6 Best Squoosh.app
Alternatives in 2026
Compared on batch processing, format coverage, encoder controls, and privacy. Browser-only options that match Squoosh's architecture but scale to multiple files.
Why people leave Squoosh
Squoosh is one of the best-engineered web tools on the internet. Google's Chrome DevRel team built it as a showcase for WebAssembly and Web Workers, and the technical depth is real — encoder-level controls, side-by-side compare slider, support for cutting-edge formats including JPEG XL.
The single limitation that's a dealbreaker for many users: one image at a time. There's no batch mode, no folder drop, no parallel processing. For tuning a single hero image, that's fine — Squoosh stays the right tool. The moment you have 20 product photos or a full image library to compress, it stops scaling. The six alternatives below match Squoosh's architecture in different ways while solving the batch problem.
Side-by-side comparison
| Service | Pricing | Batch | Formats | In-browser? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WebToolVerse | Free | Yes — parallel Web Workers | JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF + HEIC input | Yes |
| Squoosh.app (reference) | Free | No — one image at a time | JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, JXL | Yes |
| TinyPNG | Free up to 20 images/month, 5 MB each; Pro $39/year | Yes (Pro) — up to 20 at a time on free | JPEG, PNG, WebP | No |
| Compressor.io | Free with limits; Premium $39/year | Yes (Premium) | JPEG, PNG, GIF, SVG | No |
| ImageOptim (macOS) | Free | Yes — drag a folder | JPEG, PNG, GIF, SVG | Yes |
| ShortPixel | Free 100 images/month then $4-30/mo | Yes via API or WP plugin | JPEG, PNG, GIF, WebP, AVIF | No |
Each alternative in detail
WebToolVerse
Browser-only image compressor with batch + AVIF + target-size
Privacy: Files processed in browser; never uploaded
Notable: Same browser-only architecture as Squoosh; adds batch processing, target-size mode, and HEIC input that Squoosh lacks
Where it falls short: Less encoder-level fine control than Squoosh's quality slider per setting
Best for: Anyone compressing more than one image at a time
Squoosh.app (reference)
Google's open-source single-image compressor
Privacy: Processes in browser; never uploaded
Notable: Best-in-class encoder controls; side-by-side compare slider; supports JPEG XL
Where it falls short: Single-image only; no batch mode means it doesn't scale beyond hero-image work
Best for: Power users tuning a single hero image with encoder-level precision
TinyPNG
Server-based with strict free tier
Privacy: Files uploaded; deleted after 1 hour
Notable: Best-in-class PNG quantizer; widely-used WordPress plugin
Where it falls short: 5 MB per file cap on free tier blocks most phone photos; no AVIF/JXL
Best for: WordPress users wanting the official plugin
Compressor.io
Polished web UI, daily quota
Privacy: Files uploaded
Notable: Lossless and lossy modes side-by-side
Where it falls short: Free tier limited to 50 files/day; no AVIF or WebP modern formats
Best for: Designers who want a clean web UI and accept the upload
ImageOptim (macOS)
Native macOS app for batch compression
Privacy: Local — runs entirely on your machine
Notable: Combines mozjpeg, pngquant, gifsicle, and SVGO into one drag-and-drop tool
Where it falls short: macOS only; no Windows/Linux version; no WebP/AVIF output
Best for: Mac users compressing local image folders
ShortPixel
API-first, popular WordPress integration
Privacy: Files uploaded
Notable: Strong API; WordPress, Magento, Shopify plugins; AVIF support
Where it falls short: Real cost stacks fast for high-volume sites; uploads required
Best for: Agencies running compression on WordPress at scale
Why we built ours
We wanted Squoosh's architecture (browser-only, no upload, modern formats) but with batch processing and HEIC input from iPhones. The compression libraries are the same — mozjpeg, libwebp, AVIF — wrapped in a Web Worker pool so multiple files process in parallel. Quality output, no upload, scales to whole folders.
No upload
Same architecture as Squoosh. Nothing leaves your tab.
Batch processing
Drop a whole folder. Processes in parallel via Web Workers.
HEIC input
Phone photos come as HEIC; we decode and re-encode in one step.
Recommendations by use case
Multiple images at once
WebToolVerse — browser-only batch mode. Drop a folder, get a ZIP back.
Pixel-perfect tuning of a single hero image
Squoosh — exposes every encoder parameter and provides a side-by-side compare slider. Worth the single-image limitation if you're crafting one important image.
macOS workflow with system-folder integration
ImageOptim — drag a Finder folder onto the app icon and walk away. Best Mac-native experience.
WordPress at scale
ShortPixel for the WP plugin and bulk processing. TinyPNG's WP plugin if you stay under 100 images/month.
Try the WebToolVerse Image Compressor
Browser-only architecture, batch processing, HEIC input. The Squoosh experience extended to whole folders.
Open Image CompressorFrequently asked questions
Why look for a Squoosh alternative?
Squoosh is excellent — best-in-class encoder controls, full browser-only privacy, supports formats (JPEG XL) others don't. The catch: it processes one image at a time. The moment you have 20 product photos to compress for a launch, Squoosh stops being practical. Most users want Squoosh's architecture (browser-only, no upload) plus batch processing.
Is the compression quality the same as Squoosh?
For JPEG, PNG, WebP, AVIF: yes. The libraries (mozjpeg, libwebp, libaom) compile to WebAssembly and produce identical output regardless of which UI is in front of them. Where Squoosh genuinely wins is exposing every encoder knob (e.g. the JPEG '4:2:0 chroma subsampling' toggle) for fine-tuning. Most batch-friendly alternatives expose a quality slider but not the underlying encoder parameters.
What's JPEG XL? Should I use it?
JPEG XL is a modern image format with better compression than JPEG and AVIF in some scenarios, with backward-compatible JPEG decoding (no quality loss). It's supported in Squoosh and a few specialised tools. The catch: as of 2026, browser support is patchy — Chrome dropped it, Safari added it. For now, AVIF is the more universally-supported modern format. Use JXL only if you control the consumption pipeline.
Can I batch-compress without uploading?
Yes — that's what WebToolVerse and ImageOptim do. WebToolVerse handles up to 50 MB per file in batch mode; ImageOptim handles whatever your Mac's memory allows. Browser-only batch means the privacy guarantee scales: 100 product photos compressed and never uploaded.
Is browser-based compression as fast as server-based?
On a modern CPU: comparable for single images, often faster than waiting on an upload + download round trip. For batch processing: depends on parallelism. Squoosh is single-threaded; WebToolVerse uses a Web Worker pool to process multiple images in parallel; server tools like ShortPixel can use beefy GPUs. For 1-50 images, browser-based wins on total elapsed time because there's no network round-trip per file.
What about animated images (GIF, animated WebP)?
Squoosh, Compressor.io, and ImageOptim handle GIFs. Animated WebP is supported by Squoosh and ImageOptim but conversion options are limited. For serious GIF or animated-WebP workflows, dedicated tools (Gifski, ezgif.com) are better than any general compressor.