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Autoptimize vs Lazy Loader (2026)

Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.

Autoptimize

Autoptimize

4.7(1,424)

900K+ active installs

Free

Updated 3 weeks ago
View Autoptimize
VS
Lazy Loader

Lazy Loader

4.7(49)

10K+ active installs

Free

Updated 1 year ago
View Lazy Loader

Quick Verdict

As of April 2026, Autoptimize has a higher user rating (4.7/5 from 1,424 reviews) and leads in active installations (900K+ vs 10K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. Autoptimize has accumulated 43M+ total downloads while Lazy Loader has 215K+.

Detailed Comparison

Rating
4.7/5Autoptimize
Lazy Loader4.7/5
Total Reviews
1,424Autoptimize
◄
Lazy Loader49
Active Installs
900K+Autoptimize
◄
Lazy Loader10K+
Total Downloads
43M+Autoptimize
◄
Lazy Loader215K+
Support Resolution
40%Autoptimize
Lazy LoaderN/A
Last Updated
3 weeks agoAutoptimize
◄
Lazy Loader1 year ago
First Released
2009Autoptimize
Lazy Loader2015
Age
17 yearsAutoptimize
Lazy Loader11 years
WP Requires
5.3+Autoptimize
Lazy Loader4.9.8+
PHP Requires
7.1+Autoptimize
Lazy Loader7.0+
Business Model
FreeAutoptimize
Lazy LoaderFree
Latest Version
3.1.15Autoptimize
Lazy Loader8.2.0

Rating Breakdown

Autoptimize

4.7/5(1,424 reviews)
5
90%
4
2%
3
1%
2
1%
1
5%

Lazy Loader

4.7/5(49 reviews)
5
90%
4
0%
3
4%
2
2%
1
4%

Recent Reviews

Autoptimize Reviews

by uniqf0x

avoid

causes critical error, also no way to deactivate or remove without it crippling my wp site. don’t use it.

by kkrajk

Injects Malware.

Not one but this happened twice in about 6 months across 2 sites. This topic was modified 1 week, 6 days ago by kkrajk.

by davo342

Mala idea adquirir la versión PRO

Pague la versión PRO, y realmente fue un desastre, mi web tuvo constantes caídas, excesiva cantidad de cache, problemas con el CSS, realmente fue una perdida de dinero en el Plugin

Lazy Loader Reviews

by Rafał

Works with WEBP galleries

Quite strange matter – tested on WP 5.9.3, and 6.0 – when a gallery has JPEG thumbnails then native lazy loading works as suspected, but when a gallery is built with WEBP thumbnails it does NOT!? desp

by Jonas

Thank You

Great, you can just exclude images etc. I need it for that.

by Orhan Bilikvar

Very good

Solving the Threshold problem is invaluable. Thank you! This topic was modified 4 years, 3 months ago by Orhan Bilikvar.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Autoptimize or Lazy Loader more popular?
Autoptimize has 900K+ active installations while Lazy Loader has 10K+. Autoptimize is the more widely-used plugin as of April 2026.
Which has better ratings — Autoptimize or Lazy Loader?
Autoptimize has a 4.7/5 rating from 1,424 reviews, while Lazy Loader has a 4.7/5 rating from 49 reviews.
Are Autoptimize and Lazy Loader free?
Autoptimize is free and Lazy Loader is free. Both can be downloaded from the WordPress.org plugin directory.
Which plugin has better support — Autoptimize or Lazy Loader?
Support resolution data is not available for all plugins. Check each plugin's WordPress.org support forum for current response quality.
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Autoptimize was last updated 3 weeks ago and Lazy Loader was last updated 1 year ago.

Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.