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Best WordPress Image Optimization Plugins in 2026

Data from WordPress.org Updated First published 5 min read

Compression, resizing and modern formats for the images WordPress serves.

Images are usually the heaviest thing a WordPress page sends. These plugins shrink them: compressing on upload, generating modern formats, and serving an image sized for the space it occupies rather than the one the camera produced.

Together these 10 plugins run on more than 5,210,000 active WordPress sites. Ranked from both WordPress.org orderings for "image-optimization", its tag listing and its search results.

On this page
  1. Best for each measure
  2. Quick comparison
  3. The top 10
  4. What moved
  5. How to choose
  6. Head-to-head
  7. How this list is ranked
  8. FAQ
  9. Conclusion
  10. Other rankings

Best Image Optimization Plugin for each measure

One plugin per measure, taken from the same WordPress.org figures as the ranking. A measure with nothing behind it is left out rather than guessed.

Most installed
Smush

1 million+, active installs reported by WordPress.org

Highest rated
Converter for Media

4.9 out of 5, from 1,104 reviews, counting only plugins with at least 50

Most reviewed
Smush

6,053 reviews, the largest body of feedback behind a score

Most recently updated
ShortPixel Image Optimizer

October 9, 2026, the latest release in this list

Longest established
Smush

December 5, 2008, first published on WordPress.org

Best support record
Smush

5 of 8 resolved, recent threads on the WordPress.org support forum

Most languages
Converter for Media

17 languages, translated to 90% or more on translate.wordpress.org

Image Optimization Plugins compared: rating, reviews, installs

# Plugin Rating Reviews Active installs
1 Smush 4.8 6,053 1 million+
2 EWWW Image Optimizer 4.8 1,841 1 million+
3 Imagify 4.3 1,656 1 million+
4 Image Optimizer 1.7 79 1 million+
5 Converter for Media 4.9 1,104 500,000+
6 ShortPixel Image Optimizer 4.5 826 300,000+
7 Optimole 4.7 640 200,000+
8 Robin Image Optimizer 4.4 131 100,000+
9 reSmush.it 4.3 165 100,000+
10 WPvivid Image Optimization 4.3 7 10,000+

The 10 best Image Optimization Plugins, ranked by WordPress.org

Ranked from both WordPress.org orderings for "image-optimization", its tag listing and its search results. Arrows show movement against the previous snapshot.

  1. 1.Smush

    Smush – Image Optimization, Compression, Lazy Load, WebP & CDN

    4.8 (6,053) 1 million+ active installs Updated Sep 29, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.3 Paid version available

    Compress and optimize images, enable lazy load, serve WebP & AVIF, and speed up your site with a global image CDN.

    1,012,744 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website

  2. 2.EWWW Image Optimizer

    4.8 (1,841) 1 million+ active installs Updated Sep 24, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.3 Paid version available

    Comprehensive image optimization with WebP, AVIF, Lazy Load, and more. Optimize images automatically for Faster Sites and Happy Visitors.

    584,768 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website

  3. 3.Imagify

    Imagify Image Optimization: Optimize Images | Compress & Convert to WebP/AVIF

    4.3 (1,656) 1 million+ active installs Updated Sep 7, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.3

    Image optimization in 1‑click: compress, resize & convert to WebP/AVIF – free up to 20MB/month. Enjoy the easiest WordPress image optimizer to set up.

    293,639 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website

  4. 4.Image Optimizer

    Image Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF

    1.7 (79) 1 million+ active installs Updated Sep 22, 2026 Tested up to 7.0.7

    Image Optimizer is an easy-to-use WordPress plugin that reduces image size through various compression and resizing techniques – all of which preserve …

    655,991 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website

  5. 5.Converter for Media

    Converter for Media – Optimize images | Convert WebP & AVIF

    4.9 (1,104) 500,000+ active installs Updated Aug 18, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.3

    Speed up your website by using our WebP & AVIF Converter. Optimize images and serve WebP and AVIF images instead of standard formats!

    78,411 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website

  6. 6.ShortPixel Image Optimizer

    ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF

    4.5 (826) 300,000+ active installs Updated Oct 9, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.3

    Compress images & PDFs automatically, convert to WebP & AVIF, and generate SEO-friendly filenames with AI. Bulk optimization, smart crop & resize.

    250,428 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website

  7. 7.Optimole

    Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization

    4.7 (640) 200,000+ active installs Updated Oct 1, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.3

    Automatically optimize images with bulk compression, lazy loading, WebP/AVIF conversion & CloudFront image CDN. Boost Core Web Vitals & conversions.

    374,441 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org

  8. 8.Robin Image Optimizer

    Robin Image Optimizer – Unlimited Image Optimization, WebP & AVIF

    4.4 (131) 100,000+ active installs Updated Sep 29, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.3

    Unlimited automatic image optimization for WordPress. Compress images, convert to WebP, and improve site speed without losing image quality.

    81,270 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website

  9. 9.reSmush.it

    reSmush.it : The original free image compressor and optimizer plugin

    4.3 (165) 100,000+ active installs Updated Aug 20, 2026 Tested up to 7.1.3

    reSmush.it is the FREE image compressor and optimizer plugin - use it to optimize your images and improve the SEO and performance of your website.

    12,467 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org Website

  10. 10.WPvivid Image Optimization

    Compress, Resize & Lazy Load Images – WPvivid Image Optimization

    4.3 (7) 10,000+ active installs Updated Jun 1, 2026 Tested up to 7.0.7

    Optimize, compress and resize images in WordPress in bulk. Lazy load images. Auto resize and optimize images upon upload.

    1,461 downloads in 30 days
    Stats and rankings WordPress.org

What changed in the Image Optimization Plugins ranking

How to choose a Image Optimization Plugin for WordPress

  1. 1

    Serving the wrong size costs more than compression

    A 3000 pixel photograph in a 600 pixel slot wastes most of its bytes. Resizing on upload fixes that permanently.

  2. 2

    Modern formats are the second win

    WebP and AVIF are substantially smaller than JPEG at the same quality. Check the plugin falls back for browsers that cannot read them.

  3. 3

    Know where the work happens

    Compressing on your own server is free and slow. Sending images to a service is fast and metered. Both are valid; the bill differs.

  4. 4

    Keep the originals until you are sure

    Lossy compression cannot be undone. A plugin that keeps a backup of the original lets you change your mind.

Image Optimization Plugin comparisons: side by side

The top four against each other on installs, ratings, reviews and updates. Each measure names its own leader; there is no overall winner.

How we rank Image Optimization Plugins

WordPress.org publishes two orderings for "image-optimization" and neither is reliable alone. The tag listing covers every tag the directory files these plugins under, "image-optimization", "compress-images", "optimize-images", "image-compression", "webp" and "convert-webp", and is sorted by active installs, which lets a large plugin carrying one of them loosely sit above the ones the category is about. Its search results are sorted by relevance and carry their own noise. So a plugin is placed here by where it sits across both lists: high in each one lifts it, high in only one does not. We fetch both every day at 03:00 UTC, keep every day's snapshot, and add nothing of our own. No plugin is inserted, removed or sponsored, and each entry shows its position in both lists on its own page. Full methodology.

Image Optimization Plugins FAQ

What is the best Image Optimization Plugin for WordPress?

On WordPress.org's own ranking for "image-optimization", Smush is #1 as of October 12, 2026, with 1 million+ active installs and a 4.8 out of 5 rating. By rating, Converter for Media scores 4.9 out of 5 from 1,104 reviews.

Which Image Optimization Plugin has the most active installs?

Smush, with 1 million+ active installs reported by WordPress.org as of October 12, 2026. It ranks #1 in this list.

Which Image Optimization Plugin has the highest rating?

Converter for Media, rated 4.9 out of 5 by 1,104 reviewers on WordPress.org. Only plugins with at least 50 reviews are counted, so a single 5-star review does not win.

Which Image Optimization Plugin was updated most recently?

ShortPixel Image Optimizer shipped its latest release on October 9, 2026. 9 of the 10 plugins in this list were updated in the last 90 days, which is the usual sign of active maintenance.

How many Image Optimization Plugins are there on WordPress.org?

WordPress.org lists 434 plugins tagged "image-optimization", "compress-images", "optimize-images", "image-compression", "webp" and "convert-webp" as of October 12, 2026. This page shows the top 10 in the directory's own order.

Are these Image Optimization Plugins free?

All 10 are free to install from WordPress.org. 2 of them are listed as commercial, meaning the developer sells a paid version or add-ons: Smush, EWWW Image Optimizer.

Does WordPress not already optimise images?

Only partly. It generates several sizes on upload and serves a responsive set, which helps, but it does not compress meaningfully, does not convert to modern formats, and happily stores the full-size original you uploaded. Those three gaps are what these plugins fill.

Is WebP worth it over compressed JPEG?

Usually, at roughly a quarter to a third smaller for the same visible quality, and every current browser reads it. AVIF goes further still with slower encoding. The important part is the fallback: the plugin should keep the original format for anything that cannot read the new one.

Image Optimization Plugins: the bottom line

As of October 12, 2026, Smush holds the #1 spot for "image-optimization" on WordPress.org, followed by EWWW Image Optimizer and Imagify. If install base matters most, Smush leads with 1 million+ active installs. If ratings matter most, Converter for Media scores 4.9 out of 5 across 1,104 reviews.

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