WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images… vs Merge + Minify + Refresh (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images…
1.0M+ active installs
Free
Merge + Minify + Refresh
4.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images… has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 2,567 reviews) and leads in active installations (1.0M+ vs 4.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images… has accumulated 55M+ total downloads while Merge + Minify + Refresh has 443K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images… | Merge + Minify + Refresh | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 4.2/5 |
| Total Reviews | 2,567 | ◄ | 68 |
| Active Installs | 1.0M+ | ◄ | 4.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 55M+ | ◄ | 443K+ |
| Support Resolution | 62% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 3 months ago |
| First Released | 2009 | 2015 | |
| Age | 17 years | 11 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.9+ | 6.4.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.2+ | 7.4+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 4.5.1 | 2.15 |
Rating Breakdown
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images…
Merge + Minify + Refresh
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images… averaged approximately 24,820 daily downloads while Merge + Minify + Refresh averaged 25.
Recent Reviews
WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images… Reviews
Рахмет.
Жақсы плагин. Әзірлеушілерге рахмет.
Excelente
Muito bom
Trash it, before it kills your conversions.
WP-Optimize fails to fully de-register its components even when caching is toggled off in the UI. Its hooks and filters remain active on every page load, specifically interfering with the WooCommerce
Merge + Minify + Refresh Reviews
good plugin
I used a website speed test to look at the differences before and after installing this plugin. Of course I waited a while for the merging and minifying to take effect i.e. I visited my website and mo
Works with caveats
It seems to me that: * if the CSS files has @includes it will not work. The option to skip CSS seems to be ignored * If the site is password protected (htpasswd protected site) the minifying part will
Great plugin.
Great plugin. Works as expected. Thank you.
More Minify Worth Comparing
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A lightweight plugin that automatically minifies, compresses, and caches HTML, CSS, and JavaScript on demand to improve your website’s load speed.
Allows you to combine and minify your CSS and JS files to improve page load time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images… or Merge + Minify + Refresh more popular?
Which has better ratings — WP-Optimize – Cache, Compress images… or Merge + Minify + Refresh?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.