Best defer CSS plugins for WordPress
The most popular defer CSS plugins for WordPress in November 2026, in WordPress.org’s own popular order, which follows active installs. Page Speed Optimizer leads with 6K+ active installs, ahead of CSS JS Manager, Async JavaScript, Defer Render Blocking CSS (1K+) and Speed Up (500+). All 5 plugins tagged “defer css” are below, with figures from WordPress.org that update every day.
Installs aren’t everything: a recent release, a “Tested up to” that matches the current WordPress, and support threads that get resolved show a plugin is looked after. Open any plugin for its downloads, rank history and alternatives.
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Top 5 defer CSS plugins
- 1.
Page Speed OptimizerThe most installed defer CSS plugin, with 6K+ active installs. Rated 4.7 from 64 reviews, updated 1 week ago.
- 2.
CSS JS Manager, Async JavaScript, Defer Render Blocking CSS1K+ active installs. Rated 4.8 from 90 reviews, updated 1 week ago.
- 3.
Speed Up500+ active installs. Rated 5.0 from 8 reviews, updated 3 months ago.
- 4.
Defer CSS Addon for BWP Minify40+ active installs. Only 2 reviews so far, last updated 11 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 4.3.34.
- 5.
Critical CSS and Javascript10+ active installs. Only 1 review so far, last updated 6 years ago. Tested only up to WordPress 5.4.25.
All 5 plugins tagged “defer css”
Page Speed Optimizer
Down in the last 7 days:18#2,815by PI Web Solution12 days ago
HTTP2 Server push, Async JavaScript, Defer Render Blocking CSS, with fine rule set to control js and css on different page types,
- Installs
- 6K+
- Rating
- 4.7(64)
- Downloads
- 80/day
CSS JS Manager, Async JavaScript, Defer Render Blocking CSS
Down in the last 7 days:18#5,798by PI Web Solution11 days ago
CSS JS Manager, Async JavaScript, Defer Render Blocking CSS, Remove javascript, Remove CSS, Defer Render Blocking CSS, Both CSS and JS can be loaded A …
- Installs
- 1K+
- Rating
- 4.8(90)
- Downloads
- 56/day
Speed Up
Up in the last 7 days:2#8,820by Simone Nigro3 months ago
This plugin load the stylesheets asynchronously and improve page load times.
- Installs
- 500+
- Rating
- 5.0(8)
- Downloads
- 10/day
Defer CSS Addon for BWP Minify
Down in the last 7 days:320#22,880by Pau Iglesias11 years ago
An addon for BWP Minify plugin that can defer CSS load dynamically from the footer of the page.
- Installs
- 40+
- Rating
- 3.0(2)
- Downloads
- 3/day
Critical CSS and Javascript
Down in the last 7 days:2,276#45,278by teamperformance6 years ago
Defer render blocking CSS and Javascript with the best Critical-CSS WordPress plugin
- Installs
- 10+
- Rating
- 1.0(1)
- Downloads
- 1/day