Every website we host runs on the LiteSpeed web server, a faster drop-in replacement for Apache. This article explains what LiteSpeed is, what it already does for your site automatically, and the one or two things you can switch on (such as LiteSpeed Cache for WordPress) to make your website noticeably faster.
What is LiteSpeed?
A web server is the software that receives a visitor's request and sends back your pages, images and files. For years most shared hosts used Apache. We use LiteSpeed Web Server Enterprise, which is built to handle many visitors at once with less memory and CPU, while staying compatible with the way Apache sites are set up.
In practice that means:
- Your .htaccess file still works. LiteSpeed reads the same rewrite rules, redirects and password protection that Apache uses, so WordPress permalinks and most scripts work without changes.
- PHP runs faster. LiteSpeed talks to PHP through its own fast interface, and PHP runs as your own cPanel user for security.
- Nothing to install for the basics. The speed features below are on for every account.
What LiteSpeed does for your website automatically
| Feature | What it means for you |
|---|---|
| HTTP/2 and HTTP/3 (QUIC) | Modern browsers load many files at once over a single connection, and HTTP/3 copes better with slow or mobile networks. It works automatically over HTTPS. |
| Compression | Text files such as HTML, CSS and JavaScript are compressed (gzip) before they are sent, so pages download faster. |
| Built-in page cache (LSCache) | The server can store finished copies of your pages and send them instantly. Your account has its own private cache space. |
| Free SSL | AutoSSL adds a certificate for domains that use our nameservers, which is also what enables HTTP/2 and HTTP/3. |
How the LiteSpeed Cache makes pages faster
Without a cache, every visit to a WordPress page makes PHP run your theme and plugins and query the database, which can take a second or more. With LiteSpeed Cache, the first visit builds the page and the server keeps a copy. Later visitors get that copy straight from the web server, often in a few milliseconds, without PHP or the database doing any work.
That also keeps your account well inside its CPU and memory limits during traffic spikes, which is the most common reason a busy site slows down on shared hosting.
The page cache is built into the server, but your website needs a plugin to tell it what can be cached and when to clear it. For WordPress, that is the free LiteSpeed Cache plugin by LiteSpeed Technologies.
What you need to do
If your site is WordPress
- Turn on the LiteSpeed Cache plugin, either from WordPress (Plugins > Add New Plugin) or from cPanel under Advanced > LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager.
- Remove any other caching plugin (WP Super Cache, W3 Total Cache, WP Fastest Cache, WP Rocket and similar). Two caching plugins fight each other.
- Optionally apply one of the plugin's presets for extra speed settings such as image optimization and CSS/JS minification.
Two plugin features aren't used on our shared hosting: leave the Object Cache setting off (Redis and Memcached aren't offered for customer accounts), and don't rely on the Crawler, because the crawler is not available on shared hosting. Pages are simply cached the first time someone visits them.
If your site isn't WordPress
You still get HTTP/3, compression and the faster PHP handling automatically. The cPanel LiteSpeed Web Cache Manager only manages WordPress sites. If you run another application and want page caching, open a ticket and tell us what software your site uses.
Common questions
Is LiteSpeed the same as LiteSpeed Cache?
No. LiteSpeed is the web server that runs on Instant Access Internet Services servers. LiteSpeed Cache (LSCache) is its page cache, and "LiteSpeed Cache" is also the name of the WordPress plugin that controls it. The plugin only gives full page caching on a LiteSpeed server like ours.
Do I need QUIC.cloud?
No. QUIC.cloud is LiteSpeed's optional online service for extras like image optimization and critical CSS. It has a free tier. Page caching works without it.
Will my Apache .htaccess rules work?
Almost always, yes. Redirects, rewrites, directory passwords and "force HTTPS" rules behave the same. A few Apache-only directives are ignored; if a rule seems to do nothing, open a ticket with the rule and we'll check it.
How do I know my site is being served from cache?
Look for the response header x-litespeed-cache: hit in your browser's developer tools. See the guide on checking that LiteSpeed Cache is working.
Related guides
- How to Turn On LiteSpeed Cache with the Web Cache Manager in cPanel
- How to Speed Up WordPress with LiteSpeed Cache
- Best LiteSpeed Cache Settings for WordPress (Using Presets)
- How to Check If LiteSpeed Cache Is Working on Your Site
- cPanel Resource Usage Explained: CPU, Memory and Entry Process Limits
Still stuck? Open a support ticket and the Instant Access Internet Services team will help.
