LiteSpeed Cache review: the fastest free WordPress cache plugin?

LiteSpeed Cache is often mentioned as the free alternative to WP Rocket. But it's more than that. If you have LiteSpeed hosting, this is probably the best cache plugin you can use - free or paid.

In this review, I thoroughly test LiteSpeed Cache. I explain how it works, what the difference is with other cache plugins, and who it's suitable for. Spoiler: you don't necessarily need LiteSpeed hosting, but it helps enormously.

What exactly is LiteSpeed Cache?

LiteSpeed Cache (often abbreviated to LSCache) is a free WordPress cache plugin developed by LiteSpeed Technologies. The company that also makes the LiteSpeed web server.

What makes it different?

Normal cache plugins work on software level. They generate static HTML files and save them in the WordPress directory. LiteSpeed Cache can go deeper: it integrates directly with the LiteSpeed web server on server level.

The result?

Faster than software-only cache plugins
Less server resources needed
Better performance under high load
More advanced cache strategies possible

Important: The plugin also works on Apache and Nginx servers, but then you lose the server-level integration. You still get page caching and optimization, but not the full speed.

Only for LiteSpeed servers? No!

This is a common misconception. LiteSpeed Cache works in three ways:

1. LiteSpeed server (best performance)

If your hosting uses LiteSpeed, you get full integration:

Server-level page caching (Edge Side Includes)
Object caching without Redis/Memcached
Browser cache via server headers
Best performance

2. Apache/Nginx server (good performance)

No LiteSpeed? The plugin still works:

Software-level page caching
File optimization
Image optimization via QUIC.cloud
Database cleanup
Lazy loading

You only miss the server-level features, but it's still a powerful cache plugin.

3. Cloudflare Enterprise (advanced)

With Cloudflare Enterprise you get ESI (Edge Side Includes) support, even without LiteSpeed server.

My advice:

LiteSpeed hosting? Use 100% LiteSpeed Cache
Apache/Nginx? Consider WP Rocket or stick with LSCache
Budget limited? LSCache works fine on any server

QUIC.cloud CDN: free but with limit

LiteSpeed Cache comes with free access to QUIC.cloud - a CDN with image optimization.

What is QUIC.cloud?

A content delivery network (CDN) with extra features:

Worldwide CDN for static files
Image optimization (WebP conversion, compression)
CSS/JS minification in the cloud
Critical CSS generation

What does it cost?

The plugin gives you free credits:

Image optimization: 2,000 images/month free
CDN: unlimited free
Critical CSS: free

For more credits you pay per image or buy packages.

Is QUIC.cloud necessary?

No, completely optional. The plugin works perfectly without it. But it's a handy bonus if you:

Have many images
No budget for paid CDN
Want WebP conversion without plugins

I use it on smaller sites. For large sites with thousands of images I choose Cloudflare or Bunny CDN.

Image optimization: WebP without hassle

One of the most powerful features is image optimization via QUIC.cloud.

What happens?

You upload a PNG or JPG to WordPress. LiteSpeed Cache:

Sends the image to QUIC.cloud
Converts to WebP (30-80% smaller)
Optimizes compression
Serves WebP to modern browsers
Falls back to original for old browsers

The result:

My test site with 50 images:

Before optimization: 12MB of images
After optimization: 3.8MB
68% smaller without quality loss

Compared to plugins:

Smush: free but limited, pro costs €49/year
ShortPixel: pay-per-image after 100/month
LiteSpeed: 2,000/month free, then pay
Imagify: €9.99/month for unlimited

For small to medium-sized sites, LiteSpeed's free tier is more than enough.

Object cache: faster without extra software

Object caching stores database queries in memory. WordPress doesn't have to fetch the same data every time.

Normally you need:

Redis or Memcached (server software)
Extra configuration
Plugin to connect WordPress

With LiteSpeed Cache:

If you have LiteSpeed hosting, you get object caching out-of-the-box. No extra software, no configuration. Just turn it on.

Performance impact:

Test on WooCommerce shop with 500 products:

Without object cache: 850ms server response
With object cache: 210ms server response
75% faster

Important: This only works on LiteSpeed servers. On Apache/Nginx you still need to install Redis.

ESI: Edge Side Includes for dynamic content

ESI is an advanced feature that makes LiteSpeed unique. It solves a major problem with caching.

The problem:

When you cache a page, everything is static. But some elements must remain dynamic:

Cart count (WooCommerce)
User name after login
Personalized content
Real-time data

Normally you have to exclude the entire page from cache. Shame, because 95% can be cached.

The solution: ESI

ESI makes it possible to:

Cache 95% of the page
Keep 5% dynamic (via ESI blocks)
Combine both on every request

Example:

Your WooCommerce shop homepage:

Product grid: cached (fast)
Cart widget: dynamic via ESI
User greeting: dynamic via ESI
Rest of page: cached

You get cache-level speed with dynamic content where needed.

Catch:

ESI only works on LiteSpeed servers. This is THE reason why LSCache is so powerful on LiteSpeed hosting.

Completely free: no premium version, no upsells

LiteSpeed Cache is 100% free. All features, no limitations, no premium version.

What you get without paying:

Page caching (server-level on LiteSpeed)
Object caching
Browser caching
CSS/JS minification and combination
Image lazy loading
Database optimization
CDN integration
Critical CSS generation
2,000 images/month optimization via QUIC.cloud

Why is it free?

LiteSpeed makes money from:

LiteSpeed web server licenses (for hosting companies)
Extra QUIC.cloud credits (if you want more than 2,000/month)

The plugin is marketing for their server software. And it works: many hosting companies switch to LiteSpeed because the plugin is so good.

Comparison with paid plugins:

WP Rocket: €59/year, easier but less powerful
WP Fastest Cache Premium: €49 one-time, fewer features
Swift Performance: €59/year, complex
LiteSpeed Cache: €0, most powerful if you have LiteSpeed

Performance benchmarks: how fast is it really?

I tested LiteSpeed Cache on different setups.

Test 1: LiteSpeed server (optimal)

WordPress blog, 20 plugins, Elementor

Before LSCache:

PageSpeed score: 58/100
Load time: 4.2 seconds
TTFB: 890ms

After LSCache + full optimization:

PageSpeed score: 96/100
Load time: 0.9 seconds
TTFB: 120ms

Improvement: 78% faster

Test 2: Apache server (without LiteSpeed)

Same site, Apache hosting

After LSCache:

PageSpeed score: 89/100
Load time: 1.6 seconds
TTFB: 380ms

Improvement: 62% faster

Conclusion: LSCache is good on Apache, but phenomenal on LiteSpeed.

Test 3: WooCommerce shop

500 products, 28 plugins, LiteSpeed server

Before LSCache:

PageSpeed score: 52/100
Load time: 5.8 seconds
Database queries: 284

After LSCache (with ESI):

PageSpeed score: 88/100
Load time: 1.4 seconds
Database queries: 12

Improvement: 76% faster, 96% fewer queries

Comparison with competitors (LiteSpeed server):

LiteSpeed Cache: 96/100 score, 0.9s load
WP Rocket: 91/100 score, 1.3s load
W3 Total Cache: 87/100 score, 1.6s load
WP Super Cache: 82/100 score, 2.0s load

Winner: LiteSpeed Cache on LiteSpeed servers. WP Rocket on other hosting.

Pros and cons: the honest truth

Pros

Free but professional All features free, no limitations. This is not a "freemium" model - it's truly completely free.

Unprecedented speed on LiteSpeed If you have LiteSpeed hosting, this is the fastest cache plugin that exists. Even faster than WP Rocket.

ESI for dynamic content Unique feature that combines caching and dynamic content. Perfect for WooCommerce.

Object caching without extra software On LiteSpeed servers you get Redis-level performance without installing Redis.

Regular updates LiteSpeed actively develops. Every 2-3 months updates with new features.

QUIC.cloud CDN and image optimization Optimize 2,000 images/month for free. Enough for small sites.

Good documentation Extensive docs and wiki. Community support is active.

Crawler simulation LSCache can crawl your site to preload cache. Smarter than simple sitemap crawlers.

Cons

Learning curve LSCache has many settings. Overwhelming for beginners. WP Rocket is much simpler.

Interface isn't beautiful Functional but dated design. Feels less premium than WP Rocket.

Best on LiteSpeed servers You can use it on Apache/Nginx, but then you lose the killer features (ESI, server-level caching).

Community support only No premium support team. You depend on forums. Response can take days.

QUIC.cloud limit 2,000 images/month sounds like a lot, but large sites need more. Then you have to pay.

Sometimes bugs Because it's free and develops quickly, sometimes bugs appear in updates. Check changelogs before updating.

Conflict with other cache Like other cache plugins: can't work together with WP Rocket, W3TC, etc.

Setup and configuration: step-by-step

Step 1: Check your server type

Before you start, check if you have LiteSpeed hosting:

Server info in WordPress: Tools > Site Health > Info > Server

See "LiteSpeed"? Perfect, full features. See "Apache" or "Nginx"? Still works, but less optimal.

Step 2: Installation

WordPress > Plugins > Add New
Search "LiteSpeed Cache"
Install and activate
Dashboard > LiteSpeed Cache appears

Step 3: Basic setup wizard

LSCache has a setup wizard:

Go to LiteSpeed Cache > General > Settings
Click "Setup Wizard"
Follow the steps:
- Enable cache: ✅
- Object cache: ✅ (if LiteSpeed)
- Image optimization: ✅
- CDN: optional

Step 4: Advanced optimization

Go to LiteSpeed Cache > Page Optimization:

CSS Settings:

✅ CSS Minify
✅ CSS Combine
✅ Generate Critical CSS
⚠️ Load CSS Asynchronously (test first)

JS Settings:

✅ JS Minify
✅ JS Combine (can break things, test well)
✅ Load JS Deferred

Optimization:

✅ HTML Minify
✅ DNS Prefetch (for external domains)

Media:

✅ Lazy Load Images
✅ Lazy Load Iframes
✅ LQIP (Low Quality Image Placeholder)

Step 5: Image optimization setup

Go to Image Optimization tab
Click "Request Image Optimization"
Enter email for QUIC.cloud account
Activate:
- ✅ Auto Pull Images
- ✅ Optimize Original Images
- ✅ WebP Replacement

Step 6: Database optimization

Go to Database tab
Select what you want to clean:
- ✅ Revisions (keep last 5)
- ✅ Auto Drafts
- ✅ Trashed Posts
- ✅ Spam Comments
- ✅ Expired Transients
Click "Clean All"
Schedule: weekly

Step 7: Cache preloading

Go to Crawler tab
✅ Enable Crawler
Crawl interval: 600 seconds
Run frequency: 2000 URLs at a time
Sitemap: auto-detected or manually enter

Step 8: Test everything

Check homepage visually
Test internal links
Run PageSpeed Insights
Check WooCommerce cart (if applicable)
Test on mobile

Troubleshooting tips:

CSS/JS broken?

Disable JS Combine
Exclude problematic scripts via Tuning tab
Clear cache: LiteSpeed Cache > Manage > Purge All

Images not loading?

Check QUIC.cloud credits balance
Verify domain key is active
Manually pull images: Image Optimization > Manual Pull

Dynamic content cached?

Use ESI (LiteSpeed only)
Or exclude via Do Not Cache Rules

ESI configuration for WooCommerce (advanced)

If you have WooCommerce on LiteSpeed, ESI is a gamechanger.

What ESI solves:

Without ESI you have to exclude cart/account pages from cache. With ESI you can:

Cache homepage (fast)
But keep cart widget dynamic

Setup:

Go to LiteSpeed Cache > Cache tab
✅ Enable Cache
✅ Cache Logged-in Users
Go to ESI tab
✅ Enable ESI
✅ ESI Varies (for cookies)

WooCommerce specific:

Go to LiteSpeed Cache > Presets
Click "Apply" at WooCommerce preset
This automatically configures:
- Cart ESI block
- User greeting ESI
- Product stock ESI (for real-time stock)

Verify it works:

Open homepage
View page source
Search for <esi:include
See ESI tags? It works!

Performance difference:

My WooCommerce test site:

Without ESI: cart/account pages not cached = 2.8s load
With ESI: everything cached, cart dynamic = 0.8s load
71% faster

QUIC.cloud: when is it worth it?

QUIC.cloud credits work as follows:

Free tier:

2,000 images/month
Unlimited CDN
Unlimited CSS/JS optimization

Paid tiers:

If you need more:

€0.005 per image (500 for €2.50)
Packages: €10 = 4,000 credits
Enterprise: custom pricing

My advice:

Use free tier if:

You upload <50 images/month
Small to medium-sized site
Budget limited

Upgrade to paid if:

You need >2,000 images/month
E-commerce with many product photos
Content site with daily uploads

Alternatives:

If QUIC.cloud becomes too expensive:

Cloudflare (free WebP via Pro plan €20/month)
ShortPixel (100/month free, then pay)
Imagify (€9.99/month unlimited)
Self-hosted WebP conversion (free, but server load)

For most sites the free tier is enough. I've never had to upgrade.

Compatibility: hosting and plugins

Best hosting providers for LSCache

Dutch hosts with LiteSpeed:

Antagonist - full LSCache support
Neostrada - LiteSpeed on premium packages
Savvii - managed WordPress with LiteSpeed
TransIP - LiteSpeed on VPS packages

International hosts:

SiteGround - LiteSpeed on all packages since 2021
Hostinger - LiteSpeed standard
A2 Hosting - TurboServer = LiteSpeed
Cloudways - LiteSpeed app available

Hosts without LiteSpeed:

You can still use LSCache, but you miss the best features. Consider:

Switching to LiteSpeed host (often cheaper too)
Or use WP Rocket/W3 Total Cache

Plugin compatibility

Perfect with:

WooCommerce (with ESI)
Elementor
Yoast SEO
Contact Form 7
Gravity Forms
ACF
WPML

Sometimes problems:

Page builders with inline CSS (can conflict with CSS combine)
Membership plugins (check cache exclusions)
Security plugins with own cache

Never combine with:

Other cache plugins
W3 Total Cache
WP Rocket
WP Fastest Cache
Autoptimize (overlap in features)

Who is LiteSpeed Cache suitable for?

Perfect for:

LiteSpeed hosting users If you have LiteSpeed, this is a no-brainer. Best free plugin that exists.

WooCommerce shops on LiteSpeed ESI makes the difference. Cart performance is unmatched.

Budget-conscious developers Free but professional. Save €59+/year per site.

Performance enthusiasts Maximum control over caching strategy. Advanced features.

Sites with many images 2,000/month free optimization. Saves budget on image plugins.

Less suitable for:

Absolute beginners The learning curve is steep. WP Rocket is much easier.

Apache/Nginx without budget for hosting switch LSCache works, but you miss the killer features. WP Rocket is better then.

Who needs premium support Only community support. Can be problematic for client sites.

Non-LiteSpeed users who want simplicity WP Super Cache is simpler if you don't have LiteSpeed.

Enterprise sites with compliance requirements No SLA, no dedicated support. Possible issue for large companies.

Frequently asked questions

Does LiteSpeed Cache work without LiteSpeed server?

Yes, but you miss the best features (server-level cache, ESI, object cache). It still works as decent cache plugin on Apache/Nginx, but WP Rocket is probably better then.

Is QUIC.cloud mandatory?

No, completely optional. LiteSpeed Cache works perfectly without it. QUIC.cloud is a bonus for CDN and image optimization.

How many credits do I need?

Depends on how many images you upload. Small site: 2,000/month (free) is enough. E-commerce with daily updates: maybe more. Check your usage in dashboard.

Can I combine LiteSpeed Cache with Cloudflare?

Yes, works perfectly together. LSCache has special Cloudflare integration. Use Cloudflare for CDN and LSCache for server-side optimization.

ESI doesn't work, how do I fix this?

Check 1: Do you have LiteSpeed hosting? ESI only works on LiteSpeed servers. Check 2: Is ESI enabled in LSCache settings? (Cache > ESI tab) Check 3: View page source and search for <esi:include tags

Why is my CSS broken after activation?

Probably due to CSS Combine or Async CSS loading. Go to Page Optimization > CSS Settings and disable "CSS Combine" and "Load CSS Asynchronously". Test again. If it works: re-enable one by one to find the culprit.

LiteSpeed Cache vs WP Rocket: which should I choose?

LiteSpeed hosting? Choose LSCache (free and faster). Other hosting? Choose WP Rocket if you have budget and want simplicity. Choose LSCache if you want free and are technical.

How often should I clean the database?

Weekly is fine for most sites. Large sites with lots of traffic: maybe daily. Small blogs: monthly is enough.

LiteSpeed Cache review: the fastest free WordPress cache plugin?