ThumbPress vs Optimole (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: ThumbPress at #13 and Optimole at #6. Optimole leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
ThumbPress
ThumbPress – Compress Images, Manage Thumbnails, Detect Image Issues, WebP/AVIF, Lazy Loading, Hotlinking & More
All-in-one WordPress image optimization: disable thumbnails, compress, convert to WebP & AVIF, clean your media library, and offload images to a CDN.
Optimole
Optimole – Optimize Images | Convert WebP & AVIF | CDN & Lazy Load | Image Optimization
Automatically optimize images with bulk compression, lazy loading, WebP/AVIF conversion & CloudFront image CDN. Boost Core Web Vitals & conversions.
Who leads on what
Optimole leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
Optimole ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #13 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Optimole has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Optimole is rated higher: 4.7 out of 5 from 640 reviews, against 3.6 from 115 reviews.
Optimole has more reviews behind its score: 640 against 115.
ThumbPress was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; Optimole on October 19, 2026.
Optimole was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 349,899 times against 44,874.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
ThumbPress
Pick ThumbPress if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Optimole
Pick Optimole if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, the review score matters most to you, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one being installed faster right now.
ThumbPress vs Optimole side by side
| ThumbPress | Optimole | |
|---|---|---|
| Image Optimization Plugins ranking | #13 | #6 |
| Rating | 3.6 | 4.7 |
| Reviews | 115 | 640 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 200,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,441,520 | 9,286,876 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 44,874 | 349,899 |
| Last updated | Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 19, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 2, 2016 | Sep 23, 2018 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.0.7 | 7.1.3 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
Downloads per day, last 48 days
ThumbPress ratings
Optimole 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 ThumbPress nor Optimole can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Image Optimization Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
ThumbPress vs Optimole: common questions
Is ThumbPress better than Optimole?
Optimole leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Optimole ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #13 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which has more users, ThumbPress or Optimole?
Optimole ranks higher on WordPress.org: #6 against #13 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which is rated higher, ThumbPress or Optimole?
Optimole has more users: 200,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are ThumbPress and Optimole free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. ThumbPress may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Optimole may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to ThumbPress and Optimole
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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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.