Image Optimizer vs Smush (October 2026)
Updated October 22, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Image Optimization Plugins top 10: Image Optimizer at #4 and Smush at #1. Smush leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
Image Optimizer
Image Optimizer – Compress Images and Convert to WebP or AVIF
Image Optimizer is an easy-to-use WordPress plugin that reduces image size through various compression and resizing techniques – all of which preserve …
Smush
Smush – Image Optimization, Compression, Lazy Load, WebP & CDN
Compress and optimize images, enable lazy load, serve WebP & AVIF, and speed up your site with a global image CDN.
Who leads on what
Smush leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
Smush ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Both report 1 million+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Smush is rated higher: 4.8 out of 5 from 6,053 reviews, against 1.7 from 80 reviews.
Smush has more reviews behind its score: 6,053 against 80.
Smush was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; Image Optimizer on September 22, 2026.
Smush was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 975,194 times against 681,303.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
Image Optimizer
Image Optimizer does not lead on any measure we track, so pick it only for something these numbers cannot show, such as a feature you need.
Smush
Pick Smush if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews, you want the one shipping releases most recently or you want the one being installed faster right now.
Image Optimizer vs Smush side by side
| Image Optimizer | Smush | |
|---|---|---|
| Image Optimization Plugins ranking | #4 | #1 |
| Rating | 1.7 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 80 | 6,053 |
| Active installs | 1 million+ | 1 million+ |
| Total downloads | 16,370,234 | 70,536,407 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 681,303 | 975,194 |
| Last updated | Sep 22, 2026 | Oct 20, 2026 |
| First published | Jan 8, 2024 | Dec 5, 2008 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
Image Optimizer ratings
Smush ratings
How we compare these two
Every figure here is pulled from the WordPress.org plugin API every day at 03:00 UTC, for both plugins in the same run, so the two are always read on the same day. We compare only what the directory reports: active installs, the rating and how many reviews stand behind it, the last release date and, once we have a month of history, downloads over the last 30 days. Ratings are only called a win above 50 reviews each, because a handful of five-star reviews is not evidence. Nothing is weighted into an overall score, no measure is worth more than another, and neither Image Optimizer nor Smush can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Image Optimization Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Image Optimizer vs Smush: common questions
Is Image Optimizer better than Smush?
Smush leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Smush ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which has more users, Image Optimizer or Smush?
Smush ranks higher on WordPress.org: #1 against #4 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Image Optimizer or Smush?
Both report 1 million+ active installs on WordPress.org.
Are Image Optimizer and Smush free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Image Optimizer may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Smush is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Image Optimizer and Smush
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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- ThumbPress vs Smush
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What moved this week
One email a week, built from the same daily snapshots these rankings come from: the plugins that climbed, what launched, and one ranking worth a look.