Hummingbird Performance – Cache & Page Speed Optimization for Core Web Vitals | Critical CSS | Minify CSS | Defer CSS Javascript | CDN
by WPMU DEV - Your All-in-One WordPress Platform · Performance
Also makes 8 other plugins · 2.4M+ installs across the portfolio →
Optimize PageSpeed Performance & Core Web Vitals, Advanced Cache, Minify CSS & JavaScript, Inline Critical CSS, Defer CSS & JS, Smush & Lazy Load, CDN
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Health
A 88/100
no flags
Active installs
70K+
≈76K estimated
Momentum
-28%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “cache” and “caching” for “defer javascript” and “javascript”. “cache” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “defer javascript” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “caching” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “javascript” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
88 health vs 69 average across 1,808 Performance plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →1.2%
of downloads still active
At least 70K of 5.8M lifetime downloads are still running, in line with its category: the median Performance plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,104 plugins.
Downloads count every update, not just first installs, so older and more frequently released plugins read lower. Compare against other Performance plugins, not across the directory. wp.org reports active installs as the bottom of a band, so the real rate is this or higher.
This plugin shipped 7 releases in the last 12 months, and every existing install that updated counted as another download. wp.org publishes no split between first installs and updates, so we show the raw rate rather than guess at one.
Details
Directory ranking optimization
How it's scored →How well this listing is tuned to rank in WordPress.org search, on the factors an owner controls. Not popularity, optimization.
Excellent listing optimization
Well tuned across the board
Updated 61 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.0.8, the current branch or newer
4.7★ over 1,488 reviews, smoothed to 4.68★
5 of 5 tags set · short description in place
1 of 1 support threads resolved in the last 2 months
Search visibility
How it's tracked →Directory searches this plugin turns up in, and which way each one is moving. WordPress.org publishes no history of search positions, so this starts the day we first tracked a keyword and never backfills.
39
Momentum
Losing ground
-0.2
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
20%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.2
Acceleration
recent half vs earlier
wp.org is where the directory puts the plugin for that search. On merit is where it would sit if results were ranked on rating, support and updates, without the install boost. The last column is how far the wp.org position moved, from our first reading in the last 90 days to the latest.
| Keyword | wp.org | On merit | wp.org move, 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| defer css | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| defer css javascript | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| hummingbird | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| css javascript | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| critical css your tag | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| critical | #3 | #2 | up 2 |
| minify css your tag | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| defer | #3 | #3 | 0 |
| performance monitoring | #2 | #2 | down 1 |
| smush | #3 | #3 | up 2 |
| performance your tag | #5 | #5 | up 1 |
| javascript | #5 | #2 | up 1 |
| cdn performance | #2 | #2 | 0 |
| core web vitals | #7 | #5 | down 1 |
| css | #8 | #5 | up 1 |
| speed optimization | #8 | #7 | up 1 |
| vitals | #8 | #5 | 0 |
| defer javascript | #5 | #5 | down 1 |
| web performance | #3 | #2 | up 1 |
| cdn | #9 | #7 | up 1 |
| cache your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
| caching your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
318 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 20 listed. 238 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 2 of its tags aren't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “cache” and “caching” for “defer javascript” and “javascript”. “cache” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “defer javascript” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “caching” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “javascript” sits at #5 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 5 Oct 2022 · 1,489 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 166.4K · peaks are release surges
Directory rank vs rivals
wp.org popularity rank over time · higher is better · when a rival's line climbs above yours, they've overtaken you
Rating trend
Star average over time · dips mark rough releases
Health trend
Composite health score, snapshotted daily
Update activity
How busy the existing users are, measured as downloads in the last 30 days for every 1,000 active sites. A spike means a new release everyone's pulling; a long, slow decline means an aging user base that updates less.
Release cadence
Actively maintainedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
7
releases in the last 12 months
2mo ago
latest release · v3.21.2 · 1 Sep 2026
78
tagged releases on record
Recent releases
What its installed base runs
via wordpress.orgShare of active installs on each version of this plugin. Green is the current release; a big slice on older versions is a user base that has stopped updating.
Estimated active installs
The public count shows “70K+”. Our estimate pins where the real number sits.
Crossed into this band 5 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 58% of the way through.
Install history since 1 Nov 2021
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- 2026-09-01 Version 3.21.2 Fix: Performance Test Notification Report is not sent Fix: Security hardening 3.21.2
- 2026-09-01 Version 3.21.1 Fix: Network-scoped option writable by a subsite administrator 3.21.1
- 2026-09-01 Version 3.21.0 Improvement: Improved Safe Mode UX and stability Fix: JavaScript delay exclusion list not working as expected Fix: Disabling Safe Mode after changing Advanced Tools settings does not refresh or clear active state Fix: Di 3.21.0
- 2026-07-20 Version 3.20.0 New: Improved error messaging when generating Critical CSS while site is in maintenance mode Improvement: Refactored Safe Mode architecture with a centralized Safe Mode controller Improvement: Improved Clear Cache button 3.20.0
- 2026-01-26 Version 3.19.0 New: Success notification when cache is cleared from the admin bar Improvement: Updated optimization labels in Hummingbird Onboarding Wizard Summary Improvement: Enhanced Asset Optimization background file scan across al 3.19.0
- 2025-12-16 Version 3.18.1 Improvement: Security hardening 3.18.1
Security history
via Wordfence IntelligenceAll 8 disclosed vulnerabilities are patched in the current version (3.21.2). Sites still on an older version should update.
- Patched Critical · 9.8 Hummingbird – Speed Optimization, Caching, Minify, Compress & CDN <= 3.21.0 - Unauthenticated Remote Code Execution via Cookie Name in Page Cache Debug Log ↗2026-09-04 CVE-2026-83627 Improper Control of Generation of Code Affects <= 3.21.0 Patched in 3.21.1
- Patched High · 7.5 Hummingbird <= 3.18.0 - Unauthenticated Sensitive Information Exposure via Log File ↗2025-12-17 CVE-2025-14437 Insertion of Sensitive Information into Log File Affects <= 3.18.0 Patched in 3.18.1
- 2023-03-20 CVE-2023-1478 Improper Limitation of a Pathname to a Restricted Directory Affects <= 3.4.1 Patched in 3.4.2
- 2022-03-23 CVE-2022-0994 Improper Neutralization of Input During Web Page Generation Affects < 3.3.2 Patched in 3.3.2
Vulnerability records provided by Wordfence Intelligence. Copyright 2012-2026 Defiant Inc. License and terms.
CVE records: Copyright 1999-2026 The MITRE Corporation. CVE terms of use.
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 7.0.1
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 30 languages, 2 at 90% or more
Plus 6 more locales with partial translations.
AI assistants
How it's measured →Whether ChatGPT and Claude name this plugin when asked the category question, and whether the readme gives them something to quote.
Share of voice
How often each assistant names Hummingbird Performance when asked about this topic, where it comes in the answer, and how that compares with its wp.org search position. Latest run 25 Oct 2026.
- Assistants
- ChatGPT, Claude
- Topics tracked
- Performance
Readme readiness
7 of 8 pass · checked 27 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Optimize PageSpeed Performance & Core Web Vitals, Advanced Cache, Minify CSS & JavaScript, Inline Critical..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 7 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 7 of 7 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for One audience phrase ("if you need"); say who the plugin is for and what they use it for.
- ✓ Names what it works with Mentions Elementor, Divi, Cloudflare.
- ✓ Headings and lists 18 headings and 4 lists.
- ✓ Enough to quote 11,210 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text All 5 tags appear in the text.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2026-06-02 80K+ → 70K+ down after 2 days in tier
- 2026-05-31 70K+ → 80K+ up after 4 days in tier
- 2026-05-27 80K+ → 70K+ down after 191 days in tier
- 2025-11-17 90K+ → 80K+ down after 195 days in tier
- 2025-05-06 100K+ → 90K+ down after 1847 days in tier
- 2020-04-15 90K+ → 100K+ up after 58 days in tier
- 2020-02-17 80K+ → 90K+ up after 88 days in tier
- 2019-11-21 70K+ → 80K+ up after 128 days in tier
Competes with
The plugins that solve the same job, ranked by shared tags then reach, closest match first. The letter on the right is each plugin's health grade (A best, F worst).
-
WP Super Cache 1M+ installs · 4.3★ · 3 shared tags A -
Breeze Cache 300K+ installs · 3.6★ · 3 shared tags B -
Jetpack Boost – Website Speed, Performance and Critical CSS 200K+ installs · 4.6★ · 3 shared tags A -
Cache Enabler 100K+ installs · 4.3★ · 3 shared tags A -
SpinupWP 30K+ installs · 4.5★ · 3 shared tags A -
Cachify 9K+ installs · 4.5★ · 3 shared tags C
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Hummingbird Performance – Cache & Page Speed Optimization for Core Web Vitals | Critical CSS | Minify CSS | Defer CSS Javascript | CDN into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/hummingbird-performance" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Hummingbird Performance – Cache & Page Speed Optimization for Core Web Vitals | Critical CSS | Minify CSS | Defer CSS Javascript | CDN — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Hummingbird Performance – Cache & Page Speed Optimization for Core Web Vitals | Critical CSS | Minify CSS | Defer CSS Javascript | CDN: 70K+ active installs, 4.7★ (1,488 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-11-01. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/hummingbird-performance
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