When choosing a cache plugin for your WordPress it is advisable that you do a performance check among 2-3 plugins and then choose your cache plugin accordingly. You can run a website speed check using tools such as Pingdom or GT Metrix after using each plugin, in this way you can see the impact of each plugin on your WordPress.

Free WordPress Cache Plugins

Cache Enabler

Cache enabler is a free cache plugin by Key CDN. It is quite fast, reliable and comes with WP multi-site support that adds an advantage for those who manage a multi-site network website. It is the best alternative option of WP rocket in the free category. Cache enabler plugin, when combined with Optimus or EWWW plugin, allows you to use the new image format which is beneficial for e-commerce websites as they deal with a lot of images.

Pros

1. A simple user interface, it is one of the easiest to use a caching plugin to configure.
2. Minification is available for both JavaScript and HTML.
3. Combines with Autoptimize plugin for injecting CSS to page head.
4. Free of cost.

Cons

1. Known conflict with WP security, Cache Enabler may throw up glitches when used along with the WordPress security.
2. Breaks the mobile view, this plugin is not mobile optimized and breaks the website’s mobile view a lot.

 WP Fastest Cache

It is a free WordPress plugin and quite popular in its category as well. It comes with a simple design and feature set. It allows you to pre-load the cache of your site, minify both HTML and CSS, uses GZIP compression to reduce the size of files sent by your server and supports both browsers and desktop caching. It also comes with a premium plan starting from $39.

Pros

1. The free version is more useful for most of the site and it works comparatively better than its competitors.
2. Easy CDN integration.
3. Separate handling of images optimization from caching.

Cons

1. Its user interface lacks a premium feel when navigating.
2. Some features reserved for premium users should be made available for free versions like image optimization, database clean-up, mobile and widget cache.

W3 Total Cache

W3 total cache is a free WP caching plugin. It integrates with CDN and works well for mobile-friendly sites as well as desktops. It is a useful companion for websites with SSL certificates and e-commerce companies. This plugin provides you with multiple fonts, offering bandwidth savings through minifications and feed comparison.

Pros

1. Completely free and provides the majority of caching plugins that you need to keep your site fast and optimized.
2. Compatible with all sorts of hosting options.
3. Support for object caching.

Cons

1. Back-end settings are plentiful and difficult to understand, the developers are doing best on their part but it is confusing for the beginners.

WP Supercache

It is another free WP plugin with no upgrades needed after installation. It comes with modes like;

1. Simple mode- for average WP users as it is less risky.
2. Expert mode- it is often used by advance developers who like to control the caching process.

When it comes to configuration, it is easy to set-up allowing you to do page compressions, simple caching and CDN support.

Pros

1. Garbage collecting, one thing that makes it unique is its automatic deletion of files from garbage collector to ensure the site optimization.
2. Provides excellent caching services for all your websites, irrespective of its size.
3. Allows integration with unique CDN set-up for better distribution of your files.

Cons

1. A lot of settings are to be managed to fully utilize this plugin and requires a lot of time.

Paid Cache WordPress Plugins

WP Rocket

It is a premium cache plugin and comes with 3 plans to choose from. It generally requires one-time payment but you may have to pay extra for future updates and customer support services. Caching for one website starts from $39, supports 3 websites at $99 and unlimited websites at $199. There is no trial period but the developers offer 14 days money-back guarantee. It is chosen because of its simple user interface and quick set-up. It also runs smoothly with e-commerce websites as they are the one who need caching speed the most.

Pros

1. Developer- friendly experience.
2. Plugin with simple set up.
3. Data optimization to clean up your WordPress database.
4. Compatible with Cloud flare and multi-site.
5. Involves optimization of Google fonts.

Cons

1. It is all premium and comes with no trial period. So if you are looking for a trial you still have to buy this plugin.

Comet Cache

It is a popular plugin and an optimum solution with both free and paid ways. Its paid version starts from $39 up to $139. It comes with one-time fees but you may have to pay additionally for customer support. The one thing that makes it different from other caching plugins is its easy documentation process. The only reason why you may think of shifting to a premium plan is that of its automation. You may have to do some work manually when using a basic plan but in the premium plan, this work is done by the plugin itself.

Pros

1. Fast configuration and a reasonable back-end for setting your caching in minutes.
2. Most of the primary features are given for free, so you don’t have to spend unnecessarily.
3. Caching can be easily done on posts, pages, categories and tags.

Cons

1. Its default configuration can be improved.

To conclude, when choosing a cache plugin it is important to check its optimization and compatibility with your site. As a non-compatible cache plugin can lead to website slow down which in result will lead to viewer disengagement. So make sure that you choose the cache plugin which is suitable to type to site that you operate, i.e.whether it is an e-commerce site or just a site with blogs. Both these categories of sites have different requirements and you have to make sure that the applied cache plugin enhances its performance.