Free Python image compressor vs TinyPNG
The Image Compressor is a small local tool from The Freelancer Kit: shrink JPG and PNG images in bulk on your own computer, with a quality choice and a maximum size, and keep your originals untouched.
| Our tool: Image Compressor (free) | Competitor | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Shrinks JPG, JPEG and PNG images on your own computer. Pick images or a whole folder, choose a quality level and a maximum size, then compress. Results show the before-and-after size for every file and the total space saved. | An online image compression service: upload images in a browser and download compressed versions. It is built for quick web use and for developers who need an API or plugin — features our tool does not offer. |
| Where your files are processed | Locally, on your own computer. Your images never leave your computer. | On TinyPNG's servers: as an online tool, your images are uploaded to be compressed. Check the provider's current pages for how long files are kept. |
| Cost | Free in full. | TinyPNG offers a free web tier and paid plans. For current paid pricing, check the provider's current pricing. |
| Limits that matter | The free version compresses up to 10 images per run; if you pick more, the first 10 are compressed and the rest are listed as not done. Compressed files get “-compressed” in the name and originals are never overwritten. | TinyPNG's free web tier limits how many images and how large each image can be per session. Check the provider's current pricing and limits page for the current numbers, as they change. |
| What our tool does not do | It works with JPG, JPEG and PNG only, per its README. It does not offer an API, a WordPress plugin, or online compression for other formats. | TinyPNG is an online service with a developer API and plugins, and it supports more image formats online. If you need an API or a format our tool does not handle, TinyPNG is the better fit. |
| Needs an account or internet? | No account. No internet needed after the one-time install (Python plus one library, per the README). | The free web tool works in a browser with internet; no install is needed. |
Which one should you pick?
Pick our free Image Compressor when you want images compressed on your own computer — for example client photos you would rather not upload — and when JPG or PNG covers the job. Pick TinyPNG when you want a quick browser tool with no install, or when you need its API, plugins, or a format our tool does not handle. Our tool does not beat TinyPNG on breadth; it differs on privacy and on running locally.
Sources and honesty note: competitor prices change by region, promotion and billing term. Where a current competitor price could not be verified from the provider's own public page at the time of writing, this page says so instead of printing a number.