ThumbPress vs ShortPixel Image Optimizer (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 ShortPixel Image Optimizer at #5. ShortPixel Image Optimizer 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.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer
ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF
Compress images & PDFs automatically, convert to WebP & AVIF, and generate SEO-friendly filenames with AI. Bulk optimization, smart crop & resize.
Who leads on what
ShortPixel Image Optimizer leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #13 in Image Optimization Plugins.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer is rated higher: 4.5 out of 5 from 829 reviews, against 3.6 from 115 reviews.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer has more reviews behind its score: 829 against 115.
ThumbPress was updated more recently, on October 20, 2026; ShortPixel Image Optimizer on October 14, 2026.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer was downloaded more in the last 30 days: 350,091 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.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer
Pick ShortPixel Image Optimizer 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 ShortPixel Image Optimizer side by side
| ThumbPress | ShortPixel Image Optimizer | |
|---|---|---|
| Image Optimization Plugins ranking | #13 | #5 |
| Rating | 3.6 | 4.5 |
| Reviews | 115 | 829 |
| Active installs | 20,000+ | 300,000+ |
| Total downloads | 1,441,520 | 20,369,139 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | 44,874 | 350,091 |
| Last updated | Oct 20, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 |
| First published | Aug 2, 2016 | Nov 5, 2014 |
| 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
ShortPixel Image Optimizer 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 ShortPixel Image Optimizer can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Image Optimization Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
ThumbPress vs ShortPixel Image Optimizer: common questions
Is ThumbPress better than ShortPixel Image Optimizer?
ShortPixel Image Optimizer leads on 5 of the 6 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. ShortPixel Image Optimizer ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #13 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which has more users, ThumbPress or ShortPixel Image Optimizer?
ShortPixel Image Optimizer ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #13 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which is rated higher, ThumbPress or ShortPixel Image Optimizer?
ShortPixel Image Optimizer has more users: 300,000+ active installs against 20,000+.
Are ThumbPress and ShortPixel Image Optimizer free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. ThumbPress may also sell a paid version or add-ons. ShortPixel Image Optimizer may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to ThumbPress and ShortPixel Image Optimizer
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
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Weekly · free
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.