ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize… vs WP SmartCrop (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize…
300K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize… has a higher user rating (4.5/5 from 804 reviews) and leads in active installations (300K+ vs 4.0K+). Both are free WordPress plugins. ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize… has accumulated 18M+ total downloads while WP SmartCrop has 124K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize… | WP SmartCrop | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.5/5 | ◄ | 3.7/5 |
| Total Reviews | 804 | ◄ | 9 |
| Active Installs | 300K+ | ◄ | 4.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 18M+ | ◄ | 124K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 1 week ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2014 | 2016 | |
| Age | 12 years | 10 years | |
| WP Requires | 4.8.0+ | 3.5.0+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | false+ | |
| Business Model | Free | Free | |
| Latest Version | 6.4.4 | 2.0.10 |
Rating Breakdown
ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize…
WP SmartCrop
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize… averaged approximately 6,617 daily downloads while WP SmartCrop averaged 51.
Recent Reviews
ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize… Reviews
Excellent plugin
Image compression is excellent. Easy to use & affordable. AI SEO for image fields is brilliant!!! Saved me many hours. No need for support (so far)… and that’s how you want it… ie. works out
great plugin!
works great and the support is great too!
Excelente Herramienta para wordpress
Una excelente herramienta totalmente recomendada This topic was modified 1 month ago by janofernandez.
WP SmartCrop Reviews
Great But Needs Improvement
I had to alter the plugin code slightly to allow it to work with custom sizes as well. It would also be nice if the smart crop dimensions weren’t removed upon plugin deactivation, also, if the smart c
A small but significant improvement to WP
This function should be a core functionality! So when I found this little gem I was so happy.
Worked, but not in IE
The plugins worked quite well, but not in IE 11. There it broke the site. Sadly I got no help with that from the developer. So I stopped using it. Another downside (but probably not solvable by a plu
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize… or WP SmartCrop more popular?
Which has better ratings — ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize… or WP SmartCrop?
Are ShortPixel Image Optimizer – Optimize… and WP SmartCrop free?
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Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.