diff --git a/ghost/core/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/i18n/i18n.js b/ghost/core/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/i18n/i18n.js
index d7a0e88b965b..f3ac5a8037bd 100644
--- a/ghost/core/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/i18n/i18n.js
+++ b/ghost/core/core/frontend/services/theme-engine/i18n/i18n.js
@@ -9,6 +9,7 @@ const isEqual = require('lodash/isEqual');
 const isNil = require('lodash/isNil');
 const merge = require('lodash/merge');
 const get = require('lodash/get');
+const { memoize } = require('../../../../shared/memoize');
 
 class I18n {
   /**
@@ -23,6 +24,12 @@ class I18n {
     this._stringMode = options.stringMode || 'dot';
 
     this._strings = null;
+    // Fulltext keys can contain arbitrary content, so the memo is bounded.
+    this._compileMessage = memoize(
+      (locale, string) => new MessageFormat(string, locale),
+      (locale, string) => JSON.stringify([locale, string]),
+      { max: 5000 },
+    );
   }
 
   /**
@@ -86,6 +93,7 @@ class I18n {
    *  - Load proper language file into memory
    */
   init() {
+    this._compileMessage.reset();
     this._strings = this._loadStrings();
   }
 
@@ -219,19 +227,15 @@ class I18n {
    */
   _formatMessage(string, bindings) {
     const currentLocale = this.locale();
-    let msg = new MessageFormat(string, currentLocale);
 
     try {
-      msg = msg.format(bindings);
+      return this._compileMessage(currentLocale, string).format(bindings);
     } catch (err) {
       this._handleFormatError(err);
 
       // fallback
-      msg = new MessageFormat(this._fallbackError(), currentLocale);
-      msg = msg.format();
+      return new MessageFormat(this._fallbackError(), currentLocale).format();
     }
-
-    return msg;
   }
 
   _handleUninitialisedError(key) {
diff --git a/ghost/core/core/shared/memoize.ts b/ghost/core/core/shared/memoize.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..fac40c2ac38a
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/core/shared/memoize.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,62 @@
+// Memoization helper for pure derivations of immutable inputs.
+//
+// This is a memo helper, not a cache. Everything that goes through it must be a
+// pure function of arguments that never change underneath us. Anything derived
+// from mutable state needs real invalidation, which this deliberately does not
+// have.
+
+import * as errors from '@tryghost/errors';
+import { LRUCache } from 'lru-cache';
+
+/** A keyed memoized function. `reset()` empties it. */
+export type Memoized<A extends unknown[], R> = ((...args: A) => R) & {
+  reset(): void;
+};
+
+export interface MemoizeOptions {
+  /** Maximum number of entries to retain. Must be a positive integer. */
+  max: number;
+}
+
+/**
+ * Memoize `compute` against a string key derived from its arguments, bounded by
+ * `max` entries in LRU order.
+ *
+ * There is deliberately no TTL: entries are pure derivations of immutable
+ * inputs, so an entry is never stale, only evicted to stay inside the bound.
+ *
+ * A throwing `compute` is not memoized: the next call with the same key retries.
+ */
+export function memoize<A extends unknown[], R>(
+  compute: (...args: A) => R,
+  key: (...args: A) => string,
+  { max }: Readonly<MemoizeOptions>,
+): Memoized<A, R> {
+  if (!Number.isSafeInteger(max) || max < 1) {
+    throw new errors.IncorrectUsageError({
+      message: `memoize: max must be a positive integer, got ${String(max)}`,
+    });
+  }
+
+  // lru-cache cannot store `undefined` (it reads as a miss), so an `undefined`
+  // result is recomputed rather than served from the memo.
+  const cache = new LRUCache<string, R & {}>({ max });
+
+  const memoized = ((...args: A) => {
+    const cacheKey = key(...args);
+    const cached = cache.get(cacheKey);
+    if (cached !== undefined) {
+      return cached;
+    }
+
+    const value = compute(...args);
+    if (value !== undefined) {
+      cache.set(cacheKey, value as R & {});
+    }
+    return value;
+  }) as Memoized<A, R>;
+
+  memoized.reset = () => cache.clear();
+
+  return memoized;
+}
diff --git a/ghost/core/package.json b/ghost/core/package.json
index 8e23d5dd1e9c..701452a68006 100644
--- a/ghost/core/package.json
+++ b/ghost/core/package.json
@@ -205,6 +205,7 @@
     "knex-migrator": "catalog:",
     "leaky-bucket": "2.2.0",
     "lodash": "catalog:",
+    "lru-cache": "catalog:",
     "luxon": "3.7.2",
     "mailgun.js": "10.4.0",
     "metascraper": "5.55.2",
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/unit/frontend/services/theme-engine/i18n/cache.test.ts b/ghost/core/test/unit/frontend/services/theme-engine/i18n/cache.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..0a259721ec8d
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/test/unit/frontend/services/theme-engine/i18n/cache.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,81 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import sinon from 'sinon';
+import MessageFormat from 'intl-messageformat';
+// @ts-expect-error This module lacks type definitions.
+import I18n from '../../../../../../core/frontend/services/theme-engine/i18n/i18n';
+
+describe('i18n compiled message cache', function () {
+  let i18n: InstanceType<typeof I18n>;
+  let parse: sinon.SinonSpy;
+
+  beforeEach(function () {
+    i18n = new I18n({ stringMode: 'fulltext' });
+    sinon.stub(i18n, '_loadStrings').returns({ greeting: 'Hello {name}' });
+    sinon.stub(i18n, '_handleFormatError');
+    i18n.init();
+
+    // Every compiled message is parsed exactly once, so this counts compiles.
+    parse = sinon.spy(MessageFormat, '__parse');
+  });
+
+  afterEach(function () {
+    sinon.restore();
+  });
+
+  it('reuses the compiled translation with fresh bindings', function () {
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('greeting', { name: 'Alice' }), 'Hello Alice');
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('greeting', { name: 'Bob' }), 'Hello Bob');
+    sinon.assert.calledOnce(parse);
+
+    i18n._strings.greeting = 'Welcome {name}';
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('greeting', { name: 'Bob' }), 'Welcome Bob');
+    sinon.assert.calledTwice(parse);
+  });
+
+  it('clears compiled messages on init', function () {
+    i18n.t('greeting', { name: 'Alice' });
+    sinon.assert.calledOnce(parse);
+
+    i18n.init();
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('greeting', { name: 'Bob' }), 'Hello Bob');
+    sinon.assert.calledTwice(parse);
+  });
+
+  it('uses the locale as well as the message content', function () {
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('{n, number}', { n: 1234.5 }), '1,234.5');
+    i18n._locale = 'de';
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('{n, number}', { n: 1234.5 }), '1.234,5');
+    sinon.assert.calledTwice(parse);
+  });
+
+  it('falls back for malformed messages without caching them', function () {
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('Hello {'), 'An error occurred');
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('Hello {'), 'An error occurred');
+    sinon.assert.calledTwice(i18n._handleFormatError);
+    // Both attempts reparse the malformed message; the fallback text is parsed too.
+    assert.equal(parse.withArgs('Hello {').callCount, 2);
+  });
+
+  it('falls back for missing bindings and keeps the compiled message', function () {
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('greeting', {}), 'An error occurred');
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('greeting', { name: 'Alice' }), 'Hello Alice');
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('greeting', {}), 'An error occurred');
+    sinon.assert.calledTwice(i18n._handleFormatError);
+    assert.equal(parse.withArgs('Hello {name}').callCount, 1);
+  });
+
+  it('bounds the cache when fulltext keys contain arbitrary content', function () {
+    for (let n = 0; n < 5000; n += 1) {
+      assert.equal(i18n.t(`Message ${n}`), `Message ${n}`);
+    }
+    assert.equal(parse.callCount, 5000);
+
+    // One more entry evicts the least recently used one, 'Message 0'.
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('One more message'), 'One more message');
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('Message 4999'), 'Message 4999');
+    assert.equal(parse.callCount, 5001);
+
+    assert.equal(i18n.t('Message 0'), 'Message 0');
+    assert.equal(parse.callCount, 5002);
+  });
+});
diff --git a/ghost/core/test/unit/shared/memoize.test.ts b/ghost/core/test/unit/shared/memoize.test.ts
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..e43f627016ea
--- /dev/null
+++ b/ghost/core/test/unit/shared/memoize.test.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,158 @@
+import assert from 'node:assert/strict';
+import { expectTypeOf } from 'vitest';
+import { memoize } from '../../../core/shared/memoize';
+
+describe('memoize', function () {
+  it('memoizes per key', function () {
+    let calls = 0;
+    const upper = memoize(
+      (input: string) => {
+        calls += 1;
+        return input.toUpperCase();
+      },
+      (input) => input,
+      { max: 10 },
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(upper('a'), 'A');
+    assert.equal(upper('a'), 'A');
+    assert.equal(upper('b'), 'B');
+    assert.equal(upper('b'), 'B');
+    assert.equal(calls, 2);
+  });
+
+  it('keys on the derived key, not the raw arguments', function () {
+    let calls = 0;
+    const format = memoize(
+      (locale: string, options: { style: string }) => {
+        calls += 1;
+        return `${locale}/${options.style}`;
+      },
+      (locale, options) => `${locale}:${options.style}`,
+      { max: 10 },
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(format('en', { style: 'long' }), 'en/long');
+    // A structurally different object with the same key is a hit.
+    assert.equal(format('en', { style: 'long' }), 'en/long');
+    assert.equal(calls, 1);
+
+    assert.equal(format('en', { style: 'short' }), 'en/short');
+    assert.equal(calls, 2);
+  });
+
+  it('bounds entries and evicts in LRU order', function () {
+    const seen: string[] = [];
+    const compute = memoize(
+      (input: string) => {
+        seen.push(input);
+        return input;
+      },
+      (input) => input,
+      { max: 2 },
+    );
+
+    compute('a');
+    compute('b');
+
+    // Touch 'a' so 'b' becomes the least recently used entry.
+    compute('a');
+    compute('c');
+
+    assert.deepEqual(seen, ['a', 'b', 'c']);
+
+    // 'a' and 'c' are still held; 'b' was evicted and recomputes.
+    compute('a');
+    compute('c');
+    assert.deepEqual(seen, ['a', 'b', 'c']);
+
+    compute('b');
+    assert.deepEqual(seen, ['a', 'b', 'c', 'b']);
+  });
+
+  it('rejects a max that is not a positive safe integer', function () {
+    const compute = (n: number) => n;
+    const key = (n: number) => String(n);
+
+    assert.throws(() => memoize(compute, key, { max: Infinity }), /positive integer, got Infinity/);
+    assert.throws(() => memoize(compute, key, { max: Number.NaN }), /positive integer, got NaN/);
+    assert.throws(() => memoize(compute, key, { max: 0 }), /positive integer, got 0/);
+    assert.throws(() => memoize(compute, key, { max: -1 }), /positive integer, got -1/);
+    assert.throws(() => memoize(compute, key, { max: 1.5 }), /positive integer, got 1.5/);
+    assert.throws(
+      () => memoize(compute, key, { max: 2 ** 53 }),
+      /positive integer, got 9007199254740992/,
+    );
+  });
+
+  it('clears on reset', function () {
+    let calls = 0;
+    const compute = memoize(
+      (input: string) => {
+        calls += 1;
+        return input;
+      },
+      (input) => input,
+      { max: 10 },
+    );
+
+    compute('a');
+    compute('a');
+    assert.equal(calls, 1);
+
+    compute.reset();
+
+    compute('a');
+    assert.equal(calls, 2);
+  });
+
+  it('does not memoize a throwing compute', function () {
+    let calls = 0;
+    const compute = memoize(
+      (input: string) => {
+        calls += 1;
+        if (calls < 2) {
+          throw new Error('boom');
+        }
+        return input;
+      },
+      (input) => input,
+      { max: 10 },
+    );
+
+    assert.throws(() => compute('a'), /boom/);
+    assert.equal(compute('a'), 'a');
+    assert.equal(compute('a'), 'a');
+    assert.equal(calls, 2);
+  });
+
+  it('recomputes an undefined result rather than storing it', function () {
+    let calls = 0;
+    const compute = memoize(
+      (input: string): string | undefined => {
+        calls += 1;
+        return input === 'miss' ? undefined : input;
+      },
+      (input) => input,
+      { max: 10 },
+    );
+
+    assert.equal(compute('miss'), undefined);
+    assert.equal(compute('miss'), undefined);
+    assert.equal(calls, 2);
+  });
+
+  it('preserves the compute signature', function () {
+    const compute = memoize(
+      (locale: string, count: number) => ({ locale, count }),
+      (locale, count) => `${locale}:${count}`,
+      { max: 10 },
+    );
+
+    expectTypeOf(compute).parameters.toEqualTypeOf<[string, number]>();
+    expectTypeOf(compute).returns.toEqualTypeOf<{ locale: string; count: number }>();
+    expectTypeOf(compute.reset).toEqualTypeOf<() => void>();
+
+    assert.deepEqual(compute('en', 1), { locale: 'en', count: 1 });
+  });
+});
diff --git a/pnpm-lock.yaml b/pnpm-lock.yaml
index 110af8a74304..249e44e6606b 100644
--- a/pnpm-lock.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-lock.yaml
@@ -569,6 +569,9 @@ catalogs:
     lodash:
       specifier: 4.18.1
       version: 4.18.1
+    lru-cache:
+      specifier: 11.5.2
+      version: 11.5.2
     lucide-react:
       specifier: 1.23.0
       version: 1.23.0
@@ -2840,6 +2843,9 @@ importers:
       lodash:
         specifier: 'catalog:'
         version: 4.18.1
+      lru-cache:
+        specifier: 'catalog:'
+        version: 11.5.2
       luxon:
         specifier: 3.7.2
         version: 3.7.2
diff --git a/pnpm-workspace.yaml b/pnpm-workspace.yaml
index d3b701d89423..5b8025543769 100644
--- a/pnpm-workspace.yaml
+++ b/pnpm-workspace.yaml
@@ -154,6 +154,7 @@ catalog:
   knex: 2.4.2
   knex-migrator: 6.2.1
   lodash: 4.18.1
+  lru-cache: 11.5.2
   luxon: 3.7.2
   lucide-react: 1.23.0
   microdiff: 1.5.0