored and delivered.
Multiple services CDN: W3 Total Cache offers integration with multiple CDN services and support for minification and file combining CSS & JavaScript to reduce page size and improve loading speed.
Fragment caching: The module also includes advanced options like fragment caching, mobile caching and support for Varnish Cache, if your server allows it.
Extensive customization: W3 Total Cache has an extensive settings panel that allows you to customize the caching module in detail according to the specific needs of your site.
In conclusion, WP Super Cache is a simpler and easier to use module, while W3 Total Cache offers more advanced functionality and customization options.
If you are a less experienced user or need a quick and easy to set up solution, WP Super Cache may be the right choice. If you're an advanced user and need more granular control over your site's caching and performance, W3 Total Cache might be an option for you.
Original article 2010:
It is heard more and more recently that Google Search began to place more and more emphasis on site loading speedof the (Using site speed in web search ranking). A site that loads very quickly has a higher chance of ranking on the first pages in the search engine (google.com).
This will also be a criterion for awarding Page Rank. Currently this “rule” it only applies to US sites, but Google will extend this rule to all indexed sites.
For websites / blogs based on WordPress, the chances of optimizing the loading speed depend on the complexity of the graphic theme (WordPress Theme), the PHP functions used in the source, plugins, content compression (HTML, CSS, Scripts) and the host server (web hosting).
WP Super Cache & W3 Total Cache are two plugins for WordPress designed precisely to help site owners optimize blog / site page loading speed. Both plugins turn dynamic content generated by WordPress into static HTML content.
WP Super Cache
I have heard many praise them PERFORMANCE Plugin WP Super Cache, but no one tested how long it was won (page load speed) together with Enable and settings the plugin.
This plugin generates static html files from your dynamic WordPress blog. After a html file is generated your webserver will serve that file instead of processing the comparatively heavier and more expensive WordPress PHP scripts.
WP Super Cache
I tested the plugin on two sites that consume a lot of resources (CPU / memory RAM) because of “page load“. I had the time CPU very large on .html pages generated by mod_rewrite. (BRIDGE! The form permalinks /%postname%.html or /%category%/%postname%.html in .htaccess they're great for SEO, but they're killer for Apache.).
After activating and correctly setting the WP Super Cache plugin to maximum performance, no spectacular changes in page load speed were seen. As expected server resources (CPU/memory usage), plugin activation went unnoticed. I didn't really understand what didn't work, because it did a lot of cached pages.
Probably something squeaked on the lines in .htaccess. It created a real composition there, and every visitor who goes to the site first “meets” .htaccess. Many queries / directives Apache which increase the response time. What is gained by converting pages from dynamic to static is lost by loading .htaccess. The plugin is recommended for those who do not use permalinks.
Page Load Speed result with WP Super Cache module enabled and set for maximum performance
Download WP Super Cache – via wordpress.org.
W3 Total Cache
Less known, W3 Total Cache is a worthy plugin to compete with the WP Super Cache module.
The fastest and most complete WordPress performance optimization plugin. W3 Total Cache improves the user experience of your blog by improving your server performance, caching every aspect of your site, reducing the download time of your theme and providing transparent content delivery network (CDN) integration.
W3 Total Cache
A slightly better technology than the previous plugin, compression done “Like the book” and one .htaccess cleaner that gave visible results even with the default settings (quick setup mode). Activating the option “HTML minify” makes the performances to be increased significantly.
Download W3 Total Cache – via wordpress.org.
We do not advise anyone what plugins to “page load speed” to use. It is always good to read reviews, but before making a decision it is good to test all possible options and stop at the one that is more advantageous.
