At RankMe1, we work with a diverse range of clients—from early-stage D2C startups to well-established eCommerce brands and service-based businesses. One thing that unites them all? A need for fast, high-performing websites that rank well on Google and deliver seamless experiences to visitors.
When it comes to website performance, image optimization is one of the most underrated yet powerful strategies you can implement. And after years of testing different tools, we can say with confidence: ShortPixel is hands-down one of the best investments we've made.
In this in-depth review, we’ll share how we use ShortPixel at RankMe1, why we recommend it to all our clients, the results we’ve seen, and how you can get ShortPixel credits directly from us if you’re working with our agency.
What Is ShortPixel?
ShortPixel is a powerful image optimization tool that compresses images without compromising quality, significantly improving your website’s loading speed and overall performance.
It works seamlessly with WordPress through a lightweight plugin and also offers a bulk Web-based optimizer, API access, CDN-based image delivery (ShortPixel Adaptive Images), and even AVIF and WebP conversion support.
Whether you run a blog, WooCommerce store, portfolio site, or news website—ShortPixel reduces the bloat without breaking anything.
Why Image Optimization Matters More Than Ever
In the era of Google Core Web Vitals, user experience is more than a buzzword. It’s a ranking signal, a conversion booster, and a trust factor.
Common problems we see in client sites:
- 5+ MB homepage due to unoptimized hero images
- Slow-loading product pages killing eCommerce conversions
- Mobile bounce rate through the roof due to heavy visuals
- Failing performance audits (Google PageSpeed, GTMetrix, etc.)
ShortPixel solves all of these.
Our Journey With ShortPixel at RankMe1
When we first stumbled upon ShortPixel, it was during a PageSpeed rescue mission for a client with a WooCommerce site that had over 6,000 images. Manual compression was impossible. We tried a few tools, but either they broke the layout, degraded quality, or slowed down the admin panel.
Then came ShortPixel.
First Impressions:
- Simple WordPress plugin
- Clean UI, no fluff
- No lock-in—you can optimize and disable it later
- Affordable one-time credits instead of monthly billing
Within an hour, the client’s media library was being compressed automatically in the background while we worked on other SEO tasks. By the end of the week, we shaved off nearly 400 MB from the site and improved mobile page speed scores from 51 to 91.
We were sold.
How We Use ShortPixel Regularly
We now use ShortPixel on every client WordPress site we manage under RankMe1. Here’s our typical process:
🔧 Plugin Setup (WordPress):
- Install ShortPixel Image Optimizer
- Connect our API key
- Set compression level (usually Lossy for max performance)
- Enable WebP + AVIF image generation
- Activate image backups just in case
- Let it run in the background
💻 Bulk Optimization for Non-WordPress Sites:
We also work with custom HTML or Shopify sites. For these, we:
- Use the ShortPixel Web Tool for batch processing
- Upload manually optimized versions
- Alternatively, we integrate ShortPixel API via backend workflows
🌐 ShortPixel Adaptive Images (CDN + WebP):
For sites with global traffic or heavy design, we sometimes enable ShortPixel AI—their adaptive image CDN that serves next-gen formats like WebP/AVIF with responsive sizing, lazy loading, and smart cropping.
Result: Instantly improves Lighthouse and PageSpeed metrics without messing with code.
Real Results from Real Projects
✅ Client 1: WooCommerce Store (Skincare)
- Images: ~4,500
- Reduction: 65% in total media size
- PageSpeed (mobile): 48 ➝ 92
- Bounce Rate: Dropped by 16%
- Conversion Rate: +18% (after speed + UI improvements)
✅ Client 2: Portfolio Website (Fashion Brand)
- Heavy HD images in sliders
- Switched to AVIF + WebP with ShortPixel AI
- 70% reduction in total payload
- Improved CLS (Cumulative Layout Shift) by 40%
- Huge boost in engagement
✅ Client 3: Blogger (Food & Recipes)
- Blog images were PNGs without compression
- Enabled ShortPixel lossy + WebP
- Cut average load time from 6.8s to 2.1s
- Images looked identical to original—no visual downgrade
What We Love About ShortPixel ❤️
1. Set It and Forget It
Once set up, it works quietly in the background. Whether we’re uploading a new blog image or a product photo, it gets optimized instantly.
2. No Quality Compromise
The lossy compression mode is surprisingly good. We’ve compared “before vs after” on 4K screens and rarely see any difference. The balance between file size and quality is just right.
3. WebP and AVIF Support
Serving next-gen formats is no longer optional in 2025. ShortPixel auto-generates and delivers them where supported, which gives a big boost to performance scores.
4. Affordable and Scalable
They have one-time credit bundles which you can share across multiple sites. This is perfect for agencies like ours. We buy credits in bulk and allocate them to client sites based on need.
5. API and CDN Options
For advanced users and developers, ShortPixel offers an easy-to-use API and a lightning-fast CDN image service with smart delivery.
ShortPixel vs Other Tools
| Feature | ShortPixel | Smush | TinyPNG | Imagify | EWWW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| WebP & AVIF | ✅ | WebP only | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| CDN Integration | ✅ (AI) | ✅ (Paid) | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| API Access | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Credit-based Pricing | ✅ | ❌ (subscription) | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Backup Originals | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Adaptive Images | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ | ❌ | ✅ (limited) |
| Overall Speed Impact | 🔥🔥🔥🔥🔥 | 🔥🔥🔥 | 🔥🔥 | 🔥🔥🔥 | 🔥🔥🔥 |
Verdict: ShortPixel stands out with its next-gen image support, flexible pricing, adaptive CDN, and minimal impact on site performance.
Who Should Use ShortPixel?
- Bloggers & Content Creators who want fast-loading posts
- WooCommerce Store Owners losing conversions due to slow sites
- Photographers/Designers needing smart compression without visual loss
- Agencies (like RankMe1!) managing multiple sites
- Developers building performance-first web apps
- Non-tech founders who want to improve Core Web Vitals without hiring devs
Pricing: Is It Worth It?
Yes—absolutely.
ShortPixel offers free monthly credits (100 images) to test things out. But we recommend going for their one-time plans or monthly bundles for real projects.
One-Time Plans (as of 2025):
- 10,000 credits – $9.99
- 30,000 credits – $19.99
- 50,000 credits – $29.99
- 100,000 credits – $49.99
These credits never expire, and you can spread them across client websites, making it agency-friendly.
Tip from RankMe1:
If you're working with us, we can directly provide ShortPixel credits as part of your SEO or website optimization package. You don’t need to manage billing or setup—we handle it all for you.
Things to Keep in Mind
Nothing’s perfect. Here are a few small caveats:
- Limited Free Credits: You’ll quickly run out of the free 100 images/month.
- Plugin-only for WordPress: If you’re not using WP, you’ll have to use the web tool or API.
- AI Image CDN is separate pricing: While worth it, it’s billed differently from optimization credits.
But overall, these are minor issues compared to the value you get.
Final Verdict: 9.8/10 ⭐
At RankMe1, we rely on ShortPixel for every project we touch. It’s one of those rare tools that’s:
- Easy to use ✅
- Affordable ✅
- Technically sound ✅
- Delivers real results ✅
Whether you’re an agency, a startup founder, or a solo blogger—image optimization is not optional anymore.
If you care about performance, UX, SEO, and conversions, ShortPixel is a must-have.
Need Help Optimizing Your Website?
We’re a digital growth agency that helps startups and businesses scale faster using smart tools like ShortPixel, SalesBlink, Integrately, and more.
🎁 Special Offer for RankMe1 Readers:
If you want us to handle your website or SEO, we’ll include ShortPixel credits in your package as complemantary.
Written by Ganesh Bommanaveni
Founder, RankMe1 International Inn
Digital Growth Specialist | Automation Enthusiast | SEO Consultant