Switching performance plugins in WordPress—especially from a mature tool like WP Rocket to a newer alternative like FlyingPress—can significantly impact site speed, both positively and unpredictably.
After migrating to FlyingPress, performance needed to be re-evaluated and optimized to match or exceed previous benchmarks.
Issue Background
After rolling out FlyingPress, the goal was to:
- Restore or exceed previous performance scores achieved with WP Rocket
- Maintain fast real-world load times
- Standardize performance settings across multiple sites
However, testing revealed inconsistent results:
- Some tests showed high scores (80+)
- Others dropped significantly (around 50 mobile / 60 desktop)
- Scores varied between runs without clear changes
Despite this, real-world performance felt fast and responsive.
Diagnosis
Inconsistent speed test behavior
Speed testing tools can vary due to:
- Cache warm-up differences
- Server response fluctuations
- Testing location variability
- Third-party scripts loading inconsistently
Plugin migration differences
Switching from WP Rocket to FlyingPress introduced changes in:
- Default optimization settings
- CSS and JavaScript handling
- Lazy loading behavior
- Caching mechanisms
FlyingPress required reconfiguration to match previous performance.
Network-wide complexity
Optimizing multiple sites introduced challenges:
- Different site structures and functionality
- Custom scripts and integrations
- Some optimizations causing conflicts
Limits of frontend optimization
Some performance limitations were tied to backend logic and custom features, which cannot be fully resolved through caching plugins alone.
Resolution Steps
1. Reconfigure FlyingPress settings
- Optimize page caching
- Adjust CSS and JavaScript optimization
- Enable lazy loading and asset control
2. Run multiple performance tests
- Test multiple times to account for variability
- Allow cache warm-up between runs
- Compare average results instead of single tests
3. Apply optimizations selectively
- Avoid forcing identical settings across all sites
- Roll back configurations that break functionality
4. Standardize a baseline configuration
Create a default setup that works for most sites while allowing flexibility for edge cases.
5. Plan for deeper optimization
Identify areas where code-level improvements are needed beyond plugin-based solutions.
Final Outcome
- All sites saw measurable performance improvements
- Many matched or exceeded previous WP Rocket benchmarks
- Real-world performance remained fast and stable
- Inconsistent test scores were better understood and managed
- Problematic optimizations were safely rolled back where needed
Overall performance improved significantly across the network.
Need help optimizing WordPress performance?
If you’re migrating between caching plugins or dealing with inconsistent speed scores, Freshy can help fine-tune your setup and improve performance across your site.
