Images are heavily used on many types of websites. Unless you can be absolutely sure that every visitor of your website has a super blazing fast network and the price of bandwidth is not a problem, then image optimization or compression is not an issue. But in reality, it’s not the case and using some optimization tools is a must. The quality of image after compressing is another factor. For example, images on Verge are very big and high quality but the size is relatively small. In this article, we rounded up some best tools for image optimization that you’ll actually need.

Online Optimization Tools:

Kraken

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Neat, Fast, Efficient
  • Bulk Process
  • Drage drop Local Upload + URL
  • Support JPEG, PNG and GIF
  • Chrome Firefox Extension
  • API Supported

Downside:

  • Sometimes it just failed without any reason. (Shows “Error while kraking this file.”)

JPEGmini

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Dramatic size reduction of JPEG
  • Upload to Albums (Will be expired in a week)
  • Bulk Process
  • Mac App Available(Upload amount is limited)

Downside:

  • No indication of “processing” while waiting. Only shows the result page after certain time based on how many pictures you have optimized.

TinyPNG

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Fast and Reliable for PNG optimization
  • Bulk Process (Up to 20), Max 2MB each image

Downside:

  • Failed a few times when compressing certain pictures but overall it’s very good
  • Have to download each file one by one (Only 20 though.)

Smush.it

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Fast and Reliable
  • Bulk Upload of JPG, GIF, and PNG
  • Be able to download file in folder structure

Downside:

  • Maybe due to many people are using Smush, sometimes I just could not visit Smushit or download the processed file.

Webresizer

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Single image up to 5MB
  • Support JPG, GIF, and PNG
  • Allow some basic image manipulations after processing

Downside:

  • No bulk upload

Online Image Optimizer

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Support JPG, GIF, and PNG
  • Local upload or URL
  • Be able to convert the file type.

Downside:

  • File size limited to 300KB
  • No bulk upload

Image Optimization Softwares

Online tools are very handy but lack of options to customize and may be failed due to server issue. The following Windows or Mac app could help you do this small job on local environment. They all support bulk image processing.

RIOT

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Platform: Windows
  • Support JPEG, GIF, and PNG
  • Dual View: Automatic preview of resulting image
  • Image manipulations after processing
  • Suppoort input file: PSD and RAW

Image Optimizer

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Platform: Windows(Free Version has Promo Text) and Online
  • Support JPEG, GIF, and PNG

ImageOptim

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Platform: Mac
  • Drag and drop JPEG, GIF, and PNG (And Folders of images)

iResize

Best Image Optimization Tools
Key Features:

  • Platform: Mac
  • Compress GIF, JPEG, PICT, PNG, TIFF and PSD files
  • Important: Converts them to new JPEG file (Be able to choose the output quality)

For WordPress plugins, there are WP Smush.it, CW Image Optimizer or EWWW Image Optimizer that can do the job. But I prefer not to install a plugin just for image optimisation purpose. Just smash it and then upload. What do you think?