Welcome to my WP Rocket review.
Just like most of you, I was in shock to see my site was actually a lot slower than I thought.
What started as a rich snippet issue ended in me finding out several other problems that I completely overlooked.
One of them is my website’s speed.
Without even thinking, I hired a developer and had him do some “work” on my site, and it was something I actually regretted.
So before you go doing some craziness as I did, I hope this WP Rocket review can assist you in a way that you don’t make the same mistakes that I made.
WP Rocket is what I think every blogger must have, and I would like to show you why.
And if you don’t know this by now, your site’s speed is definitely an important factor if you are looking to rank higher in Google and get more traffic.
If that’s not what you’re looking to do, then this review is probably not for you.
Now, for those of you who are considering this plugin to help speed things up, let me show you why I think it’s a worthwhile investment.
WP Rocket Review – Product Overview
Product Name: WP Rocket
Website: www.wp-rocket.me
Price: $49 (starting)
Overall Rating: 5/5 stars
If a faster website is what you are looking for, WP Rocket is definitely one way to do it. Right out of the box, you can see improvements immediately. Faster websites are definitely a must and WP Rocket will get you out of the red for those of you trying to please Google.
What is WP Rocket?
Initially, WP Rocket is a cache plugin that does exactly that.
It stores files on your server to save it from having to load the same exact thing again.
Pretty simple and straightforward, but there is a lot more to WP Rocket than just cache.
In fact, I don’t even look at it as a cache plugin but rather a website optimization plugin that will help your site function better and, of course, speed up your website.
Now, the main reason why some of you might consider such a plugin is probably to lower that site speed score you saw in Google’s site speed test.
Whatever the case may be, I’m sure you are looking to make your site as fast as it can be.
Will WP Rocket help, or is this probably a waste of time and money?
I’ve tested it, and I would like to show you the results.
But first, let me explain how to set things up, as I’m not a fan of complicated things, especially with something as dreadful as another plugin.
Setting Up WP Rocket
Getting WP Rocket up and running is a lot easier than most things you would install with WordPress.
I am not a fan of plugins, and I would rather not download one if I don’t have to.
But with the need for a faster website, I actually installed more than I needed to.
Now after the fact, I decided to look into WP Rocket.
No longer did I have to use a disable Google font plugin, along with a lazy load plugin and also a plugin that minifies CSS.
If you don’t know this, those three things will slow your site down a lot more than you think.
So, of course, I switched from 3 to 1 and installed WP Rocket.
To set it up, you literally just have to download it (because it’s not found inside WP) and activate it.
From there, you will see that your site is already moving faster.
There are tons of other settings that can help with more optimization, but just know that the setup process is even easier than tying your shoe.
The Results
Sorry to say, but I don’t have any technical statistics like some of these other sites are using, but I don’t think it is necessary either.
Why?
Well, because WP Rocket is designed for people like me.
The kind that doesn’t know much about coding but rather looks for a simpler way to do things.
WP Rocket was designed that way, and that’s the main reason I (along with thousands of others) decided to use the plugin in the first place.
However, I can say that I saw a huge change in my site’s speed.
How, you might ask?
The best way to check your site’s speed is well, by actually going on it and clicking through different pages.
With any cache plugin, you can expect faster speeds upon your 2nd click, which can then give you the wrong impression.
Caching is great for your visitors, as it does not have to keep reloading the same thing over and over again.
The real problem for site speed is the initial time a visitor lands on your site, and this is exactly what gives you the score in the various site speed tools.
But for your sake, click around this very site you are on, and you will see that it is, in fact, a lot faster than most.
Other factors include tests from an actual tool, and of course, that’s also what I did.
GT Metrix Site Speed Test Results
If you haven’t used GT Metrix, I wouldn’t necessarily say you should, but at least you can see the scores that my site has through.
I saw a huge increase in speed within the GT Metrix site speed test, and that is always great, but they are pretty generous when it comes to giving you higher scores.
The result above is from my actual homepage, but it does give you a general idea of what single-page speeds are achieving.
Every page is different, but you can bet that they are still loading at the same fast rate as my homepage.
Pingdom Site Speed Test Results
Pingdom website speed test is the 2nd best way to test your site’s speed as they give you different tests from different parts of the world.
This gives you a better visual of what your site’s speed is really like rather than giving you a good score based on one location.
I would recommend you try Pingdom tools to see where you can improve, but I’m sure a lot of you are more concerned about what Google thinks.
So let me show you those results as well.
Google Site Speed Test Results
I saved the best for last because I’m sure a lot of you are having trouble bringing this score down.
I wouldn’t necessarily say the best, but probably the one score that matters the most.
Google’s site speed is a very complicated tool as they use many different factors that sometimes isn’t even right.
But like WP Rocket says, “Sometimes your score might be low in the test, but it is actually really higher and vice versa.”
As I mentioned earlier, the best way to test your site’s speed is to actually go on there for yourself rather than just relying on some tool.
However, you will see the difference in those scores if you were to simply install WP Rocket on your site.
What Makes WP Rocket Really Good?
Before I came across WP Rocket, I used SiteGround WP hosting, which came with a built-in cache plugin.
Not knowing much about cache and how it improved your site’s speed, I just went with it.
For 2 years, I never thought about cache or even improving my site’s speed as I was with one of the best hosting providers money could buy.
All that changed when I encountered some errors in Google search console that indicated my site was really slow.
I immediately hit panic and took what I thought were the necessary steps to speed up my site.
That led to me doing some crazy and unnecessary things.
I switched to WPX Hosting, and I even hired a developer.
Please do not do that, as it can actually make things worse.
There were so many problems as to why my site was “slow,” and I didn’t realize that every single one of them could be fixed by a single plugin.
This plugin is, of course, WP Rocket.
Being able to bring my site speed up and improve on a bunch of things, there are several things that have made the switch worth every penny.
Immediate Results
WP Rocket is a cache plugin, but of course, it is known to speed up websites.
What’s even better to take note of is the fact that you will see a change immediately.
If your site is beyond slow and probably in the red, you will most likely get it in the green and show some real-life improvement.
You do not need to do anything additional besides install and activate, and you’ll see a huge improvement in your site’s speed.
I don’t know about you, but I am not a huge fan of plugins, as they usually do the opposite.
WP Rocket is one that you will enjoy, as you will see immediate results.
Tons of Extra Options
Seeing instant results is a great thing but there is more that can be done with WP Rocket.
- Clear cache within any screen
- Minify CSS
- Optimize CSS delivery
- Minify javascript files
- Lazy loading images
- Replace YouTube iframe (my favorite)
- Post cleanup
Now, there are many other options, but I personally know nothing about them.
For you more advanced website owners, I’m sure you will find those settings to be helpful.
Now, if you see the basic options above, most of you might have seen them in Google Search Console in the “How to fix” section.
Some of you might not know what they are talking about, but install WP Rocket, and voila!
You literally have the solution to those issues.
Support
I’m not trying to say that WP Rocket has the best support because they really don’t.
They do have help within your WP back-office, which I personally like.
For all the basic issues, there are a bunch of articles that are actually helpful.
You can and should find your answers there, but if not, there is always their support system that comes in the form of an email.
I know that’s not really a pro, but their support doesn’t take as long as other paid services.
The point is that they actually have support because of the fact that most plugins don’t usually come with any.
Then again, that’s usually what you get with any premium upgrades in website development land, so I guess it’s not that big of a deal.
At the very least, you can get support via email for any issues you might have.
They are not the fastest, but you can expect a response within 24 hours.
Video Support
I don’t even know what to call this one, but this is one of the biggest reasons why I like WP Rocket.
I absolutely love to include YouTube videos within my blog posts as it does a couple of things that I like, but one very important thing.
It helps your visitors get a visual explanation of whatever it is that you are trying to explain.
With the way things are these days, videos are being used a lot more than I ever thought.
What used to be rude and irritating is now okay and even recommended.
Now, the problem with videos embedded into your posts is that they slow your site down.
Not only slows your site down but drastically reduces your site speed, resulting in you getting an error in Google search console.
This right here was probably the only thing I needed to fix, and I could not figure out how to do it.
I tried video-converting type plugins, but they came with so many settings that I deleted them.
Lo and behold, the one plugin that actually works would have a simple setting for videos.
Yup, WP Rocket has it, and you will see a huge increase in your site’s speed by simply checking a simple box.
It’s crazy, but it works.
Positive WP Rocket Reviews
Before my site decided to be slow, I had never heard of WP Rocket.
Period.
The second I panicked and figured that something needed to be done, all I could hear was, “Get WP Rocket.”
From there, I went on the hunt for other WP Rocket reviews, and all I could find was a bunch of great things.
From the smallest of blogs to big-name sites like Trustpilot.com, they all can agree that WP Rocket is an exceptional plugin.
After hearing and seeing what others had to say, I eventually made the purchase, and of course, that’s how I was able to give my personal WP Rocket review.
Not to mention that one of my favorite online training courses (Authority Hacker) is actually a fan of WP Rocket as well.
So, as you can see, everyone and their mothers can vouch that this is really one plugin that you might actually need.
How Do Other Plugins Compare?
I have personally used W3 cache, as that is what WPX Hosting recommends, but that required me to download other plugins for different jobs.
On top of that, my site was still in the red with Google, and nothing improved over the course of 2 months.
I also used WP Super Cache as a recommendation from Wealthy Affiliate, but that was when I knew nothing about website speed.
I’m sure it didn’t do much either, and I’m also sure it can’t compare to all the extra features that WP Rocket has.
There is a price to pay for WP Rocket, but one that I’m sure you will find to be worth it.
The Price
So, what is the price for such an awesome plugin?
WP Rocket is not your cheapest plugin, but it isn’t going to cost you an arm and a leg either.
Just like most plugins out there, WP Rocket has several options.
You can get a single license for $49, but I’m sure a lot of you are like me, and you probably own more than one website.
For a license that covers 3 websites, you’re looking at $99.
Now if you want to use it on unlimited websites, you will need to fork out $249.
The way I think you should do this to save some money is to get what you need.
For now, at least.
If you really only need it for just one site right now, get the $49 license and then upgrade later with one of their promotions.
Throughout the year, they’ll probably offer you some kind of deal, from which you can then take advantage.
I believe that Black Friday is where you can get the best deals, so get what you can and maybe wait until then to make any additional purchases.
WP Rocket Review Conclusion
Get WP Rocket.
This plugin has done wonders for me, and I really don’t know what I would do without it.
My site is faster, and I didn’t even have to hire a developer to do so.
WP Rocket is worth the price, and like I said earlier in this review, you will see instant results.
Unless you want to keep that low score in any of the site speed testing tools, you might want to get with the program.
Other Ways to Speed Things Up?
With WP Rocket, they take care of a lot of the stuff that you aren’t too familiar with.
This includes CSS, HTML, and a bunch of other things that I would rather not deal with.
Having such help allows you to use your website the way you want to without having to walk on eggshells.
However, there are several other simple things that you can use to help with your site’s speed.
You can always use a very simple theme that doesn’t require much of the fancy stuff, but the biggest thing would always be to upgrade your hosting provider.
I personally use WPX hosting, but they are also higher on the pricing scale.
SiteGround is also great, and they are a lot more affordable as well.
Those two simple things will help you tremendously, so do consider them if you are still looking for ways to improve your site’s speed.
Final Thoughts
I personally really like WP Rocket, and I have purchased an unlimited license myself.
I think that having a blazing-fast speed in its early days will help it move up the ranks in a faster time as well.
The plugin is lightweight and does not require any technical knowledge whatsoever.
Give it a try, and you will see why it is the top recommended cache plugin on the market.
Other than that, I do hope that this WP Rocket review has given you more than enough information so that you can make a wiser decision.
If you have any questions, feel free to leave them in the comments section below.
Thanks for reading, and happy blogging!
Summary
WP Rocket will improve your site’s speed by simply installing and activating the plugin. If you want to get rid of those irritating site speed errors, this is the plugin that will do exactly that. I highly recommend this and of course we are also using this on all our sites. Get a Faster Site Here