ShortPixel Image Optimizer vs Converter for Media (September 2026)
Updated September 7, 2026 · Data from WordPress.org, refreshed daily · How this works
Both rank in the WordPress.org Image Optimization Plugins top 10: ShortPixel Image Optimizer at #8 and Converter for Media at #5. Converter for Media leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer
ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize Images, Convert WebP & AVIF
Optimize images & PDFs smartly. Create and compress next-gen WebP and AVIF formats. Smart crop and resize.
Converter for Media
Converter for Media – Optimize images | Convert WebP & AVIF
Speed up your website by using our WebP & AVIF Converter. Optimize images and serve WebP and AVIF images instead of standard formats!
Who leads on what
Converter for Media leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Converter for Media ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Converter for Media has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 300,000+.
Converter for Media is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 1,099 reviews, against 4.5 from 819 reviews.
Converter for Media has more reviews behind its score: 1,099 against 819.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer was updated more recently, on August 20, 2026; Converter for Media on August 18, 2026.
Which one to pick
Each plugin is the better answer for the measure it actually leads on. Nothing here is a recommendation we invented.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer
Pick ShortPixel Image Optimizer if you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Converter for Media
Pick Converter for Media 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 or you want the score backed by more reviews.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer vs Converter for Media side by side
| ShortPixel Image Optimizer | Converter for Media | |
|---|---|---|
| Image Optimization Plugins ranking | #8 | #5 |
| Rating | 4.5 | 4.9 |
| Reviews | 819 | 1,099 |
| Active installs | 300,000+ | 500,000+ |
| Total downloads | 19,829,492 | 17,019,204 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 20, 2026 | Aug 18, 2026 |
| First published | Nov 5, 2014 | Jun 16, 2019 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free on WordPress.org |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer ratings
Converter for Media 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 ShortPixel Image Optimizer nor Converter for Media can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Image Optimization Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer vs Converter for Media: common questions
Is ShortPixel Image Optimizer better than Converter for Media?
Converter for Media leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Converter for Media ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which has more users, ShortPixel Image Optimizer or Converter for Media?
Converter for Media ranks higher on WordPress.org: #5 against #8 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which is rated higher, ShortPixel Image Optimizer or Converter for Media?
Converter for Media has more users: 500,000+ active installs against 300,000+.
Are ShortPixel Image Optimizer and Converter for Media free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. ShortPixel Image Optimizer may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Converter for Media may also sell a paid version or add-ons.
Alternatives to ShortPixel Image Optimizer and Converter for Media
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.