ShortPixel
Cloud image optimisation service with a WordPress plugin, API and free online compressor.
Updated · AppBreakup editorial · Web
Is ShortPixel free?
Free plan, plus paid plans
Switch from ShortPixel to
All 6
ImageOptimOpen source
Caesium Image CompressorOpen source
ClopLifetime price: €15 (Clop Pro lifetime licence)
- Verified facts
- 5 of 5
- Alternatives ranked
- 6
- Approved reviews
- 0
- Visits sent from here
- 0
About ShortPixel
ShortPixel is an image compression service from Bucharest, Romania, best known for its WordPress plugin. Once installed, it compresses new uploads and your existing media library in bulk, creates WebP and AVIF versions, converts PNG, BMP and TIFF to JPEG where that saves space, and can keep or strip EXIF data. You choose between Lossy, Glossy and Lossless modes depending on how much quality you're willing to trade for size. Beyond WordPress there's an API, plugins for other platforms, an archive optimiser for zip uploads and a free web tool for compressing individual images, which also offers background removal and upscaling. Processing happens on ShortPixel's servers and is metered in credits: a free plan covers a small monthly allowance, and paid plans come as monthly subscriptions or one-time credit packs. It suits site owners and agencies who want optimisation to happen automatically on the live site rather than on a desktop.
Best for: WordPress site owners and agencies who want images optimised automatically on upload.
Pros and cons
What works
- Lossy, glossy and lossless modes
- Automatic WebP and AVIF generation
- Bulk-optimises an existing WordPress library
- One-time credit packs as well as subscriptions
Why people leave
- Images are uploaded to a third-party cloud for processing
- Free allowance is small for busy sites
- Online tool limits file size unless you log in
ShortPixel vs ImageOptim, Caesium Image Compressor and Clop
From each app's listing and the prices verified on its own site. A dash means we haven't verified it yet.
| Attribute | ShortPixel | ImageOptim | Caesium Image Compressor | Clop |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan + paid | Open source | Open source | Free plan + paid |
| Verified price | — | — | — | €15 (Clop Pro lifetime licence) |
| Free plan | Yes | Free app | Free app | Up to 5 files per drop |
| Open source | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | No | No | No | No |
| Platforms | Web | macOS | Windows, macOS, Web | macOS |
Top ShortPixel alternatives
See all 6- 1ImageOptim68.8
Free desktop optimisation on your own Mac, with no credits or uploads to a third party.
- 2Caesium Image Compressor64.8
Free, open-source desktop app that keeps files local, if you optimise before uploading.
- 3Clop57.5
Optimises images automatically on your Mac as you copy or save them.
- 4IliLoveIMG42.3
Browser-based compression plus resizing and format conversion, with no plugin needed.
- 5
Imagify42.3Similar WordPress compression with WebP/AVIF conversion and an unlimited plan.
Why people left ShortPixel
In reviewers' own words, from reviews of the apps they moved to. These are their opinions, not ours.
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Reviews
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ShortPixel: common questions
What is ShortPixel?
ShortPixel: Cloud image optimisation service with a WordPress plugin, API and free online compressor. Best for wordPress site owners and agencies who want images optimised automatically on upload. Available for Web.
Is ShortPixel free?
ShortPixel has a free plan and paid plans.
Is ShortPixel open source?
No, ShortPixel is not open source. Open-source alternatives include ImageOptim and Caesium Image Compressor.
What platforms does ShortPixel run on?
ShortPixel is available for Web.
What are the best alternatives to ShortPixel?
The highest-ranked ShortPixel alternatives right now are ImageOptim, Caesium Image Compressor and Clop. See the full ranked list for pricing, platforms and verified facts.
ShortPixel vs ImageOptim: what's the difference?
ShortPixel is free with paid plans; ImageOptim is free and open source. ImageOptim is open source and ShortPixel is not. Only ShortPixel runs on Web. Only ImageOptim runs on macOS.