Converter for Media vs Smush (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: Converter for Media at #5 and Smush at #4. Smush leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Every number below comes straight from WordPress.org and is refreshed every day.
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!
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 4 of the 5 measures we track.
Smush ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #5 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Smush has more users: 1 million+ active installs against 500,000+.
Converter for Media is rated higher: 4.9 out of 5 from 1,099 reviews, against 4.8 from 6,051 reviews.
Smush has more reviews behind its score: 6,051 against 1,099.
Smush was updated more recently, on August 24, 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.
Converter for Media
Pick Converter for Media if the review score matters most to you.
Smush
Pick Smush if you go by where WordPress.org itself puts them, you want the plugin more sites already run, you want the score backed by more reviews or you want the one shipping releases most recently.
Converter for Media vs Smush side by side
| Converter for Media | Smush | |
|---|---|---|
| Image Optimization Plugins ranking | #5 | #4 |
| Rating | 4.9 | 4.8 |
| Reviews | 1,099 | 6,051 |
| Active installs | 500,000+ | 1 million+ |
| Total downloads | 17,019,204 | 69,096,921 |
| Downloads, last 30 days | – | – |
| Last updated | Aug 18, 2026 | Aug 24, 2026 |
| First published | Jun 16, 2019 | Dec 5, 2008 |
| Tested up to WordPress | 7.1 | 7.1 |
| Requires PHP | 7.4 | 7.4 |
| Pricing | Free on WordPress.org | Free + paid version |
30-day download figures appear after both plugins have 30 days of tracking.
Converter for Media 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 Converter for Media nor Smush can pay to appear here: the pair exists only because both plugins reached the Image Optimization Plugins top 10. Full methodology.
Converter for Media vs Smush: common questions
Is Converter for Media better than Smush?
Smush leads on 4 of the 5 measures we track. Neither is better at everything, and the answer depends on which measure you weigh. Smush ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #5 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which has more users, Converter for Media or Smush?
Smush ranks higher on WordPress.org: #4 against #5 in Image Optimization Plugins.
Which is rated higher, Converter for Media or Smush?
Smush has more users: 1 million+ active installs against 500,000+.
Are Converter for Media and Smush free?
Both are free to install from WordPress.org. Converter for Media may also sell a paid version or add-ons. Smush is listed as commercial, so a paid version or add-ons exist.
Alternatives to Converter for Media and Smush
Plugins that score close to both in the same WordPress.org rankings and tags.
More Image Optimization Plugins comparisons
- EWWW Image Optimizer vs Converter for Media
- EWWW Image Optimizer vs Smush
- Image Optimization vs Converter for Media
- Image Optimization vs Smush
- Imagify vs Converter for Media
- Imagify vs Smush
- Optimole vs Converter for Media
- Optimole vs Smush
- reSmush.it vs Converter for Media
- reSmush.it vs Smush
- Robin Image Optimizer vs Converter for Media
- Robin Image Optimizer vs Smush
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.