PluginSift

Nginx Cache vs Purge Varnish Cache (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Nginx Cache

Nginx Cache

4.6(23)

10K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View Nginx Cache
VS
Purge Varnish Cache

Purge Varnish Cache

5(10)

2.0K+ active installs

Free

Updated 2 years ago
View Purge Varnish Cache

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Purge Varnish Cache has a higher user rating (5/5 from 10 reviews) while Nginx Cache leads in active installations (10K+ vs 2.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Nginx Cache has accumulated 309K+ total downloads while Purge Varnish Cache has 56K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.6/5Nginx Cache
►
Purge Varnish Cache5/5
Total Reviews
23Nginx Cache
◄
Purge Varnish Cache10
Active Installs
10K+Nginx Cache
◄
Purge Varnish Cache2.0K+
Total Downloads
309K+Nginx Cache
◄
Purge Varnish Cache56K+
Support Resolution
N/ANginx Cache
Purge Varnish CacheN/A
Last Updated
1 year agoNginx Cache
◄
Purge Varnish Cache2 years ago
First Released
2014Nginx Cache
Purge Varnish Cache2016
Age
12 yearsNginx Cache
Purge Varnish Cache10 years
WP Requires
3.1+Nginx Cache
Purge Varnish Cache4.0+
PHP Requires
false+Nginx Cache
Purge Varnish Cachefalse+
Business Model
FreeNginx Cache
Purge Varnish CacheFree
Latest Version
1.0.7Nginx Cache
Purge Varnish Cache2.6

Rating Breakdown

Nginx Cache

4.6/5(23 reviews)
5
83%
4
9%
3
0%
2
0%
1
9%

Purge Varnish Cache

5/5(10 reviews)
5
100%
4
0%
3
0%
2
0%
1
0%

Recent Reviews

Nginx Cache Reviews

by E-Liquids UK

Another Outstanding Plugin

Another outstanding plugin from same developer who created Redis Object Cache Pro! The plugin is lightweight and effective for purging nginx cache, teaming this plugin with “syncthing” allows us to cl

by imissit

Works with 6.5.3

Best plugin I’ve ever come across. Does the job, for free, asks nothing in return, and is insanely minimal. Till is a legend.

by keysuck

Don’t be fooled by lack of updates

This plugin is the ONLY one that actually purges FastCGI cache without any impact to the website.

Purge Varnish Cache Reviews

by stratoextra

Does Exactly What it Should

Does exactly what it should and still works with WordPress 6.7.2.

by Igor Kovacic

Possible malware – images/purge16x16.png

EDIT: Resolved very quick. We’ve just finished scanning of our website, and malware scanner reported file wp-content/plugins/purge-varnish/images/purge16x16.png If you open that file in text editor, y

by pradipktiwari

Functional and very useful plugin

This Plugin works perfectly now with wordpress version 5.2 and Varnish 6.x, and I’m very happy using it. The only working plugin for me.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Nginx Cache or Purge Varnish Cache more popular?
Nginx Cache has 10K+ active installations while Purge Varnish Cache has 2.0K+. Nginx Cache is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Nginx Cache or Purge Varnish Cache?
Nginx Cache has a 4.6/5 rating from 23 reviews, while Purge Varnish Cache has a 5/5 rating from 10 reviews.
Are Nginx Cache and Purge Varnish Cache free?
Nginx Cache is free and Purge Varnish Cache is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Nginx Cache or Purge Varnish Cache?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Nginx Cache was last updated 1 year ago and Purge Varnish Cache was last updated 2 years ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.