EWWW Image Optimizer
Image optimizer that compresses images on your own server for free with unlimited WebP, plus paid cloud compression and the Easy IO…
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Optimole
Cloud image optimisation service for WordPress that compresses, resizes and converts images on the fly and serves them from a CloudFront CDN.
Free installs200K+WordPress.org, active
Est. Pro installs~30KLikely 15K–60K
Vendor claims200K+Vendor's own figure
Rating4.7/5640 reviews
Price from£228.96/yrFreemium
Last updated2 Nov 2026Version 4.2.18
Overview
Optimole is a cloud-based image optimisation service from the Themeisle family. Instead of compressing files on your server, the plugin rewrites image URLs so each image is fetched, optimised and delivered by Optimole’s own infrastructure through Amazon CloudFront. Your original uploads stay untouched in the media library.
How it works
When a visitor loads a page, Optimole looks at their browser, screen size and connection, then returns a copy that is resized to the displayed dimensions, compressed and converted to WebP or AVIF where supported. Compression can be left on the ML-driven Auto setting or fixed at High, Medium or Low quality. Lazy loading (including CSS background images), smart cropping, retina handling, watermarks and metadata stripping are all part of the same plugin, and settings can be managed from WP-CLI.
Free vs paid
Optimole is metered by visits rather than images. The free plan covers unlimited images and sites but only up to 2,000 monthly visits (an extra 20,000 if you show the Optimole badge). Paid plans start at 48,000 visits and add offloading of the media library to Optimole’s cloud, large-image optimisation, setup assistance and, from the Business plan, a custom CNAME domain. Premium accounts are moved up a tier automatically if traffic exceeds the allowance.
- No server CPU used for optimisation
- Images sized per device rather than per thumbnail
- CDN and next-gen formats included on every plan
Limitations
Because delivery depends on Optimole’s CDN, optimised images disappear if you stop using the service, and the visit-based allowance can be outgrown by busy sites with few images (bots count towards visits). There is no PDF compression, and the free plan’s visit cap is low for anything beyond a small site.
Best for site owners who want a set-and-forget image pipeline with CDN delivery and responsive sizing, and who are comfortable paying by traffic rather than by image count.
Best for: Low-to-medium traffic sites that want hands-off, CDN-delivered, device-sized images without processing on their own server.
Optimole is one of the most complete hands-off options: compression, format conversion, resizing, lazy loading and a CDN all come together with no server load. The trade-off is visit-based pricing and a small free allowance, so check your real daily visitors (including bots) before committing.
Pros
- Optimisation runs entirely on Optimole's servers, so no CPU load on your host
- WebP/AVIF, resizing per device, lazy loading and a CloudFront CDN in one plugin
- Unlimited images and unlimited sites on every plan, including free
- Originals are never modified, so turning it off is low risk
- Handles CSS background images and offers WP-CLI setting commands
Cons
- Free plan is capped at 2,000 visits a month, which small business sites can exceed
- Billing by visits means high-traffic sites pay more even with few images
- Optimised copies only exist on the CDN; leaving the service reverts to originals
- No PDF compression and no lossless mode
- Custom CNAME needs the Business plan or higher
Key features
What Optimole highlights on its WordPress.org page and its own website, split by version.
Free version WordPress.org
- Unlimited images up to 2,000 visits
- ML-driven automatic compression
- WebP and AVIF delivery
- CloudFront CDN with 450+ locations
- Device-sized responsive images
- Lazy loading without jQuery
- Retina and smart cropping support
- Watermarks on delivered images
- Originals left untouched
- Works with WooCommerce and page builders
Pro / paid adds From £228.96/yr
- 48K to 300K visits per month
- Unlimited images and sites
- Offload media library to cloud
- One-click restore from offload
- Large image optimisation
- Custom CNAME domain (Business+)
- Individual setup assistance
- Standard 12-hour support
- Optional video optimisation add-on
Feature checklist
20 of 25 features we track in Image Optimization, feature score 77/100
Compression 6/7
Lossy & lossless compression Key
Choose between lossless and one or more lossy compression levels.
Auto (ML) plus High, Medium and Low quality presets; all lossy, no lossless mode.
Partial
Bulk optimisation Key
Optimise every existing image in the media library.
Existing library images are optimised in the cloud on delivery, with background bulk processing.
Included
Optimise on upload
New uploads are optimised automatically.
New uploads are served optimised automatically once the site is connected.
Included
Keep & restore originals Key
Backs up originals so you can restore them.
Non-destructive: originals stay on your server; paid offload has one-click restore.
Included
Resize large images
Scales down oversized uploads to a maximum size.
Limit Image Sizes caps delivered width/height; stored originals are not resized.
Partial
Strip EXIF metadata
Removes camera and location metadata.
Advanced setting strips EXIF/IPTC metadata from delivered images.
Included
PDF compression
Compresses PDF files in the media library.
Docs state PDFs can be hosted but are not compressed or optimised.
Not included
Next-gen formats 3/4
WebP conversion Key
Creates WebP versions of images.
Serves WebP automatically to browsers that support it.
Included
AVIF conversion Key
Creates AVIF versions of images.
AVIF conversion included on the free plan.
Included
Automatic next-gen delivery
Serves WebP/AVIF to supporting browsers via picture tags, rewrites or CDN.
Format chosen per browser and delivered through the Optimole CDN URLs.
Included
PNG to JPG conversion
Converts photos saved as PNG to smaller JPGs.
Auto format picks WebP/AVIF or the original format; no PNG-to-JPG conversion documented.
Not included
Delivery 4/4
Image CDN Key
Serves images from a CDN, often with on-the-fly optimisation.
Images delivered via AWS CloudFront from 450+ locations, free plan included.
Included
Adaptive image sizes
Serves the right size for each screen or device.
Resizes each image to the visitor's exact display size and pixel density.
Included
Lazy loading
Defers off-screen images.
Built-in jQuery-free lazy loading with placeholders and CLS protection.
Included
CSS background images
Also optimises or converts images used in CSS backgrounds.
CSS background image lazy loading and replacement can be enabled for selected elements.
Included
Processing & limits 2/5
Local processing
Optimises on your own server with no external API.
All optimisation happens in Optimole's cloud; nothing runs locally.
Not included
Cloud processing
Optimisation runs on the vendor's servers, saving your server's CPU.
Processing is done in Optimole's cloud, so hosting resources are not used.
Included
Generous free tier
Free version optimises unlimited images, or a large monthly quota.
Unlimited images on the free plan, but only for up to 2,000 visits a month.
Partial
No small file-size cap
No restrictive per-image size limit in the free version.
'Optimize large images' is listed as a paid-plan feature, implying a free-plan size cap.
Not included
Thumbnail control
Choose which thumbnail sizes are optimised.
Not applicable: sizes are generated on the fly, with no per-thumbnail selection.
Not included
Extras & compatibility 5/5
Optimise other folders
Optimise theme, plugin or custom folders outside the media library.
Rewrites image URLs found in page output (e.g. theme images); no folder scanner.
Partial
WooCommerce & gallery plugins
Optimises WooCommerce product and gallery-plugin images.
WooCommerce product photos and galleries are optimised and served via CDN.
Included
Multisite support
Works across a WordPress multisite network.
Works on multisite per official support reply; each subsite is configured separately.
Included
WP-CLI
Run bulk optimisation from the command line.
wp optimole commands connect the API key, change settings and clear cache.
Included
Savings reports
Shows space saved and optimisation statistics.
Dashboard overview shows visits used and optimisation results.
Included
Pricing
Free
$0On WordPress.org
Free
Freeper monthUnlimited
Unlimited images up to 2,000 visits/month; +20,000 visits if the Optimole badge is shown.
Starter
£228.96per yearUnlimited
48,000 visits/month. Shown as £19.08/mo billed yearly (UK-localised pricing); monthly billing costs about 20% more.
Business
£468.96per yearUnlimited
120,000 visits/month, adds custom CNAME. Shown as £39.08/mo billed yearly.
Flexible
£948.96per yearUnlimited
300,000 visits/month (adjustable, custom plans on request). Shown as £79.08/mo billed yearly.
Prices are list prices from the vendor's site, checked 14 Oct 2026. Many vendors discount the first year.
How many sites use Optimole?
Free installs from WordPress.org, the vendor's own claim, and our estimate of paid installs.
Free version (WordPress.org)
200K+
Active installations reported by WordPress.org.
Vendor claim
200K+
Sites/users claimed on the vendor's website. source
Estimated Pro / paid installs
~30K
Our estimate, see method below.
How we estimated this: The vendor figure (200K+) is within WordPress.org's rounding of the free installs, so it says nothing about paid sites. About 250K free installs x 12% (the usual share of free sites that also run the paid version when a hosted service whose free tier is limited) gives 30K. Likely range: 15K to 60K. This counts sites running the paid version, including sites whose licence has lapsed. Estimates are rough and based on public figures as of 14 Oct 2026.
Stats & health
Weekly downloads
23,116 downloads last week, 9.3M all time
Rating breakdown
| Version | 4.2.18 |
|---|---|
| Last updated | 2 Nov 2026 (1 days ago) |
| Tested up to | WordPress 7.1.4 |
| Requires | WordPress 5.5+, PHP 7.4+ |
| Support threads (2 months) | 1 of 1 resolved |
| On WordPress.org since | 23 Sep 2018 |
Company & policy
| Refund policy | 7-day money-back (source, 6 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|
| G2 rating | 4.5 (source, 6 Oct 2026) |
Optimole compared
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FAQ
Is Optimole free?
Yes. Optimole has a free version on WordPress.org. Paid plans start at £228.96/yr.
How many sites use Optimole?
WordPress.org reports 200K+ active installations of the free version. The vendor claims 200K+ sites in total. We estimate around 30K sites run the paid version.
Does Optimole have lossy & lossless compression?
Yes: partial. Auto (ML) plus High, Medium and Low quality presets; all lossy, no lossless mode.
Does Optimole have bulk optimisation?
Yes: included. Existing library images are optimised in the cloud on delivery, with background bulk processing.
Does Optimole have keep & restore originals?
Yes: included. Non-destructive: originals stay on your server; paid offload has one-click restore.
Does Optimole have webp conversion?
Yes: included. Serves WebP automatically to browsers that support it.
Does Optimole have avif conversion?
Yes: included. AVIF conversion included on the free plan.
Does Optimole have image cdn?
Yes: included. Images delivered via AWS CloudFront from 450+ locations, free plan included.
How does Optimole count usage?
Plans are measured in monthly visits, where a visit is a unique daily visitor. Image count and bandwidth are not metered, but bots and services are counted as visitors.
What happens if I go over the free 2,000 visits?
Optimole emails you; free accounts need to upgrade within a few days or images fall back to unoptimised delivery. Paid accounts are moved to the next tier automatically.
Does Optimole change my original images?
No. It rewrites image URLs to its CDN and optimises copies in the cloud. Only the paid offload feature moves originals off your server, and that can be reversed.
Can I use it on multisite?
Yes, according to Optimole support, but there are no network-wide settings; each subsite is connected and configured separately.
Does it compress PDFs?
No. PDFs can be stored and served through Optimole's cloud library, but they are not compressed.
Last updated 6 Oct 2026. Spotted something wrong? Suggest an edit.