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WPGraphQL Smart Cache

By Jason Bahl

Performance & Optimization / Caching Solutions

Reviewed by Omar Dabbas

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

WPGraphQL Smart Cache Review - In-Depth Analysis

WPGraphQL Smart Cache speeds up API responses by caching and invalidating WPGraphQL queries effectively.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.81/10

User Rating

5/5 (based on 4+ reviews)

Active Installations

6,000+

Update Frequency

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

Security Score

6.1 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Do you want your API data fast or accurate? With WPGraphQL Smart Cache, you can have both.

WPGraphQL Smart Cache is a free, open-source WordPress plugin that provides support for caching and cache invalidation of WPGraphQL Queries.

To get the most out of this plugin, we recommend using GET requests with Network Caching, which requires your WordPress install to be on a supported host.

WPGraphQL Smart Cache is now part of the WPGraphQL monorepo. All releases, issues, and discussions are managed in the main repository.

We may make breaking changes in the future to improve functionality and experience. If we do, we will use semver to do so. Pay attention to release notes and upgrade notices before updating.

It is recommended that anytime you want to update WPGraphQL Smart Cache that you get familiar with what’s changed in the release.

WPGraphQL Smart Cache publishes release notes on GitHub. Look for releases tagged with wp-graphql-smart-cache/v*.

Comparing to Alternatives

WPGraphQL Smart Cache stands alone in its category with no close direct alternatives available, making it a unique solution for caching in headless WordPress environments.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Provides on-demand cache invalidation for Node.js hosting platforms and frontend frameworks.
Enhances scalability for headless WordPress setups.
Improves performance by caching only changed content, reducing rebuild times.
Seamlessly integrates with popular frontend frameworks like Gatsby, Faust.js, and Next.js.
Highly praised by users for its effectiveness and ease of use.

Weaknesses

Had a high-severity security vulnerability prior to version 2.0.1.
Limited to users comfortable with headless WordPress and GraphQL.
No direct alternatives to compare feature sets with.
Lacks a pro version with additional premium features.

User Sentiment Analysis

With a perfect 5-star rating from all reviewers, user feedback is overwhelmingly positive, highlighting the plugin's performance and utility in headless WordPress environments.

Positive highlights

"Awesome 🙂 The future of graphQL" — digallardox
"Essential for headless WP" — jonathanmotes
"Awesome, made even better." — psychosispicks
"This plugin is an absolute life saver!" — blackdahlia

Common complaints

Weaknesses

Previously had a critical security vulnerability fixed in version 2.0.1.
No reported issues in recent reviews but limited user base may affect broader feedback.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Developers and teams using headless WordPress with GraphQL who need efficient caching and on-demand cache invalidation to improve performance and scalability.

Not ideal for

Users unfamiliar with headless WordPress or GraphQL, or those seeking a plugin with a broader feature set and active premium support options.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version offers full caching capabilities with on-demand invalidation, suitable for most headless WordPress use cases.

Final Verdict

WPGraphQL Smart Cache is a highly effective and well-regarded plugin that fills a unique niche for caching in headless WordPress environments. Its perfect user ratings reflect its reliability and performance benefits, especially for developers using modern frontend frameworks.

However, users should be aware of a past critical security vulnerability that has since been fixed, and the lack of direct alternatives or a premium version may limit options for some. Overall, it is a valuable tool for those needing scalable GraphQL caching solutions.