WP Super Cache vs. W3 Total Cache

  • Hi!

    Can anyone offer some unbiased OBJECTIVE advice about whether WP Super Cache or W3 Total Cache works best to optimize website page load speed and/or other relative performance criteria?

    I’ve been advised that my site is a bit slow, so I let Super Cache go to give W3 Total Cache a try, but noticed that most W3 Cache documentation is geared toward selling premium service packages.

    Any accurate feedback about this is greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance! ??

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
  • Moderator Jan Dembowski

    (@jdembowski)

    Forum Moderator and Brute Squad

    I’d be shocked if anyone produces objective advice but I’ll try. ??

    For me it’s “What are you trying to accomplish?”

    If you are looking for an easy to maintain caching plugin that produces low CPU HTML copies of your site then WP Super Cache just can’t be beat.

    The HTML copies that it creates are the most simple and easiest on your host to work with. When an event happens that causes the cache to expire then a new HTML file is generated and you avoid PHP processing.

    If you are looking for enough features and customization such as CSS and javascript minification then W3TC can be the way to go. But those options are not really fire and forget and you may need to work on those settings to ensure that your site doesn’t break.

    In both cases, once you have the settings that you like/work best for you then it really is fire and forget.

    Thread Starter CrissieLuckey

    (@crissieluckey)

    Jan:

    Thanks for your fast reply and apologies for my own slow response. Insofar as the question about what I’m trying to accomplish is concerned, most of the acronyms you wrote look like a foreign language to me. Being a technical neophyte, I just want a plugin that runs my site with maximum speed from behind the scenes without requiring much if any maintenance. Customization and such concepts are far too advanced for me at this stage in the game. Besides that, W3TC seems to be geared toward paid premium subscribers with high technical skills.

    Thanks again for your feedback and I’ll go deactivate W3TC right now and turn Super Cache back on! ??

    Thread Starter CrissieLuckey

    (@crissieluckey)

    OOOPS! Got egg all over my face again, Jan. This time it came just after deactivating W3TC and reactivating WP Super Cache.

    Here’s the warning that’s appeared above my admin dashboard ever since:

    “Warning! WP Super Cache caching was broken but has been fixed! The script advanced-cache.php could not load wp-cache-phase1.php.

    The file /home4/crissie/public_html/wp-content/advanced-cache.php has been recreated and WPCACHEHOME fixed in your wp-config.php. Reload to hide this message.”

    Pray tell, HOW do I “reload” whatever that program wants to start working right? Thanks again!

    w3 total cache

Viewing 4 replies - 1 through 4 (of 4 total)
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