# Which object cache should I use?
Source: https://docs.webgee.com/en/performance/memcached-vs-redis-which-is-best-for-my-website



**Use Redis.** It is the only object cache available on WebGee shared, reseller
and Premium hosting — Memcached has been retired and the PHP `memcached`
extension is disabled platform-wide.

See [Enable Redis object caching](/en/performance/redis-object-caching-lscache)
to set it up.

<Callout type="info">
  An earlier version of this article compared Memcached and Redis at length to
  help you choose between them. That choice no longer exists. If you are running
  a site still configured for Memcached, it is not caching at all — see
  [Memcached is no longer available](/en/performance/how-do-i-enable-memcached-object-cache-for-litespeed)
  for how to move it across.
</Callout>

## What an object cache does [#what-an-object-cache-does]

WordPress, Magento and similar applications ask the database the same questions
on every page load — which plugins are active, what the site options are, what a
given product costs. An object cache keeps those answers in memory so the
database is not asked twice.

This is separate from **page caching**, which stores whole rendered pages. Page
caching helps anonymous visitors; object caching helps logged-in users, the
admin area, and anything a page cache cannot serve. Most sites benefit from
both.

## Where it makes the most difference [#where-it-makes-the-most-difference]

* **A slow WordPress or WooCommerce admin area.** The admin is never page-cached,
  so every load hits the database. See
  [Improve a slow WordPress or WooCommerce dashboard](/en/hosting/wordpress/how-to-improve-a-slow-wordpress-or-woocommerce-dashboard).
* **Sites with many plugins.** Each one typically adds its own queries on every
  request.
* **Stores with large catalogues**, where product and category lookups dominate.

It makes little difference to a small brochure site already served from page
cache.

## Why Redis rather than Memcached [#why-redis-rather-than-memcached]

Redis was kept and Memcached retired for practical reasons:

* **Persistence.** Redis can survive a restart without every site on the server
  simultaneously falling back to the database.
* **Richer data types**, which application caches make real use of.
* **Better tooling and maintenance**, including per-account memory limits — see
  [Redis memory limits](/en/performance/redis-limits-php-fatal-error-uncaught-redisexception-oom-command-not-allowed-whe).

## Related [#related]

* [Enable Redis object caching](/en/performance/redis-object-caching-lscache)
* [Memcached is no longer available](/en/performance/how-do-i-enable-memcached-object-cache-for-litespeed)
* [Use Redis object caching without LSCache](/en/hosting/wordpress/how-to-configure-wordpress-to-use-redis)