WordPress Speed Tutorials & Reviews
Yo, I’m Tom! Most people come here for my blunt reviews of hosting companies (soulless capitalism at its finest). I’ve also been writing cache plugin, CDN, and WordPress performance tutorials since 2013.
Hosting
Researching hosts is my specialty. These spreadsheets break down the performance specs, resource limits, and policies of 62 different hosting plans along with common complaints from critical reviews.
Cache Plugins
FlyingPress on Nginx/Apache servers or LiteSpeed Cache (on LiteSpeed servers) are current leaders with more features that optimize web vitals compared to WP Rocket/SiteGround Optimizer.
CDNs
Cloudflare Enterprise via FlyingCDN is ideal ($10/mo), Cloudflare with APO is next ($5/mo), or Super Page Cache (free) are safe bets depending on your desired performance/budget.
SiteGround → Cloudways → Rocket.net → ScalaHosting
ScalaHosting’s AMD EPYC 9474F CPUs are top 2.5% fastest server CPUs on PassMark (the industry standard for testing CPU performance). With DDR5 RAM + PCIe 5.0 NVMe SSDs, no wonder my site was so much faster coming from Rocket.net’s 2013 CPUs.
102107 is the highest CPU multithread rating I’ve seen of any WordPress host, translating into better performance under load for concurrent visitors, eCommerce checkouts, and background plugins. Concurrency is what really matters— not PageSpeed scores.
Unlike Hostinger/SiteGround’s VPS which have hidden CPU + I/O limits to keep you upgrading, there are no limits other than the CPU cores, RAM, and storage you choose and can scale individually (unlike Cloudways). Plus, no bandwidth, storage, or monthly visit limits.
SPanel’s UI is similar to cPanel but requires just 256MB RAM instead of 2GB. It also supports OpenLiteSpeed, unlimited users, and is free (no need to buy cPanel/LiteSpeed licenses or malware scans like other VPS’). Everything is built-in and is what cPanel should be.
Shared plans use LiteSpeed Enterprise while Entry Cloud and VPS plans use OpenLiteSpeed, Apache, or Nginx. For budget performance, use OpenLiteSpeed + LiteSpeed Cache + Super Page Cache. For better performance, Apache + FlyingPress + FlyingCDN.
Through my tutorials, I’ve steered thousands of people away from hosting conglomerates since the “how to start a blog” [insert Bluehost affiliate link] days. Today, I’m still telling people to ditch Newfold Digital + World Host Group for small teams like Chris/Vlad.
Unlike Hostinger/SiteGround’s VPS which have hidden CPU + I/O limits to keep you upgrading, there are no limits other than the CPU cores, RAM, and storage you choose and can scale individually (unlike Cloudways). Plus, no bandwidth, storage, or monthly visit limits.
SPanel’s UI is similar to cPanel but requires 256MB RAM compared to 4GB. It also supports OpenLiteSpeed, unlimited users, and is free (unlike VPS providers who require a cPanel + LiteSpeed license and charge for malware scans). SPanel already has everything built-in.
Shared plans use LiteSpeed Enterprise while Entry Cloud and VPS plans can use OpenLiteSpeed, Apache, and Nginx. For budget performance, use OpenLiteSpeed + LiteSpeed Cache + Super Page Cache. For better performance, Apache + FlyingPress + FlyingCDN.
For over a decade, I’ve steered thousands of people away from hosting conglomerates since the “how to start a blog” [insert Bluehost affiliate link] days. Today, I’m happily still doing it as both ScalaHosting (run by Chris and Vlad) and ChemiCloud are privately owned.
For over a decade, I’ve steered thousands of people away from hosting conglomerates since the “how to start a blog” [insert Bluehost affiliate link] days. Today, I’m happily still doing it as both ScalaHosting (run by Chris and Vlad) and ChemiCloud are privately owned.
If you want something more powerful than shared but aren’t ready for a full-blown VPS, Entry Cloud comes with 2 CPU cores + 2GB RAM of dedicated resources (not shared) and is still a VPS but isn’t scale (but actually has the best value in terms of price vs. resources).
I’ve steered thousands of people away from conglomerates since the “how to start a blog” [insert Bluehost affiliate link] days. I’m happy to report I’m still going strong, as both ScalaHosting and ChemiCloud are privately owned and free from private equity— a rare sighting.
Most of these include free migration(s) and have reliable support teams with higher TrustPilot ratings. ChemiCloud does 10-200 migrations, Scala Hosting does unlimited, Rocket.net does unlimited, and MechanicWeb’s varies. Vultr High Frequency is more DIY.
LiteSpeed: LiteSpeed Cache + QUIC.cloud Standard Plan. Nginx/Apache = FlyingPress + Cloudflare APO (or a proper integration of Cloudflare Enterprise).
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VPS
Build a VPS similar to Cloudways on a more lightweight + optimized stack at ~60% the price. Scale CPU cores, RAM, and storage granularly without having to jump to the next plan. While similar to Cloudways, I moved to Scala’s VPS from Rocket.
Entry Cloud
Higher performance than shared hosting with 2 CPU cores + 2GB RAM of dedicated resources (not shared). It’s a small VPS that can scale storage (but not cores/RAM) and has the best value in terms of price vs. resources for $13.45/mo.
Shared
Still uses their high performance stack (with LiteSpeed Enterprise and fast CPUs) but is still shared hosting with shared CPU/RAM. A big upgrade especially from hosts who use cPanel on slow hardware, but use a VPS if the budget allows.
Big Hosts, Big Problems
Not sure which CPU model(s), RAM, or storage your host uses? Then they’re probably not the fastest WordPress host. Combine this with overcrowded servers, highly restrictive resource limits, poorly integrated CDNs, and cPanel… no wonder TTFB and CPU usage are high.
Low CPU limits cause 503 errors and high CPU usage which forces upgrades. This can be from slow CPUs (like HostGator’s 2012 CPUs), low cores/RAM (like Hostinger and GoDaddy), or arbitrary CPU limits like SiteGround’s CPU seconds and Hostinger’s VPS CPU limits.
Watch for other limits like Kinsta’s PHP threads, Kinsta and WP Engine’s low monthly visits, staging sites with 1 CPU core, disk space/inode limits that disable backups, 1GB email storage, 1 MB/s disk IO, low PHP memory, and low MySQL/database limits.
Add-ons and product catalogs are red flags. Open source software like SSL certificates, Redis, and Nginx reverse proxy are sold as add-ons. “Managed” hosting doesn’t include migrations, CDN, or malware scans. And SiteLock has been called as a malware scam.
Beware of 600% higher renewals, getting charged 14 – 15 days prior to your renewal date, impossible cancellations, high renewals for other add-ons/upsells, and hosts not honoring money-back guarantees. Billing problems are often larger host’s #1 complaint!
Hostinger has pattern of suspending accounts claiming phishing/abuse, deleting data (including backups), and denying refunds. Search “suspension” or “scam” in your host’s 1-2 star reviews. SiteGround also suspends account for exceeding low resource limits.
Google blocked 2M SiteGround domains. Hostinger’s data breach impacted 14M customers. GoDaddy’s security is so bad the FTC stepped in. WPX had a global outage because they don’t use a redundancy system. And WP Engine is dealing with the lawsuit.
SiteGround dropped WordPress support, Hostinger uses an AI chatbot, and Elementor/NameCheap’s support are one of their most common complaints. Good support technitians cost money, but that doesn’t align with private equity’s goal to increase the bottom line.
World Host Group and Newfold Digital are buying hosting companies left and right. Hostinger/Kinsta are also backed by private equity while Cloudways/SiteGround “restructured” after a growth spike. Check the lists and use small businesses who take care of you.
Newfold Digital (Bluehost + HostGator) and World Hosting Group (A2 Hosting + FastComet) are 2 conglomerates that buy hosting companies and are criticized for deteriorating services—particularly in terms of support, performance, and transparency.
These hosts are usually recommended because they pay high affiliate commissions. I’m an affiliate too (I still gotta eat) but I do my best to recommend hosts based on your best interest (and after doing way too much research) without letting commissions get in the way.
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World Hosting Group
Owns Rocket.net, A2 Hosting, FastComet, StablePoint, and several other hosts. Has been called “EIG on steroids” and is gobbling up hostging companies.
Newfold Digital
Formerly EIG and conglomerate who owns Bluehost, HostGator, and previously owned SiteLock. All I can say is if you’re still using one of these— do more research.
GoDaddy
While there are endless reasons not to use GoDaddy, their long list of security incidents & upsells in the product catalog are 1st on the list. Migrate everything away.
SiteGround
503 errors from low limits (especially on cloud hosting), 600% renewals, paid migrations, paid CDNs, WordPress support no longer included… just glad I left.
Hostinger
Suspends accounts for phishing/ abuse, deletes data, then denies refunds. CPU steal limits on their VPS, low CPU + RAM on shared, owned by ConHostinger. Fitting.
Kinsta
Inadequate resources like WP Engine with more PHP thread, PHP memory, and staging limits. Free software and resource limit upgrades are expensive add-ons.
WP Engine
Low bandwidth, visit, and other limits means high overage fees and ongoing upgrades. Managed hosting doesn’t mean they’ll fix your site, and slow performance.
Bluehost
Did Newfold finally update their hardware? Now they just need to update their TOS by removing all their low resource limits causing slow performance and upgrades.
HostGator
BBB profile is filled with scam accusations related to renewals, refunds, billing, SiteLock, and no responses. They’re slow because they use ancient CPUs from 2012.
WPX
Their “independent” fastest hosting tests are by affiliates, but they only target a <400ms TTFB. And it’s still shared hosting with no redundancy and poor uptime.
Elementor Cloud
Very poor performance/support and only 1 Belgium data center. Get your hosting from a real hosting company— not your page builder (applies to EasyWP).
NameCheap EasyWP
Between CPUs from 2019 and ~1 CPU core and ~1GB RAM on their highest plan, it’s easy to see why performance and resource usage are the two recurring complaints.
GreenGeeks
Can’t cancel and continues to auto-renew. TOS leaves many policies at their descretion— making backup, resource, and billing complaints very common.
InMotion
Downtime and performance are common complaints along with database/email issues. Backups are only taken for accounts less than 10GB and they use Apache.
Cloudways
Better than shared but price, resources, and performance aren’t there. CF Enterprise and Object Cache Pro are also poor. DigitalOcean-owned since 2022.
CDNs
Your CDN should have PoPs (points of presence) close to users and a fast data transfer rate measured in terabytes per second (Tbps) which are usually listed on the CDN’s network page. A larger/faster network generally means less latency and faster TTFB.
Dynamic caching can improve TTFB by 72%. Most CDNs (like QUIC.cloud and Cloudflare APO) use dynamic caching. You can also use the Super Page Cache plugin which offers free dynamic caching through Cloudflare using the “cache everything” page rule.
Smart routing can reduce TTFB by another 33%. This monitors real-time traffic congestion and directs traffic through the fastest network paths (like a GPS) and is especially good for dynamic/WooCommerce sites. Cloudflare Argo and QUIC.cloud support this.
Unlike image optimization plugins, CDNs optimize images without adding plugin overhead or using server resources. Many image CDNs can also dynamically resize images for mobile devices/browsers. Which means more optimizations and a lighter load on your server.
Cloudflare Enterprise has extremely powerful performance/security features for WooCommerce/dynamic sites. Arguably the best integration is Rocket.net’s Cloudflare Enterprise which is tightly integrated into their hosting, automatic, and free with their hosting.
Most hosting CDNs (including Cloudflare integrations and SiteGround’s CDN) offer significantly less features compared to setting up Cloudflare directly. You’re usually losing access to hundreds of Cloudflare features as well as access to your Cloudflare dashboard.
Besides hosting, Google lists CDNs as the #2 way to improve TTFB. Since TTFB is 40% of LCP (and part of FCP), CDNs play a huge role in optimizing core web vitals. Plus, who doesn’t want their site loading fast nearly everywhere in the world? Choose your CDN wisely.
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Cloudflare Enterprise
WooCommerce/dynamic sites greatly benefit from Argo Smart Routing, priority routing, bot mitigation, and Enterprise WAF. But not all integrations are equal.
Cloudflare
Massive network of 330 PoPs + 388 Tbps data transfer rates. Set up manually (not through your hosting) to ensure you have full access your dashboard/features.
QUIC.cloud
LiteSpeed’s CDN is often top 3 on CDN Performance Checker with native dynamic caching, page/image optimizations, and HTTP/3. Use the standard plan.
FlyingCDN
Solid integration of Cloudflare Enterprise and convenient if you’re using FlyingPress and want CF Enterprise features without moving to Rocket.net.
RocketCDN
Uses BunnyCDN, but adds no benefit compared to setting up BunnyCDN directly (other than the extra convenience). Doesn’t specify bandwidth limits either.
SiteGround CDN
Limited optimization/security features, yet costs more than Cloudflare APO. Makes you use SiteGround’s DNS which was previously blocked by Google.
Optimization Plugins
FlyingPress
#1 in core web vitals according to the Chrome UX Report which collects performance data from real users. Leading the way with better features & optimizations.
LiteSpeed Cache
Free cache plugin for LiteSpeed servers. Learn to configure the settings and set up QUIC.cloud (or Cloudflare full page caching) with object cache via your host.
Perfmatters
When using FlyingPress or LiteSpeed Cache, you mainly want this for the script manager to disable plugins on specific pages/posts (reducing CSS/JS).
Database Cleaner
Cleans up the database junk cache plugins can’t: delete unused plugin tables, detect plugin autoloads, and repair corrupted or damaged tables.
WP Rocket
Compare their changelog to FlyingPress’ and you’ll see WP Rocket is following their tracks. Which explains why both their cache plugin and CDN are slower.
SiteGround Optimizer
4/5 star rating due to lacking features + compatibility issues. Get your hosting from a hosting company, and your optimization plugin from reliable developers.
NitroPack
Delivers a stripped-down version of your site to manipulate scores, but not ideal for real users. Even with manipulation strategies, it fall behinds FlyingPress in CrUX.
W3 Total Cache
I have a soft spot for this plugin since this guide is how my blog got popular (645+ comments)! But since FlyingPress/LSC came along, it’s not the best option :/
Full List
Overkilled list of 50+ speed plugins. Which ones you need (and don’t need) largely depend on which hosting/cache plugin you use. So choose both wisely.
Core Web Vitals
LCP
Learn the 4 LCP sub-parts and how to optimze above the fold images, TTFB, and your entire site for better LCP. The core web vital people struggle with most.
CLS
Prevent elements from shifting on your site which is often fixed by tweaking CSS/font settings, CSS animations, preloading local fonts, and by delaying JavaScript.
TBT
Blocking time is usually from JavaScript added by plugins, themes, and third-party code (including jQuery). Remove it from the source or optimize it.
TTFB
KeyCDN’s Performance Test and SpeedVitals test TTFB in multiple locations. A good host and CDN (with dynamic caching and smart routing) the ticket for a fast TTFB.
Third-Party Code
Fonts, Gravatars, analytics tracking codes, and other third-party code should be hosted locally or delayed, especially when they load below the fold.
Image Optimization
Optimize LCP, mobile, and background images. Image CDNs generally do a better job compared to plugins, and they also don’t use server resources.
Page Builders
Speed Up Elementor
Enable performance settings, remove wp-block-library, and exclude Elementor files when removing unused CSS/delaying JavaScript in your cache plugin.
Speed Up Divi
Similar to Elementor’s tutorial only specific to Divi. However, both page builders add extra CSS/JS— especially when you add extra page builder plugins.
GeneratePress
Why I used GeneratePress + GenerateBlocks to redesign my site and how it fixed several design/speed issues I’ve been having (cheaper than Kadence).
tom dupuis
Why I Started OMM
Because of how much misinformation is out there – specifically about WordPress hosting.
I started challenging “how to start a blog” affiliates in 2015 and haven’t stopped. All I care about is giving people factual, sourced reviews so they can make better decisions in a $100 billion hosting industry (the profits are insane… no wonder there’s so much noise)!
Outside of hosting, I’ve written several popular WordPress speed guides, including my first popular tutorial on W3 Total Cache in 2013 (a big reason my blog blew up in the first place). Times have changed!
When I’m not working, I’m usually hiking, exercising (boxing and yoga), letting loose at Red Rocks concerts, or traveling with my crew.
