Images make WordPress sites engaging, but they also slow pages when they are not optimised.
Two popular tools for automating image compression are ShortPixel and TinyPNG.
Both connect to remote servers to compress your uploads and offer plugins that integrate with WordPress, but they differ in features, pricing and workflow.
The information below draws on reviews and comparisons from WordPress experts and tests across many sites.
How ShortPixel Works
ShortPixel is a cloud‑based plugin that supports JPEG, PNG, GIF, PDF, WebP and even AVIF files, and offers lossy, lossless and glossy compression modes.
Once installed and connected with a free API key, it automatically compresses new uploads in the background and allows bulk optimisation of existing images, including those outside the media library.
The plugin can convert HEIC images to JPEG, generate WebP/AVIF versions and keep a backup of the original file.
Settings let you strip metadata, resize large images, exclude certain sizes and even optimise images in non‑WordPress folders.
ShortPixel integrates with WooCommerce and NextGEN Gallery and includes a Cloudflare option to purge cached images automatically.
ShortPixel keeps improving; its blog recently announced AI Image SEO, which adds alt text, captions and descriptions automatically using artificial intelligence.
How TinyPNG Works
TinyPNG’s WordPress plugin is an extension of the popular online compressor.
It uses smart lossy compression and can handle JPEG, PNG and WebP images.
After you create a free account, the plugin compresses new uploads automatically or on demand and provides a bulk optimisation screen.
Comparison and Recommendations
Ease of use: TinyPNG is extremely straightforward; you install the plugin, connect your API key and let it compress images on upload. There are very few settings and no compression levels to choose, making it ideal for bloggers or small‑business owners who just need smaller images quickly. ShortPixel offers more options and a slightly busier dashboard. Users comfortable with extra settings can tweak compression modes, manage backups, and generate next-gen formats; novices may need a few minutes to adjust, but once configured, everything runs automatically in the background.
Performance: In tests, ShortPixel consistently achieved better compression. For example, a reviewer reduced a 5.3 MB image to 1.13 MB with ShortPixel versus 1.7 MB with TinyPNG. Both maintain acceptable visual quality, but ShortPixel’s glossy mode provides a good balance between size and clarity, and it allows re‑optimising images at different levels.
Features: ShortPixel supports more file formats, offers WebP/AVIF conversion and backups, and includes a CDN service. TinyPNG focuses on JPEG/PNG/WebP and lacks lossless options or backups. TinyPNG’s API is powerful for developers; its simple pay‑per‑use model suits sites with infrequent uploads. However, for sites with large galleries, WooCommerce stores or photographers who need control over quality and file formats, ShortPixel’s richer feature set and competitive monthly plans generally provide better value.
When to choose ShortPixel
For WordPress users who want to automate image optimisation, support multiple formats, and preserve original files, ShortPixel is more versatile.
WooCommerce store owners, photographers, and agencies dealing with large media libraries will benefit from its bulk optimisation, background processing, and glossy/lossless modes.
The plugin’s ability to generate WebP/AVIF, integrate with Cloudflare, and generate AI‑driven alt texts makes it a future‑proof option for sites focused on performance, SEO and accessibility.
Although the free tier is smaller (100 images per month with ShortPixel vs 500 with TinyPNG), ShortPixel’s paid plans are far more attractive once you scale up. For example, ShortPixel offers an Unlimited plan, and compressing 50,000 or 110,000 images costs just $9.99, compared to $165.50 to $285.50 with TinyPNG.
Pros:
- Supports many file formats (JPEG, PNG, GIF, PDF, as well as WebP and AVIF generation) with multiple compression modes (lossy, lossless, glossy).
- Automatically compresses new uploads and allows optimization in the background.
- Keeps a backup of the original images, so you can revert or re-optimize anytime.
- Offers advanced features like AI image SEO, EXIF management, resizing of larger images, advanced exclusions, and CDN/Cloudflare integration.
- Flexible pricing with both monthly subscriptions and one-time credit packs, generally cost-effective for larger sites.
Cons:
- Free plan is limited to 100 images per month.
- Some features (like WebP/AVIF conversion) and CDN delivery consume extra credits.
- While simple, interface can feel overwhelming to beginners.
When to choose TinyPNG
If you manage a small blog or portfolio and only upload a few images each month, TinyPNG’s free image allowance and near‑zero learning curve are appealing. Developers building custom Divi projects may appreciate the API integration, and the ability to resize images on upload helps ensure thumbnails fit correctly.
It’s also handy for non‑technical users who want to compress images manually before uploading them to WordPress.
Pros:
- Easy to use with no complicated settings.
- Free plan allows up to 500 images per month, suitable for small sites.
- Includes a developer-friendly API and integrations.
- Can resize images and supports bulk optimization.
- Provides reliable compression, reducing image sizes significantly.
Cons:
- Only offers one lossy compression method with no quality adjustments.
- Doesn’t keep backups, so originals are overwritten.
- Lacks background processing – you must wait for optimization to finish.
- Limited format support (mainly JPEG, PNG, WebP).
- File size limit per upload (around 5 MB), and costs rise quickly for high volumes.
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