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Cache-Control

By Dan

Performance & Optimization / Caching Solutions

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

Trusted WordPress expert with 20+ years of experience evaluating plugins for the WP ecosystem.

Cache-Control Review - In-Depth Analysis

Manage HTTP Cache-Control headers for your WordPress site. Optimize caching policies for better performance.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.76/10

User Rating

5/5 (based on 6+ reviews)

Active Installations

1,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

1 / 10 (Very Low Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Good caching policies are one of performance's best friends, and it can be your new best friend too. Get friendly with intermediary and browser caches by taking control over your WordPress powered website's HTTP Cache-Control headers.

This is not a caching plugin in itself, but will enable you to leverage existing standard compliant caching systems better. You can set different policies for different kinds of pages to suit your website's needs. The Cache-Control for WordPress plugin allows you to set different policies for shared/intermediary and private caches. The plugin sets some sensible defaults for a medium traffic blog that publishes an update or two per week.

You can safely set long Cache-Control times as the max-age values are lowered automatically before a scheduled post is about to be published. Private pages (logged in users, the admin interface, etc.) will not be cached.

The plugin has extensive documentation.

Comparing to Alternatives

Cache-Control stands out by focusing specifically on configuring HTML header cache controls, unlike broader caching plugins. It has several alternatives that offer more comprehensive caching solutions.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Specializes in configuring HTML header cache controls for better caching.
Helps integrate well with CDNs like Cloudflare for improved performance.
Simple and elegant interface focused on cache control headers.
Excellent support and educational resources from the developer.
Proven to reduce resource usage on busy sites by managing cache headers effectively.

Weaknesses

Does not provide full caching solutions like page or object caching.
Misses some cache-control directives defined in HTTP specifications.
Limited to header configuration, requiring other plugins for complete caching.
No pro version or advanced premium features available.

User Sentiment Analysis

All user reviews are positive with a perfect 5-star rating, reflecting strong satisfaction with the plugin's functionality and support.

Positive highlights

'This is an absolute necessity!' - grantdb appreciates the ease compared to manual server configuration.
'Hidden Gem' - Anonymous User 14978628 values the plugin's utility with CDN setups and excellent developer support.
'Must install!' - masamis praises it as a perfect solution for CDN integration.
'Reducing resources on busy sites' - Marc Kranat highlights its effectiveness in passing granular caching directives.
'Cool plugin' - Mos Craciun finds it simple and elegant despite minor feature gaps.

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Lacks some cache-control directives as per HTTP specification 5.2.2.
Limited scope focusing only on cache-control headers rather than full caching.
No advanced features or pro version available.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Users who want a lightweight, focused plugin to manage HTTP cache-control headers, especially those using CDNs like Cloudflare to optimize content caching.

Not ideal for

Users seeking a comprehensive caching plugin with page, object, or database caching features or those needing advanced cache management options.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version provides essential cache-control header configuration to improve caching behavior and CDN integration.

Final Verdict

Cache-Control is a specialized plugin that excels at managing HTTP cache-control headers, making it an excellent tool for users who want to improve caching behavior without the complexity of full caching solutions. Its perfect user ratings and strong developer support highlight its reliability and usefulness, particularly for CDN users.

However, it is not a replacement for comprehensive caching plugins and lacks some advanced cache-control directives. Users needing broader caching features should consider alternatives, but for focused header control, Cache-Control offers a simple, effective, and free solution.

Other Notable Features

Here are a few other notable features of this free Cache-Control plugin.

Cache-control

Caching

Http

FAQ

Please refer to RFC 2616 Section 13. If you’re unfamiliar with this header, you’ll want to disable this plugin until you’ve read up on caching in general. Apache’s caching guide is a great resource to get better acquainted with caching. This plugin should be used with great care as it breaks assumptions set by WordPress core and most plugin authors that every page will be regenerated for every request.