Head-to-head · October 2026
Smart Varnish vs Varnish WordPress
Varnish WordPress comes out ahead, winning 5 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smart Varnish.
Smart Varnish
Smart Varnish A simple plugin to bypass varnish caching for logged in users and serve uncached content.
Varnish WordPress
This is a plugin for wordpress to intergrate the varnish cache for high performance websites.
| Metric | Smart Varnish | Varnish WordPress |
|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 10+ | 70+ |
| Downloads (30 days) | 30 | 72 |
| Download trend | -11.8% | +30.9% |
| Rating | 5/5 | — |
| Reviews | 2 | 0 |
| Health score | 30/100 | 25/100 |
| Last updated | 10 years ago | 9 years ago |
| Tested up to | WP 4.6.0 | WP 4.9.34 |
| Support resolved | — | — |
| Requires PHP | Any | Any |
| First released | Oct 2014 | Oct 2013 |
Daily downloads, last 90 days
Smart VarnishVarnish WordPress
Choose Smart Varnish if…
You care most about reviews and health score.
- Small user base (10+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 10 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.6 (latest is 7.1)
Choose Varnish WordPress if…
You care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
- Small user base (70+ active installs)
- Very few reviews so far
- No update in 8 years
- Only tested up to WordPress 4.9 (latest is 7.1)
Both compete in: varnish cache
FAQ
Smart Varnish vs Varnish WordPress: quick answers
Straight answers, pulled from live WordPress.org data.
Live data from WordPress.org · checked Oct 16, 2026
Which is better, Smart Varnish or Varnish WordPress?
Varnish WordPress comes out ahead, winning 5 of 7 head-to-head checks against Smart Varnish. Choose Smart Varnish if you care most about reviews and health score. Choose Varnish WordPress if you care most about active installs, downloads (30 days) and download trend.
Is Smart Varnish more popular than Varnish WordPress?
Varnish WordPress is the more popular of the two with 70+ active installs, compared with 10+ for Smart Varnish.
Can I use Smart Varnish and Varnish WordPress together?
Both plugins cover varnish cache, so most sites only need one. Running two plugins that do the same job can cause conflicts and slow your site down — pick the one that fits best and remove the other.
Are Smart Varnish and Varnish WordPress free?
Yes. Both are free to download from the official WordPress.org plugin directory. Either may also offer paid upgrades from its developer.
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