Speculative Loading
by WordPress Performance Team · Performance
Also makes 9 other plugins · 550K+ installs across the portfolio →
Enables browsers to speculatively prerender or prefetch pages to achieve near-instant loads based on user interaction.
Try it live opens a temporary test site in your browser, which can take about 20 seconds to load. Plugins that rely on outside services or a full server may not work completely there.
Health
A 89/100
no flags
Active installs
70K+
≈75K estimated
Momentum
-43%
downloads vs prior 30d
Biggest opportunity: Swap “performance” and “javascript” for “interaction” and “browser caching”. “performance” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “interaction” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “javascript” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #24. “browser caching” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
89 health vs 69 average across 1,808 Performance plugins
Install conversion
How it's measured →14%
of downloads still active
At least 70K of 515.1K lifetime downloads are still running, above its category: the median Performance plugin keeps 1.4%, across 1,103 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 2 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 66 days ago
Tested up to WordPress 7.1.4, the current branch or newer
5.0★ over 18 reviews, smoothed to 4.34★ and held back under 25 reviews
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
-0.1
Velocity
places per keyword, 28d
20%
Breadth
of keywords climbing, 28d
-0.0
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| speculative loading | #1 | #1 | — |
| prerender your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| speculation rules your tag | #1 | #1 | 0 |
| loading | #2 | #4 | 0 |
| near | #2 | #4 | 0 |
| prefetch your tag | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| interaction | #7 | #10 | 0 |
| rules | #3 | #4 | 0 |
| page loading | #4 | #7 | 0 |
| loading page | #4 | #8 | up 2 |
| browsers | #18 | #19 | down 2 |
| javascript your tag | #24 | #21 | 0 |
| instant | #24 | #17 | — |
| wp rules | #10 | #21 | up 1 |
| wp loading | #10 | #20 | 0 |
| browser caching | #24 | #21 | 0 |
| performance your tag | Not in the top 24 | ||
83 searches this plugin appeared in over the last 90 days, 16 listed. 67 left out as unrelated or noise (years, numbers, stray words). 1 of its tags isn't in the top 24 for their own search.
What to do about it
- Swap “performance” and “javascript” for “interaction” and “browser caching”. “performance” isn't earning its slot: you're not in the first 24 results for its own search. “interaction” sits at #7 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. “javascript” isn't earning its slot: it only gets you to #24. “browser caching” sits at #24 untagged, close enough for a declared tag to move it up. All five slots are taken, so one has to go.
Daily downloads
Since 20 Jan 2024 · 1,016 days · wp.org + Plugin Pulse archive
30-day downloads
Rolling 30-day volume · peak 57.8K · 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
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
Occasionally updatedHow often this plugin actually ships. A steady rhythm is the maintenance signal a single "last updated" date can't show.
2
releases in the last 12 months
2mo ago
latest release · v1.7.0 · 26 Aug 2026
12
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 10 months ago; a band this size takes about a year or more to cross, which places it about 50% of the way through.
Install history since 19 Jan 2024
Recent reviews
All reviews on wp.org ↗- ★★★★★ Terry J1.5y ago
Although I have not tried the plugin on live sites, my testing on 3-4 dev boxes leaves me impressed. I can see and feel the speed increase I have a couple of heavy sites and can see this plugin fitting right into the flow. Will get on it soon 🙂
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ OllieJones1.7y ago
This works. That’s good.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ mrimpact2.2y ago
We have done a lot of testing on WordPress sites and WooCommerce stores. Everything works beautifully and fast. Thank you very much for this amazing plugin.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ groggy722.3y ago
I was using another plugin which does a similar job but Speculative Loading appears to be substantially quicker. Using on about 10 sites and no issues. Thank you
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Hudson Atwell2.4y ago
Amazing results on install. Will continue to check this one out.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ lacoste892.4y ago
Es verkürzt die Ladzeit für einen Benutzer sichtbar, auch wenn im Hintergrund die Seite gleichschnell geladen wird, so fühlt es sich für einen Benutzer extrem schnell an.
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ jjcarlson2.5y ago
I’ve currently activated this plugin on five sites, some on one server, and then others on another. The plugin has yet to present any plugin conflicts or other issues. The time to load pages is drastically improved based on user intent, and based on this alone, I cannot recommend this plugin enough. I haven’t tested the sites with Lighthouse, but honestly, I don’t feel the need to do that, because it’s about the user experience first, and that is such an improvement with this plugin. Thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗ - ★★★★★ Gregoire Noyelle2.5y ago
The results are truly impressive. I tested it on 2 FSE sites. Thank you!
Read on wp.org ↗
Latest updates
via wp.org changelogRecent releases and news for this plugin
- — Version 1.6.0 Enhancements Add Speculative Loading opt-in for authenticated requests. ( 2097 ) Add warning notice to Speculative Loading setting for authenticated users when persistent object cache is not present. ( 2144 ) Update Spec 1.6.0
- — Version 1.5.0 Enhancements Add support for Speculative Loading WP Core API, loading the plugin’s own API implementation conditionally. ( 1883 ) 1.5.0
- — Version 1.4.0 Enhancements Implement speculative loading considerations for safer behavior. ( 1784 ) 1.4.0
- — Version 1.3.1 Bug Fixes Check if rel contains nofollow instead of being just nofollow when excluding speculative loading. ( 1232 ) 1.3.1
- — Version 1.3.0 Enhancements Prevent speculatively loading links to the uploads, content, plugins, template, or stylesheet directories. ( 1167 ) Facilitate embedding Speculative Loading in other plugins/themes. ( 1159 ) Improve overall 1.3.0
- — Version 1.2.2 Bug Fixes Fix composition of href exclude paths to account for JSON encoding and differing site/home URLs. ( 1164 ) Documentation Update readme with browser support and FAQ section about analytics and personalization. ( 1.2.2
Behavioral tests
via WP HiveAutomated install-time checks, tested on PHP 8.1.12 · WP 6.8.2
Languages
via translate.wordpress.orgTranslated into 19 languages, 8 at 90% or more
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.
Not measured yet for this plugin’s topics. Its tracked searches are not among the measured topics. See the topics measured so far.
Readme readiness
5 of 8 pass · checked 26 Oct 2026Can an assistant quote this readme? Eight deterministic checks over the wp.org listing, no model involved.
- ✓ Says what it does "Enables browsers to speculatively prerender or prefetch pages to achieve near-instant loads based on user i..."
- ✓ Has a FAQ 6 questions in the FAQ.
- ✓ FAQ asks real questions 6 of 6 read like questions a user would type.
- ! Names who it is for Never says who the plugin is for or what they use it for.
- ! Names what it works with Names no plugin, service or platform it works with.
- ! Headings and lists 1 heading and 1 list; assistants quote headed sections and bullet lists, not paragraphs.
- ✓ Enough to quote 2,025 characters of description.
- ✓ Tags match the text 3 of 5 tags appear in the text; "javascript", "performance" do not.
Growth timeline
Install-tier crossings we have observed, and how long each tier took to outgrow
- 2025-12-30 80K+ → 70K+ down after 74 days in tier
- 2025-10-17 70K+ → 80K+ up after 94 days in tier
- 2025-07-15 60K+ → 70K+ up after 89 days in tier
- 2025-04-17 50K+ → 60K+ up after 69 days in tier
- 2025-02-07 40K+ → 50K+ up after 88 days in tier
- 2024-11-11 30K+ → 40K+ up after 83 days in tier
- 2024-08-20 20K+ → 30K+ up after 74 days in tier
- 2024-06-07 10K+ → 20K+ up after 43 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).
-
Async JavaScript 60K+ installs · 4.6★ · 2 shared tags C -
Flying Pages: Preload Pages for Faster Navigation & Improved User Experience 20K+ installs · 4.8★ · 2 shared tags A -
Web Worker Offloading 10K+ installs · 3.8★ · 2 shared tags B - U Use Google Libraries 10K+ installs · 4.3★ · 2 shared tags D
- S Scripts To Footer 7K+ installs · 4.5★ · 2 shared tags B
-
Quicklink for WordPress 1K+ installs · 4.4★ · 2 shared tags C
Embed this report card
Drop a live Pulse card for Speculative Loading into a readme, a review or a deck. It updates itself.
<iframe src="https://plugins.wpmayor.com/embed/speculation-rules" width="480" height="300" style="border:0" loading="lazy" title="Speculative Loading — Plugin Pulse"></iframe> Speculative Loading: 70K+ active installs, 5.0★ (18 reviews). Plugin Pulse (WP Mayor), as of 2026-10-31. https://plugins.wpmayor.com/plugin/speculation-rules
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