5 Best WordPress Image Compression Plugins

Images can improve the user experience of your readers. But do images make your site slow? Not with one of these best image compression plugins.

Images play a significant role in improving the users’ experience. Pictures are like additional assets that you can use for your site promotion. You might be unaware of this fact, but large images can impact your page loading speed. 

Large images can slow down your WordPress site, which can frustrate your visitors and massively hit your SEO rankings.

You can alleviate these issues by using an image optimizer. 

A WordPress image optimizer reduces the size of an image without compromising on its quality. The manual process can be time-consuming; however, WordPress has numerous image optimization plugins to streamline your site to help you out.  

Why do you need these Best WordPress Image Compression Plugins?

Images available on Google or designed are large in size compared to plain text. It means images take much longer to load than simple texts, which slow down your site’s speed.

The human brain is capable of comprehending images faster than texts. Images enhance your straightforward content making it more captivating and engaging. 

If you’re adding images to your content, you need to optimize them to improve your site speed. The most popular way of doing it is on Adobe Photoshop or any other image editing software. This option is optimal for tech-savvy people. However, for the non-tech savvy, editing the bulk of images manually can be strenuous.

Thanks to WordPress, it has several image optimization plugins, which make this image compressing and optimization task painless and straightforward.

Without further ado, let’s discover the best WordPress image compression plugins.

Best WordPress Image Compression Plugins

1. WP Smush Image Compression Plugin

WP Smush powered by WPMU DEV is a premium WordPress image optimizer that compresses and optimizes images and fastens your site speed massively. 

Once you’ve activated this plugin, it will automatically optimize all the images when you upload them. You also get the option to set maximum image resolution, and it will scale down your images to a more suitable size without dropping the image quality. 

If you’re using the free version of WP Smush, there is no need to create an account to get their API key. 

Bulk optimization feature facilitates users to optimize up to 50 images in one go. Rerun the bulk optimization feature to optimize more images.

Some other key features include,

• Lossless compression – strips down unused data and optimizes images without compromising on image quality.

• Incorrect Size Image Detection – locate all those images quickly which are slowing down the site.

• Directory Smush – it optimizes all the images that are not located in the media catalog.

Price 

• Optimize unlimited images under 1MB in the free version (lossless compression). 
• WP Smush Pro plan starts at $49 per month.

2. EWWW Image Optimizer

Oversized images often hush away visitors. Do you know why? Because they take too much time to load.

EWWW Image Optimizer brought to you by Exactly WWW facilitates you to improve bounce rate, enhance your SEO, and fasten your site speed.

It compresses all the existing images and automatically takes care of the new images you upload.

Like WP Smush, it also performs all optimization and compression tasks on your server, which means there is no need to create an account to get their API key. It means that without spending a single penny, you can easily compress an unlimited number of images.

If you want to avail additional advanced features, you have to sign up. 

Some other features include,

• High Torque – optimal compression for PNG,JPG & PDF files.

• Numerous conversion options – get ample conversions options to convert image into the right format (PNG, WebP, JPG, or GIF)

• Keep everything backed up – get your original images back-up for up to 30 days.

Price 

• It is a free plugin. If you don’t want to overload your server, then create an account and pay to get their API key to offload your work on their server.

3. ShortPixel Image Optimizer Plugin

ShortPixel Image Optimizer powered by ShortPixel is a freemium, prime, comprehensive, and easy to use WordPress image compression plugin. 

It facilitates the optimization of any image on your site to boost your SEO rankings, grab more customers, and improve your business sale. It is a lightweight and handy image optimizer that compresses all the existing images and PDF files on your site with just one click.

Once you’ve activated this plugin, forget about the image optimization process as it automatically rescaled/resized all the newly uploaded images in the background. 

Some other features include,

• Compresses all format images – GIF, JPG, PNG, WebP, and PDF files.

• Offer three distinctive image compression options – Lossy, Lossless & Glossy.

• WP Retina 2x – highly compatible with retina images and automatically compress them.

Price

• 100 free image credits monthly in the free version.
•  If this is not enough, choose another plan that starts at $4.99 (5000 image credits).

4. Optimus- WordPress Image Optimizer Plugin

Optimus is the best WordPress image compression plugin developed by highly talented folks of KeyCDN. It automatically reduces the image size that you upload on your site. It optimally saves several kilobytes per image depending on the image format and size. 

What’s most awe-inspiring about this high-tech compression plugin: the image quality is preserved.

Every image that is uploaded gets optimized automatically on Optimus’ servers. This image compression plugin works with PNG and JPG format images and optimally saves bandwidth and disk space. 

The smaller the images, the lesser the site page will take time to load that exigently boost SEO and improves visitor experience.

Optimus- image compression plugin is available in three different versions:

• Optimus-Free version (primary)
• Optimus HQ- Premium version ( for personal use)
• Optimus HQ PRO- Premium version (for B2C websites)

Some other features include,

• Bulk Optimization – compresses images in bulk.

• Reduction in file size – reduces file sizes during the uploading process.

• Progressive JPEGs – generates progressive JPEGs.

• Data security – protects data as it deletes all the images immediately from the Optimus server.

Price

• Optimus (basic version) free of cost.
• Optimus HQ and Optimus HQ Pro cost $29 per year.

5. Compress JPEG & PNG Images Plugin

Compress JPEG & PNG images developed by TinyPNG is an optimal image size compressor that boosts SEO rankings and increases site loading speed.

Like other plugins, it also optimizes images automatically using popular compression services of TinyPNG and TinyJPG.

When an image is uploaded on a WordPress site, it is uploaded on TinyPNG or TinyJPG service. It analyzes the idea to apply the best possible image optimization strategy to it. The compressed image is then sent back to your WordPress and replaces the original image with an optimized version. 

JPEG images are compressed up to 40% to 60%, whereas PNG images are compressed up to 50% to 80% without compromising image quality. 

In this way, your site will load faster, and you can keep your visitors happy and engaged, along with saving bandwidth and storage space.

Some additional features are,

• Animated PNG – easily compress animated PNG files.

• Advanced Background Optimization – speed up a WordPress site with an advanced background optimization process.

• Optimally compatible – compatible with WooCommerce, WP Offload S3, and WP Retina 2X

Price 

• The free version allows up to 500 images per month. When you reach the limit, each image compression will cost $0.009.

Testing and Comparing the Best WordPress Image Compression Plugins

In this article, we’ve covered some of the best Image compression WordPress plugins. We’ve discussed their features, optimization quality, and price.  Elegantthemes put each plugin to the test to find out which plugin is the best. 

Since PNG and JPG are the most common format of images, they’ve put the images of both the formats to test on each plugin to get final results. 

JPG Optimization

Comparing the results of the plugins that applied the lossy image optimization method, scores are roughly similar. Comparing the file size before and after the compression, we recommend using the Tiny PNG Compress JPEG & PNG Image plugin for JPG files.

PNG Optimization

In this comparison round, with the slightest edge, ShotPixel Image Optimizer wins the race. We recommend using ShortPixel Image Optimizer to compress PNG format images.

Final Thoughts

There are many benefits of optimizing and compressing on a WordPress site. First of all, it will massively boost the website’s performance and reduce the page load time, which will ultimately improve the SEO score. Moreover, it will also enhance the user experience on your website.

Remember, whenever you get stuck in your website development, Codup’s WordPress development services are just a call away.

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