Smush Review 2026: Is the Free Version Enough?
The Smush dashboard on our test install after a Basic bulk run and one later upload, version 4.3.4, October 2026.
Our verdict: Smush is one of the easiest image optimizers to set up, and its free lazy load works well. But the free version saves little on its own. On our test site, its no-account Basic mode saved 6.8% on the images it processed, skipped a photo over 5 MB, and made no WebP files, because WebP and AVIF are Pro features. Pick Smush if you want a simple, safe plugin with lazy load, or if you already pay for WPMU DEV. If you want the most savings for free, EWWW does more.
This review is based on a fresh install of Smush 4.3.4 on WordPress 7.1.2, where we ran the setup wizard, a bulk optimization of seven real photos and screenshots, and the lazy load on a test post. Pricing and Pro features come from WPMU DEV’s own pages, checked in October 2026.
Smush Quick Facts
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Latest version | 4.3.4 (released September 29, 2026) |
| Developer | WPMU DEV |
| Active installs | 1 million+ on WordPress.org |
| Rating | 4.8 out of 5 from about 6,050 reviews |
| Where it compresses | WPMU DEV’s cloud servers (the Smush API) |
| Free limits | No monthly image cap, 5 MB per image |
| Free compression | Basic (lossless) with no account; Super (lossy) needs a free WPMU DEV account |
| Free extras | Lazy load, bulk optimization, compression on upload, Directory Smush, resizing, backups and restore |
| Pro only | Ultra compression, WebP and AVIF, 119-location CDN, auto resize, preload, files up to 256 MB |
| Smush Pro price | $50/year (1 site), $75/year (3 sites), $100/year (10 sites), or $9.99/month for unlimited sites |
| Refund window | 30 days |
| Our test result | 1.8 MB saved (6.8%) on the six images it processed, in about 75 seconds |
| Best for | Beginners who want lazy load and safe compression with no setup, and WPMU DEV members |
What Is Smush?
Smush is an image optimization plugin from WPMU DEV. It first appeared on WordPress.org in 2008 and now has more than a million active installs. It does three main jobs:
- Compression. It shrinks image files on WPMU DEV’s servers, so it puts little load on your hosting.
- Lazy load. It delays loading images until a visitor scrolls near them.
- Delivery (Pro). Smush Pro converts images to WebP or AVIF and can serve them from WPMU DEV’s CDN (a network of servers around the world).
Free and Pro are the same plugin. Pro features unlock when you connect a paid WPMU DEV account.
Setting Up Smush: The Wizard
The Smush setup wizard’s default settings on a fresh install, version 4.3.4, October 2026.
On our test install, activating Smush opened a full-screen welcome page with one button, “Scan site”. The scan of our seven images took about 28 seconds and reported “7 images to optimize”.
The next screen listed the defaults Smush had already turned on:
- Super 2X Compression (lossy)
- Automatic Compression of new uploads
- Lazy Load
- Optimize original images (the full-size file, not just the smaller copies WordPress makes)
Clicking Continue led to a “Connect to WPMU DEV to optimize your images” screen with two choices: “Create free account” or “Sign in”. There is no skip button on that screen. We closed it with the X in the corner, which took us to the normal Smush dashboard.
Clicking Optimize with the default Super setting and no account, on a test install, version 4.3.4, October 2026.
This is the first thing to know about Smush in 2026. The wizard picks Super compression, but Super needs a WPMU DEV account. Clicking “Optimize 7 images” with no account brought up the pop-up above. The account is free, but we did not create one. Switching to Basic let the bulk run start with no prompt. So the free choices are Basic with no account or Super with a free account. Ultra needs Smush Pro.
Our Test: Bulk Smush Results
We uploaded seven images to a fresh WordPress 7.1.2 site (PHP 8.3) before installing Smush, the way most people add Smush to an existing site:
- Five JPEG landscape photos from Wikimedia Commons, full-size originals of 2.9 MB to 8.7 MB each.
- One PNG photo (1,600 px wide, 2.9 MB).
- One PNG screenshot of the WordPress dashboard (1,440 x 900, 180 KB).
With the thumbnails and “scaled” copies WordPress creates, that made 51 files and 38.3 MB. We then ran Bulk Smush in Basic mode with Smush’s other defaults.
Per-image Smush results in the Media Library after a Basic bulk run on a test install, version 4.3.4, October 2026.
The run took about 75 seconds. Smush reported 1.8 MB saved (6.8%) and six of seven images optimized. We measured the files on disk afterwards, and the totals matched: 1.88 MB saved across the 43 files Smush processed.
| Image | Original file before | Original file after | Smush’s report (all sizes) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mountain lake (JPEG, 3,506 px) | 3.66 MB | 3.20 MB | 10.9% smaller |
| Winter lake (JPEG, 2,000 px) | 2.86 MB | 2.70 MB | 5.8% smaller |
| Sunrise valley (JPEG, 4,288 px) | 4.44 MB | 4.32 MB | 3.0% smaller |
| Dawn hills (JPEG, 5,605 px) | 4.73 MB | 3.94 MB | 16.1% smaller |
| Stone bridge (JPEG, 4,608 px) | 8.71 MB | Unchanged | Skipped: over the 5 MB limit |
| Valley photo (PNG) | 2.86 MB | Unchanged | Skipped: “already optimized” |
| Dashboard screenshot (PNG) | 180 KB | 123 KB | 29.6% smaller |
What stood out:
- Basic really is lossless. We compared the pixels of each optimized JPEG before and after, and they were identical. The savings came from removing metadata and re-encoding the files as progressive JPEGs. The smaller copies WordPress makes shrank by about 5% on average.
- Over 5 MB means skipped completely. The 8.7 MB photo was not touched, and neither were its seven smaller copies, even though those were all well under 5 MB. Smush showed “File size limit of 5 MB exceeded” and “Upgrade to Pro to Smush larger images”. Phone and camera photos often pass 5 MB, so this limit matters.
- The PNG photo saved nothing. Smush marked it “already optimized”. The screenshot, with its large flat areas of color, saved almost 30%.
- Backups use space. “Backup original images” is on by default, so Smush kept a full copy of each original. Our uploads folder actually grew, from 38.3 MB to 55.2 MB, and stays that way until you delete the backups. That is a fair trade for being able to restore, but check your hosting storage before a big run.
Across the whole library, including the skipped photo, Smush Basic cut the total by 4.9%. For comparison, in our roundup of image optimizer plugins, a different six-image set saw 8.5% from Smush Basic, and lossy tools saved far more.
Compression on upload works. We later uploaded a new 1.1 MB JPEG through the Media Library. The list first showed “File processing is in progress”, and about 20 seconds after the upload it reported “6 images reduced by 57.6 KB (3.6%)”.
A note on metadata
“Remove metadata from images” is on by default. On our test site it removed the EXIF data (camera details and, on phone photos, often GPS location) and the embedded color profile from every JPEG. Removing GPS data is good for privacy. The color profile is usually harmless to lose for normal web photos, but photographers who work in wider color spaces should turn this setting off and check their images.
Basic, Super and Ultra Compression
Smush has three compression levels. WPMU DEV’s documentation describes them like this:
| Level | Type | What you need | Vendor description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic (1X) | Lossless | Nothing, works without an account | “Pixel-perfect images with minimal file size reduction” |
| Super (2X) | Lossy | A free WPMU DEV account | “Much better compression and file size reduction” than Basic |
| Ultra (5X) | Lossy | Smush Pro | “5 times greater than the Super mode” |
“Lossless” keeps every pixel. “Lossy” throws away a little image data that most people cannot see, and saves much more. After our Basic run, the dashboard claimed “Ultra saves up to 60% per image”. We could not check that, and because we did not create an account, our results are for Basic only.
WebP and AVIF: Pro Only
The Next-Gen Formats “Try now” pop-up in the free version on a test install, version 4.3.4, October 2026.
WebP and AVIF are newer image formats that are usually much smaller than JPEG or PNG. In the free version, the Next-Gen Formats settings are grayed out with a “Pro” badge. Clicking “Try now” opened a comparison pop-up with WPMU DEV’s own sample photo. It showed a 3.36 MB JPEG, a WebP version 74.73% smaller and an AVIF version 78.34% smaller, next to an upgrade button.
After our bulk run there were no WebP or AVIF files anywhere in our uploads folder. If WebP matters to you, and it often gives the biggest savings, this is the main gap in free Smush. EWWW, ShortPixel and Imagify all include WebP in their free versions.
With Pro, WPMU DEV’s docs recommend “Direct Conversion”, which needs no server setup. The other method uses server rewrite rules, which must be added by hand on NGINX, and the docs say hybrid NGINX and Apache hosts such as Cloudways need extra steps. Pro can also serve WebP or AVIF through the CDN.
Lazy Load: Free and It Works
Smush’s Lazy Load settings in the free version on a test install, version 4.3.4, October 2026.
Lazy load is the best part of free Smush. It was on by default, and you can choose which areas (content, widgets, featured images, Gravatars), file types (including iframes and YouTube or Vimeo previews) and post types it covers, pick a fade-in, spinner or placeholder effect, and exclude URLs or CSS classes.
We built a test post with six photos and opened it in a browser window 1,440 x 900 px. Only 2 of the 6 images loaded at first. The other 4 loaded as we scrolled down. Smush also left the first image, which WordPress marks as high priority, out of lazy loading, so the top of the page was not delayed.
Two things to know:
- WordPress already adds basic lazy loading on its own. Smush replaces it with its own small script, which adds the effects, the iframe and video options, and the exclusions. If you only need the basics, WordPress’s built-in version may be enough.
- Smush’s lazy load depends on JavaScript. The “NoScript fallback” option was off by default on our test site, so visitors with JavaScript turned off would not see lazy-loaded images unless you switch it on.
Preload, which loads the largest image near the top of the page first, is a Pro feature.
Other Free Features
- Directory Smush compresses images outside the Media Library, such as theme folders.
- Resize large images and PNG to JPEG conversion are available but off by default.
- Restore brings back originals, one image or all, as long as backups are on.
- Email notification was on by default and emails the admin when a bulk run finishes.
Take a backup before you run any bulk tool on a live site. Our WordPress backup plugin guide covers free options, or you can try Smush on a copy made with one of the best WordPress staging plugins.
Upsells and Annoyances
On our test site, Smush added no notices to the WordPress dashboard, Plugins page or Posts screen. Inside Smush, the prompts never stop. After the bulk run, its dashboard showed six upgrade spots. They were a “Pro Features” button, the Ultra tile, a “Ready to save more?” card, the CDN and Next-Gen Formats cards, and an “Upgrade” menu link. An “Enjoying Smush?” pop-up also asked for a five-star review.
The in-plugin upgrade links advertise “Unlimited sites · $4.99/m”. That is the price of WPMU DEV’s Premium plan for the first three months. After that it is $9.99 a month.
Smush Free vs Smush Pro
| Feature | Smush (free) | Smush Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Basic (lossless) compression | Yes, no account | Yes |
| Super (lossy) compression | Yes, free WPMU DEV account | Yes |
| Ultra compression | No | Yes |
| Maximum image size | 5 MB | 256 MB |
| Monthly image limit | None | None |
| Lazy load | Yes | Yes |
| Preload (for LCP) | No | Yes |
| WebP and AVIF | No | Yes |
| CDN (119 locations) | No | Yes |
| Auto resize to fit the page | No | Yes |
| Directory Smush, backups, restore | Yes | Yes |
| Support | WordPress.org support forum | 24/7 WPMU DEV support |
Smush Pro Pricing
Smush Pro is not sold on its own. You get it as part of a WPMU DEV plan, which also includes the company’s other Pro plugins: Hummingbird (caching), Forminator Pro (forms), Hustle (pop-ups), Defender (security), SmartCrawl (SEO), Snapshot (backups) and Branda (white label). Prices as of October 2026, from WPMU DEV’s pricing page:
| Plan | Sites | Price | Included |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pro Basic | 1 | $50/year | All Pro plugins, 50 GB CDN, 5 GB backup storage, 24/7 support |
| Pro Standard | 3 | $75/year | Same as Pro Basic |
| Pro Plus | 10 | $100/year | Same as Pro Basic |
| Premium | Unlimited | $9.99/month ($4.99/month for the first 3 months) | All Pro plugins, unlimited CDN and backups, hosting discounts, reseller and client tools |
All plans have a 30-day money-back guarantee, and WPMU DEV says you can cancel any time.
For one site, $50 a year is fair if you will use several of the bundled plugins. For image optimization alone you can pay less: ShortPixel’s one-time credit packs start at $19.99, and EWWW’s free version already includes WebP.
Smush vs ShortPixel vs EWWW vs Imagify
These are the three alternatives searchers most often compare with Smush. Details are from each plugin’s WordPress.org listing and pricing page, October 2026. Our image optimizer roundup covers ten plugins, with test results for the ones that run without an account.
| Smush | ShortPixel | EWWW | Imagify | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Active installs | 1M+ | 300K+ | 1M+ | 1M+ |
| Account needed | Basic: no; Super: free account | Yes (API key) | No | Yes (API key) |
| Free limit | Unlimited, 5 MB per image | 100 credits a month | Unlimited | 20 MB a month, 2 MB per image |
| Where it compresses | Cloud | Cloud | Your server (cloud on paid plans) | Cloud |
| Free WebP | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Free AVIF | No | Yes | No | Yes |
| Free lazy load | Yes | Yes | Yes | No (separate plugin) |
| Paid from | $50/year | $9.99/month unlimited, or one-time credits from $19.99 | $8/month or $80/year | $5.99/month ($4.99 billed yearly) |
ShortPixel offers lossy, glossy and lossless compression plus free WebP and AVIF, but needs an account, and the free plan covers 100 images a month.
EWWW Image Optimizer is the best free alternative. It compresses on your own server with no account and no limit, and WebP and lazy load are free. It needs a compatible server.
Imagify, from the team behind WP Rocket, includes WebP and AVIF free, but its 20 MB a month (about 200 images, says the vendor) suits small sites.
Smush wins on ease of use, no-account setup and free lazy load. It loses on free WebP and on the 5 MB limit.
Who Should Use Smush?
Smush is a good fit if you want an install-and-forget plugin with safe defaults, free lazy load in the same place, lossless compression you never have to check, or you already pay for WPMU DEV.
Look elsewhere if you want free WebP (choose EWWW or Imagify), upload photos over 5 MB, or want the biggest savings from lossy compression (ShortPixel, or Smush Pro’s Ultra mode).
Image size is only one part of page speed. Your theme matters too, and our test of the fastest WordPress themes lists lightweight options.
FAQ
Is Smush free?
Yes. Free Smush has no monthly image limit. Basic (lossless) compression works without an account, and Super (lossy) needs a free WPMU DEV account. Files over 5 MB, WebP and AVIF, the CDN and Ultra compression need Smush Pro, from $50 a year.
How much does Smush Pro cost?
As of October 2026, Smush Pro comes with WPMU DEV’s Pro plans: $50/year for 1 site, $75/year for 3 sites or $100/year for 10 sites. The unlimited-site Premium plan is $9.99 a month, with the first three months at $4.99. Each plan includes WPMU DEV’s other Pro plugins and has a 30-day money-back guarantee.
Does Smush convert images to WebP?
Only Smush Pro does. In the free version, the WebP and AVIF settings are locked, and after our bulk run there were no WebP files on the test site. If you want free WebP, EWWW Image Optimizer, ShortPixel and Imagify all include it.
Does Smush reduce image quality?
Not in Basic mode. On our test site, the JPEGs had exactly the same pixels before and after a Basic run. The savings came from removing metadata and re-encoding. Super and Ultra are lossy, which means they remove some image data that WPMU DEV says is hard to notice.
Why did Smush skip some of my images?
The free version skips any image whose original file is over 5 MB, along with all of its smaller copies. It also skips images it decides are already optimized, which happened to a PNG photo on our test site. Smush lists the reason next to each image in the Media Library.
Final Verdict
Smush is easy for beginners, its free lazy load is the best part, and its Basic mode left our photos’ pixels untouched. Its free savings are modest, though. It saved 6.8% on the images it processed on our test site, made no WebP files, and its 5 MB limit skipped our largest photo.
Install Smush if ease of use and lazy load matter most, or if you will use WPMU DEV’s other plugins with Smush Pro. If you want the most from a free plugin, choose EWWW Image Optimizer. If you are ready to pay for compression alone, ShortPixel gives more for the money.