Smush – Image Optimization… vs PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer… (2026)
Detailed side-by-side comparison of two WordPress plugins, based on real-time data from WordPress.org.
Smush – Image Optimization…
1.0M+ active installs
Free + Premium
PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer…
6.0K+ active installs
Free
Quick Verdict
As of April 2026, Smush – Image Optimization… has a higher user rating (4.8/5 from 6,034 reviews) and leads in active installations (1.0M+ vs 6.0K+). Both are free + premium WordPress plugins. Smush – Image Optimization… has accumulated 64M+ total downloads while PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer… has 705K+.
Detailed Comparison
| Metric | Smush – Image Optimization… | PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer… | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rating | 4.8/5 | ◄ | 4.5/5 |
| Total Reviews | 6,034 | ◄ | 114 |
| Active Installs | 1.0M+ | ◄ | 6.0K+ |
| Total Downloads | 64M+ | ◄ | 705K+ |
| Support Resolution | 100% | N/A | |
| Last Updated | 3 days ago | ◄ | 1 year ago |
| First Released | 2008 | 2017 | |
| Age | 18 years | 9 years | |
| WP Requires | 6.4+ | 4.6+ | |
| PHP Requires | 7.4+ | 5.6+ | |
| Business Model | Free + Premium | Free | |
| Latest Version | 3.24.0 | 1.4.5 |
Rating Breakdown
Smush – Image Optimization…
PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer…
Download Trends
Over the past 30 days, Smush – Image Optimization… averaged approximately 7,614 daily downloads while PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer… averaged 20.
Recent Reviews
Smush – Image Optimization… Reviews
Best App Category
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Great Plugin
Großartiges Plugin um Bilder zu optimieren.
Super Helpful
Good plugin for compressing images in WordPress. Setup took just a minute, and it started optimizing right away. Site speed improved a bit, too. tnx devs for this.
PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer… Reviews
Horribly bad
horribly bad, you can’t change any settings until you pay a subscription! don’t waste your time
Spam footer link
The plugin is successful in terms of optimization, but it automatically added a footer link without my consent. I thought it was spam, but I realized it wasn’t. You can remove it in advanced settings.
real improvement
I was concerned about load speed for my pages and did a Google page speed and found that my desktop was around 70 and mobile around 55. I installed this package and I saw significant improvement immed
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is Smush – Image Optimization… or PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer… more popular?
Which has better ratings — Smush – Image Optimization… or PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer…?
Are Smush – Image Optimization… and PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer… free?
Which plugin has better support — Smush – Image Optimization… or PageSpeed Ninja – Cache, Minify, Defer…?
Which plugin is updated more frequently?
Plugin data sourced from WordPress.org. Comparison and analysis by PluginSift.