Free vs Pro
Free and Pro share the same cache engine. Pro extends that core with WooCommerce-aware behavior, optional logged-in caching, CDN integration, and external metrics exposure.
Shared Foundation
Both tiers are built on the same core cache engine.
- Query caching for front-end WordPress query results
- Fragment caching for expensive rendered sections
- Redis as the preferred store, with MySQL fallback
- Tag-based invalidation and per-site cache namespaces
- Anonymous front-end caching on public pages
- No full-page HTML cache
- Designed to complement page caches and CDNs rather than replace them
This page is about capability and behavior. It does not include benchmark numbers.
| Capability / Behavior | Free | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Core query caching | Yes | Yes |
| Core fragment caching | Yes | Yes |
| Redis store | Yes | Yes |
| MySQL fallback store | Yes | Yes |
| Admin controls for store mode, TTLs, debug headers, and purges | Yes | Yes |
| WP-CLI commands for status and flush | Yes | Yes |
| Built-in lifetime hit/miss/store/purge counters | Yes | Yes |
| Anonymous public-page caching | Yes | Yes |
| WooCommerce-aware cache key variance | No | Yes |
| WooCommerce-specific fragment wrappers | No | Yes |
| WooCommerce bypass rules for cart, checkout, account, AJAX, and cart/session cookies | No | Yes |
| WooCommerce invalidation on product, stock, order, review, term, and catalog-setting changes | No | Yes |
| Optional logged-in caching for allowlisted roles with a separate TTL | No | Yes |
| CDN cache-tag headers and purge integrations | No | Yes |
| Prometheus scrape endpoint | No | Yes |
| Pro-specific WP-CLI metrics command | No | Yes |
| Full-page HTML caching | No | No |
Pro extends the Free engine with additional modules. It does not replace or reimplement the core cache.
What Free Includes
Public WordPress caching
Free caches anonymous front-end requests with the shared query and fragment engine. It is aimed at public traffic and does not add logged-in caching.
Fragment coverage
Free automatically wraps the main post body in classic and block themes, query loops, excerpts, core navigation, latest posts, archives, and classic widget sidebars. On WooCommerce sites, those generic wrappers still apply where the output flows through the same WordPress hooks.
Configuration and operations
Free includes the main settings page, store selection (auto, redis,
mysql), Redis connection fields, default query and fragment TTLs, minimum archive size,
optional debug headers and HTML markers, and purge tools for everything, tags, or a resolved URL.
It also includes wp quantumcache status and wp quantumcache flush.
WooCommerce boundary
Free can still cache WooCommerce pages as ordinary WordPress output, but it does not add WooCommerce-specific cache key separation, bypass rules, invalidation hooks, or role-scoped logged-in caching.
What Pro Adds
Pro extends the same engine with additional modules.
WooCommerce-aware cache keys
Pro separates WooCommerce catalog cache entries by the inputs that materially change catalog output: pagination, sort order, page size, search, layered navigation filters, rating and price filters, locale, selected currency, and geolocation variation state.
WooCommerce-specific fragment coverage
Pro adds dedicated wrappers for WooCommerce catalog fragments such as breadcrumbs, result counts, sorting controls, filter blocks, selected widgets, related products, product loops, and individual product cards.
Bypass rules for sensitive WooCommerce traffic
Pro bypasses cache access on cart, checkout, my-account, WooCommerce AJAX requests,
non-GET/HEAD requests, and requests carrying WooCommerce cart or session
cookies. It also applies a shorter WooCommerce archive query TTL.
Broader invalidation triggers
Pro adds WooCommerce purge hooks for product create, update, delete, and trash flows; stock changes; low-stock and no-stock events; order impact; completed-order status changes; review submissions; term cache and term lifecycle changes; and selected catalog options such as currency, tax display, out-of-stock visibility, and default customer address.
Optional logged-in caching
Pro can enable logged-in caching for selected roles, with a separate TTL and role allowlist. Sensitive routes such as cart, checkout, account, admin, AJAX, and REST requests remain out of scope.
CDN-aware headers and purge integrations
Pro can emit cache-tag and vary headers on responses and map tag purges to Cloudflare, Fastly, or LiteSpeed integrations.
Metrics exposure and operator tooling
Pro adds a Prometheus-compatible scrape endpoint with bearer-token protection, plus
wp quantumcache pro:metrics for endpoint status, counters, and counter resets.
Decision Guide
This is a capability guide, not a performance claim.
Free may be appropriate for:
- WordPress sites without WooCommerce
- WooCommerce sites where generic WordPress query and fragment caching is enough
- Teams that want the core cache engine, admin controls, purge tools, and WP-CLI basics without WooCommerce-specific extensions
Pro may be appropriate for:
- WooCommerce stores that need cache separation for filters, sorting, currency, locale, or geolocation
- Stores that need broader invalidation when products, stock, reviews, orders, terms, or catalog options change
- Sites that need limited logged-in caching for specific roles
- Teams that want cache-tag headers, CDN purge integrations, or a Prometheus scrape endpoint
Continue into architecture and pricing
Request flow, implementation details, and tier information.