wp.org search vs our merit ranking: “fastest cache”
wp.org orders by popularity, so a plugin a host bundled onto millions of sites, or a big-brand one that's slow and mediocre, can sit at the top. Our ranking is built to answer a different question: which of these is actually worth installing. How this works →
For “fastest cache”, we agree with wp.org on the top plugin, and our order differs from theirs on 11 of the top 20. 3 plugins are pushed down for signals wp.org ignores: errors, a host-installed base, or removal risk.
wp.org search ranks on
Install count (uncapped), the raw star average, freshness, and support. Popularity dominates, so the biggest install base usually wins regardless of how it got there.
We add
A cap on the install boost, volume-weighted ratings, and signals wp.org can't see: whether it throws errors on current PHP, whether the install base is organic or host-pushed, and its risk of being pulled.
Ranked above its merit
Clear Cache Everywhere shows at wp.org #8 but places #23 on merit, a gap of 15 places. Its 1K+ installs carry it up the search order; its 5.0★ average from 1 reviews, plus freshness and upkeep, place it lower on our volume-weighted scale.
Buried gem
Hummingbird Performance – Cache & Page Speed Optimization for Core Web Vitals | Critical CSS | Minify CSS | Defer CSS Javascript | CDN places #12 on merit, 4.7★ from 1488 reviews, but shows at wp.org #24. A smaller install base keeps it further down the default search order than its quality signals alone would.
WP Fastest Cache – WordPress Cache Plugin 1M+ · 4.9★ (4228)
wp.org #1 2 
WP Super Cache 1M+ · 4.3★ (1346)
wp.org #2 3 
Under Construction 600K+ · 4.8★ (1285)
wp.org #5 ↓1 2 too low 4 
SQLite Object Cache 10K+ · 5.0★ (51)
wp.org #4 ↑1 5 C Clear Cache for Me 40K+ · 4.8★ (29)
wp.org #3 2 too high 6 
Site Reviews 60K+ · 4.9★ (376)
wp.org #10 4 too low 7 
Slim Maintenance Mode 10K+ · 5.0★ (63)
wp.org #9 2 too low 8 
10Web Booster – Website speed optimization, Cache & Page Speed optimizer 60K+ · 4.6★ (405)
wp.org #13 5 too low 9 
WP Chat App 100K+ · 4.9★ (222)
wp.org #15 6 too low 10 
WP Meteor Website Speed Optimization Addon 20K+ · 4.7★ (77)
wp.org #12 ↓1 2 too low 11 
OMGF | GDPR/DSGVO Compliant, Faster Google Fonts. Easy. 300K+ · 4.7★ (213)
wp.org #14 3 too low 12 Hummingbird Performance – Cache & Page Speed Optimization for Core Web Vitals | Critical CSS | Minify CSS | Defer CSS Javascript | CDN 70K+ · 4.7★ (1488)
wp.org #24 ↓2 12 too low 13 
Minimal Coming Soon – Coming Soon Page 100K+ · 4.3★ (282)
wp.org #17 4 too low 14 
FluentCRM – Email Newsletter, Automation, Email Marketing, Email Campaigns, Optins, Leads, and CRM Solution 80K+ · 4.8★ (250)
wp.org #23 9 too low 15 
The SEO Framework – Fast, Automated, Effortless. 200K+ · 4.9★ (380) not PHP-current
wp.org #20 ↑4 5 too low 16 
SpeedyCache – Cache, Optimization, Performance 500K+ · 4.4★ (30) host-installed base
wp.org #7 9 too high 17 
Seraphinite Accelerator 50K+ · 4.8★ (476) not PHP-current
wp.org #22 ↓1 5 too low 18 
Content No Cache | Serve uncached partial content even when you add it to a page that is fully cached. 200+ · 5.0★ (18) thin reviews
wp.org #19 1 too low 19 
WP Fastest Site Search 100+ · 5.0★ (27) throws errorsnot PHP-current
wp.org #18 1 too high 20 
The Cache Purger 1K+ · 4.5★ (6) throws errorsnot PHP-current thin reviews
wp.org #6 14 too high 21 
Nginx Cache Purge Preload 200+ · 5.0★ (4) thin reviews
wp.org #21 ↓1 22 
ABCode Cache Warmer 100+ · 5.0★ (2) thin reviews
wp.org #11 ↑1 11 too high 23 Clear Cache Everywhere 1K+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #8 15 too high 24 
Update Page Cache 70+ · 5.0★ (1) thin reviews
wp.org #16 8 too high Merit ranking caps the install boost at 1M (wp.org leaves it uncapped), replaces the raw star average with a volume-weighted Bayesian score and a Wilson lower bound, and keeps wp.org's own freshness and compatibility decays. Method from the plugin-directory source; see Meta Trac #8298. Positions are tracked daily from the first visit to a keyword, so the small arrows show movement since tracking began.