Top 5 Image Optimizer Plugins for Improved Website Speed and SEO

Image optimization is the process of compressing the image to reduce its size and balance it to keep the best possible image quality with it. This is an essential aspect of websites. If you have slow-loading images then the user can get tired of waiting and leaving the site, thus increasing your bounce rate and losing potential clients.

The easiest way to optimize images on your WordPress site is by using image optimizer plugins. This post will discuss the top WordPress image optimizer plugins available right now.

Different Image Optimization Techniques

Image optimization is the process of reducing the size of images without sacrificing their quality and boosting their SEO. This helps to improve the website’s loading speed and user experience. Here are some of the most commonly used image optimization techniques:

  • Lossless Compression: This technique reduces the file size of an image without losing any of its quality. It uses algorithms to remove redundant data and make the file size smaller.
  • Lossy Compression: This technique reduces the file size of an image by removing some of its quality. It uses algorithms to eliminate some of the image data that the human eye is unlikely to notice, making the file size smaller.
  • Resizing and Scaling: This technique involves changing the dimensions of an image to make it smaller. For example, if an image is 4000 pixels wide and only needs to be displayed at 800 pixels, it can be resized to those dimensions, reducing its file size.
  • Properly Formatting images: Different image formats, such as JPEG, PNG, and GIF, have different compression algorithms. Choosing the right format for a particular image can result in smaller file sizes.
  • Properly Naming images: Naming images with descriptive and relevant keywords can help search engines understand what the image is about and improve search engine optimization (SEO).

Best Image Optimizer Plugin for WordPress – Comparison Table 2023

Image Optimizer Plugin for WordPressThe pro version starts fromFree versionActive installsAverage WordPress.org rating out of 5
WP Smush.itFreetick1 Top 5 Image Optimizer Plugins for Improved Website Speed and SEO1+ Million4.8
EWWW Image OptimizerFreetick1 Top 5 Image Optimizer Plugins for Improved Website Speed and SEO1+ Million4.7
ImsanityFreetick1 Top 5 Image Optimizer Plugins for Improved Website Speed and SEO300,000+4.9
Media File Renamer$29 / Yeartick1 Top 5 Image Optimizer Plugins for Improved Website Speed and SEO40,000+4.6
Imgaify$4.99 / monthtick1 Top 5 Image Optimizer Plugins for Improved Website Speed and SEO700,000+4.4
Best Image Optimizer Plugin for WordPress comparison table

Some Best Image Optimizer Plugins for WordPress Site

Image optimizer plugins are tools that automatically optimize images on a website. They reduce the size of images while preserving their quality and improving website performance, faster page load times, and better SEO. They are easy to use and integrate with the website’s CMS. There are many available options, both free and paid, to choose from.


Read: 🚩 How to improve your WordPress site’s SEO


Benefits of using Image Optimizer Plugins :

  • Your site’s images appear higher in Google Image search results
  • Pages load speed decreases.
  • You can save a lot of disk space if your site has a lot of images.
  • Bandwidth usage decreases

1. WP Smush.it

WP Smush.it

WP Smush.it is one of the most popular image optimizer plugins for WordPress and is available right now. It is currently the highest-rated image optimizer plugin available.  

This plugin is from the very talented team at WPMU DEV. You can optimize all your images and strip the hidden bulky information from the images without compromising on the image quality.

Some other key features of WP Smush.it are :

  • It compresses the images using the lossless techniques
  • You can optimize JPEG, GIF, and PNG images
  • Auto Smush the images at upload

Pricing

The WP Smush.it Image Optimizer Plugin is available completely Free to use and download from WordPress Directory.

Pros and Cons of WP Smush.it

Pros

  • Reduces your server load by optimizing the images on their servers

Cons

  • you can only bulk optimize 50 images at a time in the free version

2. EWWW Image Optimizer

EWWW Image Optimizer

You can automatically optimize images upon their upload to the site and you can also change the image format to a smaller format to save space. You can optimize images using both lossy and lossless compression techniques.

It also uses tools like jpegtran, TinyJPG, JPEGmini, optipng, pngout,pngquant, TinyPNG, and gifsicle for optimization.

Some other key features of EWWW Image Optimizer are:

  • Bulk Image Optimization
  • Skip Previously optimized images
  • Image Editor
  • WP-CLI
  • CDN Support

Pricing

The EWWW Image Optimizer Plugin is available completely Free to use and download from WordPress Directory.

Pros and Cons of EWWW Image Optimizer

Pros

  • Provide a lot of stuff out of the box

Cons

  • it requires the open_basedir setting to be enabled on your server
  • Complex Setup at the beginning

3. Imsanity

icon 256x256 38 Top 5 Image Optimizer Plugins for Improved Website Speed and SEO

A relatively new image optimizer plugin, Imsanity resizes huge images and automatically scales them. You can configure the max width, height and quality of the images to be compressed. It also automatically compresses images at the time of upload.

Some other key features of Imsanity Image Optimizer :

It also provides a bulk resize feature. The plugin is ideal for blogs that do not require very high-resolution images to be stored. Other features include :

  • Conversion of BMP files to JPG, in order to scale images
  • No user input is required, other than activating the plugin
  • Uses WP built-in image scaling feature

Pricing

The Imsanity Image Optimizer Plugin is available completely Free to use and download from WordPress Directory.

Pros and Cons of Imsanity Image Optimizer

Pros

  • The API key is not necessary
  • Optimal for new blog sites

Cons

  • Original images are replaced by compressed version
  • No backup or metadata-removing functionalities.

Read: 🚩 11 Best Places to Find Free Images For WordPress


4. Media File Renamer

Media File Renamer

This plugin optimizes your WordPress site images by auto-renaming the files, depending on their titles, for a cleaner system and for better SEO. Once the images are renamed, the references to them are also updated automatically (for example in posts, pages, etc).

You will be shown an ideal filename in the Media Manager for all the files and you will also be provided with a button to quickly rename the file to the ideal filename instantly. You can also lock the filename to avoid it being changed further.

Some other key features of Media File Renamer :

  • Keep your files confidential by using anonymous file names.
  • Efficiently transfer files to various directories in large quantities.
  • Synchronize important information such as ALT texts and titles.

Pricing

The Media File Renamer plugin can be downloaded and used for free from the WordPress directory. However, if you wish to access its full capabilities, you may upgrade to its pro version, with pricing starting at $29 per year.

Pros and Cons of Media File Renamer

Pros

  • Best plugin to stay on track with SEO

Cons

  • The product description, tutorial, and FAQs are somewhat not clear.

5. Imagify

Imagify

Imagify is a premium image optimization plugin for WordPress websites. It offers a range of optimization options, including lossless and lossy compression, automatic optimization of new images, and integration with popular content management systems (CMSs) like WordPress.

Some other key Features of Imagify

  • Lossless and Lossy compression
  • Easy Integration with popular CMSs
  • Detailed optimization statistics

Pricing

Imagify can be downloaded and used for free from the WordPress directory. However, if you wish to access its full capabilities, you may upgrade to its pro version, with pricing starting at $4.99 per month.

Pros and Cons of Imagify

Pros

  • Detailed Optimization statistics

Cons

  • Limited features on the Free plan

How to Choose the Right Image Optimizer plugin for your

When choosing an image optimizer plugin for your website, here are some factors to consider:

  • Compatibility with your website’s platform: It is important to choose a plugin that is compatible with the platform your website is built on, such as WordPress, Joomla, or Shopify.
  • Budget: Image optimizer plugins can range from free to premium, with varying levels of features and support. Determine how much you are willing to spend and choose a plugin that fits within your budget.
  • User-friendliness: The plugin should be easy to use, with a user-friendly interface and clear instructions. Consider choosing a plugin that has good ratings and reviews from users.
  • Integration with other tools and plugins: If you are using other tools or plugins on your website, consider choosing an image optimizer plugin that integrates well with them for seamless use.

Conclusion

Image optimization is a crucial aspect of website optimization, as it can greatly improve the website’s loading speed and user experience, as well as its search engine optimization (SEO). By reducing the file size of images without sacrificing their quality, websites can provide a better user experience and improve their ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs).

Image optimizer plugins are an effective solution for optimizing images on a website. They provide a simple and user-friendly way to apply various image optimization techniques, such as lossless and lossy compression, resizing, formatting, and naming, to reduce the file size of images and improve website performance.

Final thoughts on Image Optimizer Plugins:

The significance of image optimizer plugins cannot be overstated, as they can greatly improve the performance and SEO of a website. By choosing the right image optimizer plugin for your website’s needs, you can save time and effort while achieving the desired results.

Recommendation for the best Image Optimizer Plugin:

The best image optimizer plugin for your website will depend on your specific requirements and budget. Some popular image optimizer plugins include WP Smush.it, Imsanity, EWWW Image Optimize, Media File Renamer, and SEO-Friendly Images. Consider evaluating their features, compatibility with your website’s platform, user-friendliness, and budget, to choose the right one for your website.


Read: 🚩 10 Best WordPress Gallery Plugins Of 2023


Frequently Asked Questions

What is the best image optimizer?

Here are some of the best Image optimizer plugins you can consider:
1. WP Smush.it
2. Imasinty
3. EWWW Image Optimize
4. Media File Renamer
5. SEO-Friendly Images

What is an image optimizer?

Image optimizer is a type of service or product that helps to compress or reduce the sizes of image files on the website. Generally, an image optimizer compresses the size of the website without losing its quality.

Is EWWW image Optimizer good?

EWWW is one of the best Image Optimizer plugins available completely free to use with some of the key features given below:
1. Bulk Image Optimization
2. Skip Previously optimized images
3. Image Editor
4. WP-CLI
5. CDN Support

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