What is Hummingbird plugin?
Hummingbird is a WordPress performance and caching plugin from WPMU DEV, designed as part of their broader plugin ecosystem alongside Smush (image optimization) and Defender (security). It provides page caching, asset optimization, performance scanning, and uptime monitoring in a single interface. The free version at WordPress.org covers the core performance features, while the Pro version (included with WPMU DEV membership) adds advanced caching modes, CDN, advanced asset management, and more granular optimization controls.
Hummingbird’s performance scanner analyzes your site against best practice recommendations and gives actionable items to work through. This diagnostic approach is useful for users who are new to performance optimization and want guidance on what to fix and in what order. The plugin is deeply integrated with WPMU DEV’s Smush image optimization plugin — the two are designed to work together for combined image and performance optimization without conflicts.
Like NitroPack, Hummingbird is best understood in the context of the WPMU DEV ecosystem. Teams already paying for WPMU DEV membership get Hummingbird Pro as part of the package, which is a strong value proposition. As a standalone purchase, Hummingbird Pro starts at $15/month through WPMU DEV, which is less competitive than WP Rocket at $59/year for users who only want the performance plugin without the broader WPMU DEV suite.
Need Help With Hummingbird Setup, Troubleshooting, or Customization?
Need help with Hummingbird? Whether you are dealing with errors, broken functionality, styling problems, plugin conflicts, or advanced customization, we can help you fix the issue and get the plugin working properly on your WordPress site.
Get Hummingbird Expert HelpKey Features
- Page caching with cache preloading
- Browser caching and GZIP
- Asset optimization: minification and combination of CSS/JS
- Performance scanning with actionable recommendations
- Asset manager for per-page script control (Pro)
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Performance scanner with guided recommendations is useful for beginners
- Deep integration with WPMU DEV Smush and Defender
- Uptime monitoring included
Cons
- As a standalone tool, monthly WPMU DEV pricing is higher than comparable annual licenses
- Less established community outside the WPMU DEV ecosystem
Free vs Premium
Hummingbird free covers page caching, basic asset optimization, and performance scanning. Pro (via WPMU DEV membership starting at $15/month) adds advanced caching modes, CDN, per-page asset manager, and priority support.
Common Problems & Fixes
Why is Hummingbird caching not improving my site speed?
If caching is active but speed is not improving, run Hummingbird’s performance scan to identify remaining bottlenecks. Common residual issues are large unoptimized images (use Smush), too many blocking scripts, or slow server response time (TTFB) which caching cannot address directly. Hummingbird’s scan provides specific line items to work through.
Why is Hummingbird asset combination breaking my site?
Combining CSS or JS files changes the load order and can break scripts with load-order dependencies. Disable combination and enable only minification, then test. If minification alone is fine, the issue is specifically with combination. Use Hummingbird’s asset exclusion list to exclude the problematic files from combination while keeping all others combined.
Why does Hummingbird conflict with WPMU DEV Smush or Defender?
WPMU DEV plugins are designed to work together and conflicts between them are uncommon. If you see issues, ensure all three plugins are on their latest versions — compatibility updates are typically released together. Contact WPMU DEV support with your environment details for product-specific troubleshooting.
Customization & Developer Notes
How does Hummingbird's asset manager work?
The Pro-only asset manager shows you all scripts and styles loaded on each page. You can disable specific assets on specific pages or page types, similar to Perfmatters or Asset CleanUp. This is useful for preventing page builder assets from loading on standard posts and pages.
Can I use Hummingbird alongside WP Rocket?
Running two full caching plugins together causes conflicts. If you are using WP Rocket, disable Hummingbird’s page caching and only use its performance scanning, uptime monitoring, or asset management features that do not overlap with WP Rocket.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Hummingbird free worth using?
The free version covers basic page caching and the performance scanner, which is useful for identifying what to improve. As a standalone free performance plugin, LiteSpeed Cache or Autoptimize offer more optimization features at no cost. Hummingbird free is most valuable for users already in the WPMU DEV ecosystem who want the scanner and monitoring.
Does Hummingbird include a CDN?
CDN is included with Hummingbird Pro via WPMU DEV. The free version does not include CDN. The Pro CDN uses WPMU DEV’s network for static asset delivery.
Can Hummingbird monitor site uptime?
Yes. Hummingbird includes uptime monitoring with configurable check intervals and email alerts when your site goes down. This is a differentiating feature compared to most performance plugins that do not include monitoring.
How does Hummingbird integrate with Smush?
Both plugins are designed by WPMU DEV to work together without conflicts. Hummingbird handles page caching and asset optimization while Smush handles image compression and WebP conversion. Installing both covers the main performance optimization surface without duplication.