WordPress plugin comparison
Async JavaScript vs Speculative Loading
Async JavaScript
by David Clough
60K+ installs4.7
Speculative Loading
by WordPress Performance Team
70K+ installs5.0
At a glance
- Speculative Loading has more active installs: 70K+, against 60K+ for Async JavaScript.
- On a typical day, Speculative Loading is downloaded about 541 times, Async JavaScript about 99.
- Speculative Loading is rated higher: 5.0 out of 5 from 18 reviews, against 4.7 from 102 reviews.
- Speculative Loading was updated more recently: Aug 26, 2026, against Jun 22, 2023 for Async JavaScript.
- Speculative Loading is tested with a newer WordPress: 7.1.4, against 6.2.15 for Async JavaScript.
- Async JavaScript has been around longer: since 2014, against 2024 for Speculative Loading.
Line by line
Speculative Loading leads on 7 of 7 comparable lines.
| Metric | Async JavaScript | Speculative Loading |
|---|---|---|
| Popular rank | #620 | #615 |
| Active installs | 60K+ | 70K+ |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 2.6K | 12.9K |
| Rating | 4.7(102) | 5.0(18) |
| Support threads resolved | – | 100% |
| Tested up to | 6.2.15 | 7.1.4 |
| Search multiplier | ×0.05 | ×1.29 |
| Last release | 3 years ago | 2 months ago |
| Requires PHP | – | 7.4 |
From WordPress.org's public data, refreshed every night. Downloads are WordPress.org's official daily figures for the last 30 days.
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