Perfmatters is a lightweight WordPress performance plugin designed to speed up your site by optimizing code and reducing bloat.
- Free version
- No
- Price
- From $29.95/year
- Category
- Performance
Not announcedBlack Friday deal for Perfmatters
Perfmatters vs Smush Pro
Smush Pro wins 2 of the 3 points we can measure. Here's how they compare on price, features, ratings and deals.
At a glance
| Feature | Perfmatters | Smush Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 7.8/10 | 8.5/10 (better) |
| Starts at | $29.95/year (better) | $50/year |
| Free version | No | Yes (better) |
| Refund window | 30 days | 30 days |
| Billing | Subscription | Free + paid plans |
| Active installs | – | 1M+ |
| Last Black Friday | 30% off | – |
| Category | Performance | Performance |
| Vendor | Perfmatters | WPMU DEV |
| Black Friday 2026 | Not announced | Not announced |
Which should you choose?
Choose Perfmatters if…
- Site owners who want manual control over scripts
- Agencies managing several WordPress sites
- You want the lower starting price
Choose Smush Pro if…
- Site owners who want smaller, faster images
- Agencies optimizing client sites
- You want to start free
Features
Perfmatters
- Script Manager
- Lazy loading
- Database optimization
- CDN rewrite
- Bloat removal
Smush Pro
- Compression levels
- Next-gen formats
- Automatic optimization
- Lazy load and preload
- Global CDN
- Directory Smush
Pros and cons
Perfmatters
- Per-page Script Manager removes unused scripts without code
- Lazy loading includes iframe thumbnails for YouTube and Vimeo embeds
- Scheduled database cleanup
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- No free version and no WordPress.org listing
- No lifetime deal
- Each plan includes one year of support and updates
Smush Pro
- Free version available on WordPress.org
- Plans range from one site to unlimited sites
- Includes CDN and next-gen image formats
- Free version limits each image to 5MB; Pro allows 256MB
- Premium membership bundles other WPMU DEV tools, not just Smush
Pricing plans
Perfmatters
1 Site - PersonalStarts here
$29.95/year
1 site
- 1 year premium support and updates
- 30-day money-back guarantee
3 Sites - Business
$59.95/year
3 sites
- 1 year premium support and updates
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Unlimited Sites
$124.95/year
Unlimited sites
- 1 year premium support and updates
- Multisite support
- 30-day money-back guarantee
Smush Pro
Pro Basic
$50/year
1 site sites
- Image compression Ultra 5X
- Next-gen image formats
- 119-location CDN
Pro Standard
$75/year
3 sites sites
- Image compression Ultra 5X
- Next-gen image formats
- 119-location CDN
PremiumStarts here
$4.99/month
Unlimited sites
- All WPMU DEV Pro plugins
- Unlimited 24/7 expert support
- Unlimited backups and CDN
What Reddit says
Perfmatters
Reddit users ask whether Perfmatters or WP Rocket is the better choice for WordPress performance, in two near-identical threads. The threads contain no verdicts or first-hand experience, so there is no clear praise or complaint.
Smush Pro
Not enough Reddit discussion yet.
Perfmatters vs Smush Pro questions
Is Perfmatters better than Smush Pro?
On our comparison Smush Pro comes out ahead on 2 of 3 measurable points. The right pick still depends on what you build.
Which is cheaper, Perfmatters or Smush Pro?
Perfmatters starts at $29.95/year and Smush Pro starts at $50/year.
Can I get Perfmatters or Smush Pro cheaper on Black Friday?
Both are on our Black Friday tracker. Perfmatters was 30% off last year.
Both products
Smush Pro compresses images, converts them to next-gen formats and serves them through a CDN.
- Free version
- Yes
- Price
- From $50/year
- Category
- Performance
Not announcedBlack Friday deal for Smush Pro