FlyingPress Vs. WP Rocket Cache Plugin Comparison In 2023

FlyingPress and WP Rocket are paid cache plugins to speed up your WordPress website. When I compared FlyingPress to WP Rocket, I noticed several differences.

Here’s a brief table comparison of FlyingPress vs WP Rocket:

Remember this — upgrade your WebHost before using cache—asset optimization plugins. Because the speed of your web hosting service matters how fast the feature can be performed and how many visitors it can handle.

The practical way to improve performance is to replace your old web host with a faster one with enough server resources. Also, you can use FlyingPress with managed hosts like Rocket.net, Kinsta, WP Engine, etc.

Using cloud hosting control panels with VPS can have multiple edges if you’re on shared hosting. If your host is super slow, it doesn’t work pushing with just cache plugins.

So, if you’re curious to know how these cache plugins differ and what you can do with them, continue with this comparison.

Let’s look at this comparison more technically.

FlyingPress

FlyingPress is a premium cache plugin developed by Gijo Varghese. You may know Gijo because he specializes in WordPress speed and runs WPspeedmatters, FlyingWeb solutions, and many free plugins like Flying Pages, Flying Scripts, and FlyingCDN.

I don’t want to publish another post for a FlyingPress review.

This is going to be a FlyingPress cache plugin review.

Most cache plugins have non-speed optimization features, such as removing the metadata, RSS link, Heartbeat control, disabling emojis, and Htaccess features.

But, FlyingPress doesn’t include heavy stuff and does not take technical setup. You can experience it whether you’re a beginner or NOT, even if you don’t recognize what it does. 

The layout and user interface are very simple. Absolutely, it seems uncomplicated, but the features are impressive. I like the design, and there isn’t stupid enhancement.

My Results with FlyingPress:

FlyingPress gives me the fastest loading time I’ve ever experienced. I’m not too concerned about page metrics like PageSpeed or GTmetrix.

But I got a global load time of less than one second with free Cloudflare. Solved multiple performance issues. When it comes to page speed, I always trust my eyes.

But FP gives me flying speed, which I can’t explain.

Here are some speed Metrix images with FlyingPress Cache Plugin:

FlyingPress Version 4+

FlyingPress plugin is constantly updated, and version 4 is awesome. It’s called the “rebirth of FlyingPress.” If you’ve followed recent updates, you’ve probably noticed that. V4 has a completely new user interface and features.

What’s changed in the new version?

According to their blog announcement, they have changed and removed some features.

Here are some of the differences I’ve noticed:

• UI: The interface has changed a lot with the new version. I think it is now more effortless, with no unnecessary stuff. 
• HTML Process: FlyingPress earlier depended on third-party HTML APIs to process HTML, which took more server resources. They set a custom HTML parser with less server resource usage in the latest version.
• Automatic unused CSS removal: In the previous version, you could specify the default critical CSS, but in v4, you only need a check to remove unused CSS.
• Bloat Settings: growing into an all-in-one optimization plugin, including bloat reduction, but still, they are missing as many functions as perfmatters. But even if you do not utilize any asset optimization plugins on your website, it is still good.
• Preload cache: You had to preload the cache with clearing in the previous version, but now you can preload the cache without removing the old cache. You can still do it if you want to purge first and preload.
• Bypass Cookies: A new feature to ignore cache on custom cookies.

FlyingPress: Overview of the best features

I’ve used several cache plugins and various optimization plugins, but this is by far the best plugin I’ve ever used, and here are some of my favorite FlyingPress features:

• Basic UI: I hate complex crap and love simple stuff. Especially W3 Total Cache, which feels like a maze. But you’ll love FlyingPress.
• Lazy render elements: Defer rendering features until they are requested.
• Delay JavaScript: load javascript when the user interacts. I love how it prevents typically third-party code from downloading till the user enters. You can include external factors like WPDiscuz, Google Translate, statistics, and ads. So can reduce dealing with queries from other parties in this way.
• Optimize Google Fonts: They are external resources and always have a massive impact on websites. But, FlyingPress’s feature for combining & local host Google Fonts helps to reduce this problem.
• Placeholder photo for YouTube: Render multiple resources when you’ve added a YouTube video, such as an Html code and script. YouTube covers can be replaced with a placeholder, meaning videos only load when someone clicks. How cool it is!
• Exclude the above fold images from the lazy load: If you enable lazy loading for photos, all images will do so. However, pics above the fold shouldn’t be loaded; this feature will decide based on numbers.
• Preload critical images: logos, the feature graphic, and other pictures in the above fold should be fetched early for the first display.
• Unused CSS: I already mentioned that this feature is part of the new version, which indicates that unused CSS is now automatically removed.

It’s got a lot of extra features, but these stand out.

FP recently modified and changed a lot of things and UI features and sections, and now includes nine zones.

In this review, we’re going to review them one by one.

1. FlyingPress Dashboard

The dashboard includes:

• Account Information
• Purge pages – Clear all cached HTML pages from pages and posts.
• Preload cache – You can restore the cache without removing the existing cache for every single page.
• Purge pages and preload – removes and replaces cached HTML pages.
• Purge everything and preload – Removes everything in the cache, including static data, and regenerates.
• Documentation – guide to set up and solve issues.
• Support – You can create a ticket or seek other Facebook users’ help.

2. Cache Settings

With the updated version, you can replace the cache lifespan with a scheduled preload instead of auto purge. You can also exclude pages from caching with URLs or file paths.

You can now ignore cookies and query parameters with the updated feature.

And can now set a separate cache for mobiles. It is not required for an average site, like a blog. However, if your site creates different content for mobile devices, you can allow it.

Don’t use the “Optimize for logged-in users” setting. If your dashboard is super slow most of the time on hosting, or you do not have enough server resources.

It is time to increase your servers or move to a better one. Sometimes it can be due to compatibility issues with some slow plugins and themes.

3. CSS Settings

FlyingPress’ CSS settings section has CSS minifications, unused CSS, and lazy HTML elements.

There are three options for unused CSS:

• Asynchronously
• On user interaction
• Remove.

“Remove” is the quickest method, and it provides you with a fast web experience. However, it can occasionally cause issues with specific features.

Some theme functions, like drop-down menus, don’t work correctly. But you can select “Exclude CSS” to be excluded from removing unused CSS with URL or path of CSS.

Suppose everything is fine, but if you notice any unused CSS with GTmetrix or Pagespeed reports. You can include them with the “Include selectors” that need to be included.

It can fix CSS render-blocking issues. Pages load faster for users. Many plugins generate unnecessary code. Hence, you should avoid using slow plugins. It is especially effective when you have a bunch of stylesheets.

Try it and see whether it improves your site. But I prefer “On user interaction.” The most secure method of dealing with “unused CSS.”

4. JavaScript Settings

Like CSS settings, JavaScript settings include minifying, preloading, deferring JavaScript, and, most useful feature, “delay JavaScript. If you use ad networks, this feature is handy. 

Javascript-defers strategies are not always useful. However, using FP, you can exclude scripts from deferring. You can also delay inline JS. Not every JS should be delayed.

It can help if you don’t need the features of JS that aren’t used for critical tasks. Otherwise, deferring may slow rather than help it. However, third-party scripts should be delayed.

The “Delay all” function can provide quick results, but the “delay selected” process is the safest option if something goes wrong.

The “preload links” is unsuitable for shared hosting. It might waste your server’s resources and is ineffective for small sites and blogs. If your site has a lot of links, it could be useful, but you’ll need some decent server resources.

5. Font Settings

Font settings include font optimization, combining and hosting Google fonts on your web server, fallback, and preloading. The fonts look little. But that significantly impacts website loading speed, mainly if you use third-party fonts like Google, font-awesome, or Adobe.

Fonts are always a vital part of a website’s optimization. Because fonts load from other servers and can’t ensure speed, you can fix font issues with FlyingPress font settings.

It’s still better to optimize your fonts with the local host. Many themes include default fonts, which you can use, or you can use local host features with a plugin or manually.

The good news is that FlyingPress consists of all font optimizations. You can also disable Google Fonts in the Bloat removal section if required.

Everyone can also disable G-fonts by editing the Functions.php File. You can find the part of codes that is enqueuing or loading Google Fonts.

This could appear as the following:

wp_enqueue_style( 'google-fonts', 'https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=FontName', array(), '1.0', 'all' );

You do not need to remove it; just temporarily disable it. It’s as simple as this:

Add two forward slashes (//) to the line’s beginning as follows:

// wp_enqueue_style( 'google-fonts', 'https://fonts.googleapis.com/css?family=FontName', array(), '1.0', 'all' );

Plus, save the functions.php file.

6. Image Settings

This section has image optimization, lazy load, excluding the above from the lazy load, adding missing width and height, preloading critical images, and disabling emoji.

Host local Gravatar images: Another new feature from FP is the ability to download and store Gravatar images on your server, reducing the number of third-party requests.

Usually, cache plugins don’t provide full of image optimization features.

Still, FlyingPress has some valuable features:

• Preload critical images
• Exclude the above-fold images from the lazy load
• Add missing width and height

Other premium plugins lack some of these features. But you can’t expect optimizations like an IO plugin.

Images are the core element of every website. But the hard part is images take much longer to download and take up more room in the browser if you set them too big. 

In such instances, images significantly impact your website’s load time. You can get fast sites to avoid other plugins or manually optimize images using tiny graphics or functions like compression.

You can manually optimize using third-party services like Ezgif. Optimize your images using CDN services like Cloudflare Polish, Bunny Optimizer, KeyCDN, or Litespeed Cache+QUIC.cloud. Or use plugins like Shortpixel, Webp media, etc.

7. iFrame Settings

As most IFrames are YouTube, you can see almost everything associated with YouTube, including settings for lazy loading iFrames, using placeholder images for YouTube, and setting up local hosting.

Additionally, IFrames include HTML stuff like ads and embedded elements. You’ll love this feature if you use YouTube videos on your site. They’re loaded on other servers, so they can slow down your site. FlyingPress doesn’t mind it at all.

8. CDN Settings

FP CDN section has minimal stuff like “enable CDN. If you use Cloudflare, there’s nothing to do here. But if you use Bunny or KeyCDN, you can configure URLs and files.

You can also use FlyingCDN. I like it because it’s cheap and has cool features like WebP images.

If you don’t want to pay money for a CDN, Cloudflare’s free service is exemplary for small and medium-sized sites. But if you have a large site, you should consider a premium CDN with security features because paid CDNs can be useful before something happens.

9. Database Settings

FlyingPress includes a few database optimizations. Not too effective if you have a small website. But it is OK with busy websites. If you want more advanced features, try WP-Optimize or Advanced DB Cleaner because many plugins cause problems in your database when added/uninstalled. You can remove each database table from these plugins.

Many cache plugins clean your WP database to a certain level but do not let you delete the statistics of old or existing plugins. Even not display how certain databases are packed.

This can occur when you operate plugins like security or other heavy ones. This is why you should use a database cleaning plugin to disable configurations that add extensively.

10. FlyingPress Bloat Settings

This is a significant update from FlyingPress to become a one-stop optimization plugin for your WordPress website, with some useful features but not as many as Asset CleanUp Pro, Gonzales, or Perfmatters. It’s not necessary to use plugins like that.

Remove Or Disable:

• Google Fonts: not a good option if you use G-Fonts. It’s helpful if you only use system fonts or locally hosted fonts.
• XML-RPC: This isn’t a speed feature, but it can help prevent unnecessary requests.
•  jQuery Migrate: Don’t mess with it; just let it alone.
• RSS feed: a helpful security feature that prevents extra requests.
• Block Editor CSS: Don’t use it if you are using Gutenberg. It can break the front end. It may be safe to enhance performance if you only use page builders. 
• oEmbeds: Helpful in preventing previews from third-party URLs.
• WP Cron: Don’t mess with this if you don’t know how to use an external cron job.
• Emojis: minimal impact on page speed but can slightly improve some.
• Control Heartbeat: you can control the Heartbeat API while running in the background. And can manage how the Heartbeat API behaves. Don’t completely disable Heartbeat. The safest option is “Enable only while editing posts.” And can control Heartbeat frequency. The most secure option is 60 seconds.
• Control Post Revisions: Avoid if you have a VPS or enough server resources, but selecting a few, like three or five, can be useful.

Conclusion

If you don’t want to mess with your website speed optimization, I recommend FlyingPress because it is easy to use. I use it for all sites. Unlike the Litespeed cache plugin, FP has fewer features but is very effective with easy optimizations, even with LS servers.

With V4, many things have been improved, and it now works at incredible speeds. Whatever the size of your website. If you want to keep things simplistic, give it a try.

And read this FlyingPress settings tutorial for more details.

WP Rocket

WP Rocket is a mature cache plugin that was the first to offer plenty of straightforward caching options.

Before FlyingPress, I used WP Rocket. However, I was attracted to FlyingPress due to its superior features and frequent updates.

You won’t use a cache plugin if it is slow and breaks sites. W3 Total Cache was the famous cache plugin in those days, but it wasn’t easy to configure.

When WP Rocket came along, everything became straightforward. You turn it on, and it works smoothly. No more time trying to find the proper sets. Rocket isn’t the first simple cache plugin, but the initial plugin was user-friendly. It contained cool features that others didn’t have.

That’s a past story. Now we have FlyingPress. It’s an entirely beat rocket with all stages. More cache plugins, like Litespeed, come into the contest, and even Litespeed is free.

Most are straight and offer various features that WP Rocket doesn’t. There are still a lot of competitors, but WP Rocket remains a strong community. They’re trying to take parts from others. Rocket is easy to use, but advanced users would like more features.

WP Rocket Features Overview

Affiliates say WP Rocket is the top caching plugin. This isn’t valid anymore. There are better ones with smarter features.

We’re going to look at several sections of WP Rocket.

WP Rocket Cache Settings:

WP Rocket’s page caching, which includes the mobile cache, a separate cache for mobile, user cache, and cache life, seems helpful in a few scenarios. Work similarly to others.

Also, web hosting affects page caching. And pick a host server that is close to your visitors. For example, you should use web hosting in Europe if your target audience is there.

File Optimization:

File optimization options significantly affect website performance but may differ depending on the webpage. Most websites can benefit from minification.

However, blends or combines only sometimes work, especially on large websites, and must be fixed with specific pages. I’ve experienced that. The JavaScript delay method defers user engagement, such as browsing or pressing, before fetching JavaScript.

However, if you put ads on your website, it might need to be improved, as FlyingPress.

But this can significantly boost website speed.

You shouldn’t do it if you have problems combining CSS and JS.

Media optimizations:

There’s some media optimization in WP Rocket. It still needs features like lazy loading of background images and preloading critical images.

Compared to FlyingPress, WP Rocket lacks core media optimization features, such as local YouTube placeholders. Preload critical images and exclude the images above the fold from the lazy load. But you can put image URLs to avoid those from the lazy load.

Addons:

WP Rocket includes a few Add-Ons, such as Varnish (which should only be enabled if your server does use it), WebP Compatibility, Cloudflare, and Sucuri.

WP Rocket also has some Extra Features.

This list has some of them:

• Preload settings: This section contains preload links, prefetch DNS, preload fonts, sitemap preloading, and a few more. Preload is effective for increasing speed.
• Rules: Most websites do not require advanced rules, and they have little impact on page speed. Examples include never caching URLs, cookies, cache user agents, always purging URLs, and cache query strings. For the most part, they are only useful for a specific purpose.
• Database: like all plugins, it has a database cleanup. But unlike WP-optimize or Advanced DB cleaner, it does not analyze your overall database tables. Database optimization has little impact on website speed and is only helpful for large and busy websites. Don’t do things unless you realize how they will affect your website.
• CDN Configuration: You can configure your CDN and set it up as you wish. You can leave it if you use Cloudflare.
• Heartbeat Control: WordPress Heartbeat isn’t much for speed optimization, but WP Rocket has it. You can be disabled in some areas to save resource usage. You can disable heartbeat on some pages, but not all. The safe option is to set a limit.

You’ll notice a big difference with Rocket’s optimization. But, in recent years, WP Rocket hasn’t improved any features. When you compare them, You’ll see why Flying Press is better. Despite losing a lot of users, WP Rocket still has a huge community.

Now, let’s see other cache plugin alternatives to these two.

Alternatives

In addition to FlyingPress and WP Rocket, there are other alternatives

• LiteSpeed Cache — has many features, enterprise performance, and reliability. Its only limitation is that it requires LiteSpeed or Quic servers to use caching. Another advantage is that it is an entirely free plugin. Booyah! LiteSpeed cache is regularly updated, and the developers aggressively address issues and troubles ASAP. LC includes security features like security plugins. Guru is an ideal LiteSpeed host.
• NitroPack — a premium alternative with cloud caching. It speeds up sites and leads to improve page speed, along with others. I would like it to be affordable. A superior web host is more cost-effective than NitroPack. It is ideal for anyone who uses a poor web host without knowledge of these things. Or if you can spend a lot of money.
• Swift performance — a good alternative for advanced users. Unlike Rocket and FlyingPress, Swift is not easy to navigate, and you can easily mess up. But if you know what you’re doing, Swift is fine, and the free version fits most sites. But the pro version is superior if you have a high-traffic or large website, like an online store.

If you want a free one, try the LiteSpeed cache plugin. It is far ahead in caching and features, with image optimizations, object caching, advanced optimization, and database optimizations. Although the UI is tricky for beginners, plenty of features exist.

WP Rocket vs FlyingPress: Price Comparison

Whenever you buy something, the price matters.

There are 3 choices with WP Rocket and 4 with FlyingPress.

With Rocket, you’re not going to get a low renewal price.

The renewal cost is cheaper with FlyingPress.

Both are fun to use, but are they worth the money?

So, here’s a price comparison:

Yes, there are a few things that are different. Some PRO cache plugins give you unlimited options. With WP Rocket, you get an unlimited plan because it’s mature.

FlyingPress doesn’t offer unlimited options. Unlimited is too risky because it’s still growing, has a medium community, and has been around for nearly 3 years.

However, the agency’s PLAN can be used on 500 sites. You’ll get the same thing you get with unlimited. In addition, Flying Press offers a 14-day money-back GUARANTEE. If you’re unhappy or have a problem that can’t be fixed, you can get a REFUND.

FlyingCDN vs RocketCDN

You can use CDN services with both cache plugins.

• WP Rocket – RocketCDN
• FlyingPress – FlyingCDN

FlyingCDN uses BunnyCDN, but it’s cheaper and has perma-caching, Bunny optimizer, etc. That’s great because Bunny costs more for those features, whereas FlyingCDN starts at $3.

RocketCDN uses StackPath. According to its network page, it has a lower data transmission rate and lower PoPs than others.

Since RocketCDN is just a CDN without refined features like geo-replication or other enhancements, it’s more flawed than Bunny.

When I compare these two, I see a lot of differences.

Here are the differences between FlyingCDN and RocketCDN:

Winner

The winner is FlyingCDN, with more features and a low monthly price starting at $3. With RocktCDN, there are no extra features, but it’s $9 a month.

Despite RocketCDN’s ease of use, it’s not perfect. There are much better alternatives. The cost is $9 a month. There are cheaper options like Bunny and FlyingCDN. If you don’t want to pay, use FREE Cloudflare.

Conclusion: FlyingPress Or WP Rocket?

FlyingPress speeds up your website for humans and metrics like Core Web Vital. It’s always updating and adding new features, unlike WP Rocket. I like FlyingPress because it’s simple and has a modern interface.

Both plugins improve GTMetrix, Pingdom, and Web Vital + Google page speed scores. However, keep in mind that metrics are less important than user experience. 

UX is always more important than machines, so always optimize for human eyes. FlyingPress is crafted for humans to get an accelerated website with just a few clicks.

WP Rocket still has enough features and is steadfast but has fewer features than the others. The UI is well-designed and clear.

I’m not too fond of it simply because it is boring and hasn’t developed certain features.

I think it’s now a dump plugin. People avoid WP Rocket because it lacks innovative features like image optimization, local fonts, bloat removal, etc. Its simplicity may be a plus based on the user’s preferences.

Don’t get me wrong, I don’t criticize WP Rocket. But FlyingPress has a user-friendly interface that includes all the essential functions.

It’s time to switch from WP Rocket to FlyingPress. Its caching features will make your users more comfortable.

What’s your opinion? Leave a comment

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