Apache vs. Nginx vs. LiteSpeed

There is a long-standing debate concerning which web server is the best, and specifically, which is best for hosting WordPress websites. The main contenders are Apache, Nginx, and LiteSpeed (sometimes Apache and Nginx are used together as a sort of tag team). Apache is the old guy, a great boxer in his day, but these days, he is considered a little slower than the younger guys—or certainly less cool. Nginx is a crowd favorite because, like Apache, it is free and open source. Plus, Nginx is a very capable workhorse that the majority of web hosting companies have adopted and currently have in production. Check out the popularity chart below.

Now we come to the crux of the argument: many insist LiteSpeed is the fastest web server on the market. The folks that scream this the loudest is the LiteSpeed company itself. They have even claimed that LiteSpeed is 12x faster than Nginx. Do you believe any of this hubris?

Not so fast, says WPJohnny. The author tested and found that if there was a difference, it was “so small you wouldn’t even notice.”

I know firsthand that setting up a single WordPress website using LiteSpeed’s plugin can be a two-day job for a first-time user. It’s an intriguing setup for hosting nerds, but the average user will not know how to properly configure or fix their website when the plugin breaks it.

There is a better and simpler way forward. SantoHost recommends very few server-side tweaks using a free WP Plugin along with the Cloudflare CDN plugin (which is very simple, only having one button to activate fully). Cloudflare no longer does any JavaScript or CSS minification. We have found that using the free plugin, Autoptimize, is perfect for tweaking your website if you need extra speed.

For the record, SantoHost uses the Plesk hosting panel. It employs Nginx as a reverse proxy and Apache for compatibility by default. When combined with the power of Cloudflare’s CDN, we feel the result is a tech stack that can’t be beat and is on par with the best and fastest WordPress hosts out there.

By writing this article, I would now like to benchmark, for myself, the named web servers. Will the benchmarking change my mind? We will see! Stay tuned.