Which Image Optimizer Should You Choose? ShortPixel vs. Smush, Kraken.io, Imagify, Optimole, and EWWW

The speed of a website is crucial to its success, and a factor that affects website speed is the size of its images.

Large images can significantly slow down a website’s loading time, leading to a poor user experience and potentially lower search engine rankings.

That’s where image optimization comes in – by reducing the file size of images without sacrificing quality, websites can load faster and improve overall performance.

In this article, I’ll compare ShortPixel, a popular image optimizer tool, with other optimizing tools in the market: Smush, Kraken.io, Imagify, Optimole, and EWWW.

I’ll explore the strengths and weaknesses of each image-optimizing tool in terms of speed, compression rates, ease of use, and pricing.

By the end of this article, you’ll know which image optimizer tool is best for your website.

So let’s dive in and start exploring!

The Ultimate Comparison of Image Optimizer Tools: ShortPixel and Friends

ShortPixel

ShortPixel is an image optimization tool that helps websites load faster by reducing image size without sacrificing quality.

It offers lossless and lossy compression options and WebP conversion and resizing.

ShortPixel also has a WordPress plugin that makes it easy to integrate with your website.

Pros

High compression rates

ShortPixel is known for its powerful compression algorithms that can reduce image sizes by up to 90% without significant loss in quality.

Support for multiple file types

ShortPixel can optimize a variety of image file formats, including JPEG, PNG, GIF, and even PDF files.

Ease of use

The ShortPixel plugin is easy to install and use, with a simple and intuitive user interface.

Speed

ShortPixel’s optimization process is fast, helping to improve website loading times and overall performance.

Flexibility

ShortPixel offers a range of customization options, including different compression levels and resizing options, allowing users to optimize their images to their specific needs.

Cons

Monthly limits

Some of ShortPixel’s plans have a monthly limit on the number of images you can optimize.

The limits cannot be carried over to the next month, which can be problematic for users with fluctuating optimization needs.

Limited free plan

The free plan offered by ShortPixel allows only 100 images per month.

Smush

Smush is a popular image optimizer plugin for WordPress.

It is by WPMU DEV and is available as a free and premium version.

Smush can optimize images automatically upon upload and bulk-optimize existing images.

It also has the ability to resize images, compress images up to 32MB, and convert images to WebP format.

Pros

Automatic optimization

Smush can automatically optimize images upon upload, saving time and effort for website owners.

Bulk optimization

Smush also has a bulk optimization feature that allows users to optimize multiple images instantly, which can be convenient for larger websites with many images.

Resizing options

Smush can resize images without sacrificing quality, which is excellent for websites requiring different image sizes for various purposes.

WebP conversion

Smush can convert images to WebP format, improving website speed and performance.

Cons

Monthly limits

Like ShortPixel, Smush has monthly limits on the number of images you can optimize, which may not be sufficient for larger websites.

No rollover of monthly limits

The monthly limits for Smush cannot be carried over to the next month, which may be inconvenient for website owners with fluctuations in their image optimization needs.

Kraken.io

Kraken.io is an image optimization tool that uses intelligent lossy and lossless compression techniques to reduce the size of images without compromising on quality.

Kraken.io offers online and API-based optimization services, making it a versatile tool for developers, designers, and website owners.

Some of the main features of Kraken.io include automatic resizing, image format conversion, and the ability to optimize images in bulk.

Kraken.io also supports multiple file types, including JPEG, PNG, GIF, and SVG, making it a comprehensive image optimization solution for various use cases.

Pros

Intelligent lossy and lossless compression techniques ensure images are optimized without sacrificing quality.

Automatic resizing and format conversion make it easy to optimize images for different devices and screen sizes.

Support for multiple file types ensures that Kraken.io can be used for various image optimization tasks.

Bulk optimization options help to save time and effort.

Cons

The free plan has a limit of 100 MB per month, which may not be sufficient for websites with large image libraries.

Monthly limits cannot be carried over to the next month, which can be inconvenient for websites with fluctuating image optimization needs.

The API-based optimization service may require technical knowledge to set up and use effectively.

Imagify

Imagify is an image optimizer plugin for WordPress that compresses and optimizes images on your website.

It has an easy-to-use interface and offers three compression levels: normal, aggressive, and ultra.

Imagify also has a feature that automatically resizes images for mobile devices, which can help improve website speed.

Pros

Easy to use interface and setup.

Offers three compression levels, allowing you to balance image quality and file size.

Automatically resizes images for mobile devices, improving website speed.

Supports various image formats such as JPEG, PNG, and GIF.

Cons

The free plan only allows for 25MB of image compression per month.

Paid plans can be expensive compared to other image optimizer plugins.

No option to restore the original images after compression.

Optimole

Optimole is an image optimization plugin that optimizes and resizes images in real-time.

It is a cloud-based tool that automatically optimizes images based on the user’s device, browser, and location.

Optimole uses advanced algorithms to compress images without compromising the quality.

Some of the features of Optimole include lazy loading, CDN, WebP conversion, and automatic resizing.

Pros

Real-time optimization

Optimole optimizes images in real-time, which means that images are optimized on the fly as they are served to the user.

Lazy loading

Optimole’s lazy loading feature allows images to be loaded only when visible to the user.

This helps to reduce page load times and improve the user experience.

CDN

Optimole uses a global CDN to deliver images quickly to users.

WebP conversion

Optimole automatically converts images to the WebP format, which is a more efficient image format than JPEG or PNG.

Cons

Monthly limits

Optimole has a monthly limit on the number of images that can be optimized. If the limit is exceeded, additional charges will apply.

Limited resizing options

Optimole has limited options for resizing images. It only offers a few preset sizes, and custom resizing is not available.

No free plan

Unlike other image optimization tools, Optimole does not offer a free plan. Users must pay for a subscription to use the tool.

EWWW

EWWW is another popular image optimizer tool that can help you reduce the file size of your images without compromising quality.

This plugin has been around for several years and has gained a reputation for being reliable and user-friendly.

Some of the features of EWWW include:

• Support for various image formats, including JPEG, PNG, and GIF
•  Automatic optimization of images as they are uploaded to your website
•  The ability to optimize images in bulk
•  Support for WebP images
•  Options to configure the level of optimization and the maximum file size of images

Pros

Automatic optimization of images as they are uploaded, which can save time and effort for website owners

The ability to optimize images in bulk, which can be helpful if you have a large library of images

Support for various image formats, including WebP, which can improve website speed and performance

Advanced options to configure the level of optimization and maximum file size of images, allowing for more control over the optimization process

Cons

EWWW does not offer a free plan, and pricing can be relatively expensive compared to other image optimizer tools

Some users have reported issues with the plugin conflicting with other plugins or causing errors on their websites

There is a limit on the number of images you can optimize each month, and any unused optimizations do not carry over to the following month.

Overall, EWWW is a reliable and powerful image optimizer tool that offers a range of features to help you reduce the file size of your images.

However, its pricing and limits on monthly optimizations may make it less attractive for some website owners.

Comparison

Here is a chart that summarizes the features of each image optimizer tool:

Analysis of Each Tool’s Strengths and Weaknesses

ShortPixel

Strengths:

• Offers three types of compression (lossy, glossy, and lossless)
• Can optimize images in bulk
• Supports WebP format for faster loading on supported browsers
• Provides a monthly limit that can be carried over to the next month
• Offers a free plan with limited features

Weaknesses:

• Some advanced features, such as Retina images, require a paid plan
• The free plan is limited

Smush

Strengths:

• Offers both lossy and lossless compression options
• Can optimize images in bulk
• Provides a monthly limit that can be carried over to the next month
• Offers a free plan with limited features

Weaknesses:

• Does not support WebP format
• No advanced features available in the free plan

Kraken.io

Strengths:

• Offers both lossy and lossless compression options
• Can optimize images in bulk
• Supports WebP format for faster loading on supported browsers
• Provides a monthly limit that can be carried over to the next month
• Offers a free plan with limited features

Weaknesses:

• No advanced features available in the free plan
• The user interface can be a bit confusing for beginners

Imagify

Strengths:

• Offers both lossy and lossless compression options
• Can optimize images in bulk
• Supports WebP format for faster loading on supported browsers
• Provides a monthly limit that can be carried over to the next month
• Offers a free plan with limited features

Weaknesses:

• Some advanced features, such as Retina images, require a paid plan
• Compression rates may not be as high as some other tools

Optimole

Strengths:

• Optimizes images in real-time, which means that images are automatically optimized upon upload
• Supports WebP format for faster loading on supported browsers
• Offers a free trial period for users to try out the tool before committing to a paid plan

Weaknesses:

• No free plan is available
• Monthly limits cannot be carried over to the next month
• Advanced features, such as Retina images, require a paid plan

EWWW

Strengths:

• Offers both lossy and lossless compression options
• Can optimize images in bulk
• Supports WebP format for faster loading on supported browsers
• Provides a free plan with limited features

Weaknesses:

• No monthly limit is provided, which means users need to monitor usage to avoid unexpected charges
• Advanced features, such as Retina images, require a paid plan

After analyzing the features, pros, and cons of each image optimizer tool, it’s time to compare them side-by-side to see how they stack up against each other.

Here’s a comparison chart that highlights some of the key features of each tool:

Each tool has its unique strengths and weaknesses.

For example, ShortPixel is an excellent choice for those who need to optimize a limited number of images each month for free, while Kraken.io offers a high compression rate but with a monthly limit.

Smush is a good choice for those who need unlimited image compression for free but with a lower compression rate.

Based on my analysis, I recommend ShortPixel as the best overall image optimizer tool.

It offers a high compression rate, supports both lossy and lossless compression, and has a flexible pricing model.

In conclusion, image optimization is an essential aspect of website speed optimization.

Choosing the right image optimizer tool can significantly impact your website’s speed and performance.

I hope this comparison of ShortPixel and other image optimizer tools has helped you decide which image optimizer tool to choose for your website.

Conclusion

In my blog post, I compared six popular image optimizer tools: ShortPixel, Smush, Kraken.io, Imagify, Optimole, and EWWW.

I have analyzed each tool’s features, pros, and cons and compared them through a comprehensive chart.

Based on my analysis, I recommend ShortPixel as the best image optimizer tool for beginners.

ShortPixel offers a good balance between compression rates and image quality and has an easy-to-use interface, affordable pricing, and excellent customer support.

Optimizing images for website speed is crucial for a good user experience and SEO rankings.

I encourage you to take action and optimize your images today with the tool that best suits your needs.

Remember, every second counts in website speed!

How do you know if your website speed has improved after optimizing your images? Check out my ShortPixel and Image Optimization Success: How to Measure and Improve Website Speed article to learn more.

I recommend ShortPixel for optimizing website images. Check out my Boost Your Website Speed with ShortPixel Image Optimizer for WordPress to learn more.

I hope you found my article informative. If you have questions, please leave them below.