Images and videos now carry most of the weight on the modern web. Product photography, hero banners, background video, short-form clips. They do most of the explaining before a single line of text is read.
That creates a simple problem. Every file adds weight. Every extra megabyte slows things down. Pages take longer to load, mobile users feel it first, and some visitors don’t wait at all. They leave.
Google has been consistent about this. Page experience matters, and speed is part of it. Its PageSpeed Insights documentation repeatedly points to image optimization as one of the highest-impact improvements. Mozilla’s developer documentation says the same thing in simpler terms: images are usually the largest part of a webpage.
This isn’t abstract. It hits revenue. Portent’s research shows conversion rates drop as load time increases, even in the first few seconds. Nobody sits there diagnosing it. They don’t think “this image is too large.” They just close the tab.
A pattern shows up often. Teams buy better cameras, upload full-resolution files, and assume modern networks will handle it. They won’t. A 7 MB image is still a 7 MB image. Someone has to download it.
The better news. Modern optimization services reduce file sizes without visible quality loss. In some cases, it’s difficult to tell the differences without a side by side pixel comparison
This article reviews the best services used for optimizing image and video assets.
Why Image And Video Optimization Matters
Think of a website like a delivery truck. Every image and video is another box. Keep adding weight and the truck still moves, just slower. Everything arrives, but nothing feels fast.
Images often make up more than half of a page’s total weight. Video can exceed everything else combined. That’s why media optimization usually produces bigger gains than small code tweaks or script cleanup.
It also shows up beyond speed:
- Pages feel more responsive
- Core Web Vitals improve
- Hosting and bandwidth costs drop
- Mobile performance becomes smoother
- Accessibility improves with proper alt text and captions
- Image search becomes more reliable when files are structured correctly
Google’s web.dev performance guides consistently rank media optimization as one of the highest-impact improvements available.
What Makes A Good Optimization Service?
Tools solve different parts of the problem. Some compress images before upload. Some resize based on screen size. Some use CDNs to deliver files from closer locations. Others convert formats like WebP or AVIF automatically.
The best systems remove repetition entirely. No exporting five versions of the same image. No guessing sizes for devices. No manual cleanup after uploads. It should just work in the background.
Best Services For Optimizing Image Assets
TinyPNG
TinyPNG is widely used because it does one thing well: it reduces image size while keeping visuals clean. It uses smart lossy compression that removes unnecessary data while keeping visual quality high. For many websites, file sizes shrink by 50% or more.
TinyPNG also offers APIs and WordPress plugins for automatic compression.
Best for:
- Small businesses
- WordPress websites
- Ecommerce product photography
ImageOptim
ImageOptim runs locally on macOS and compresses images without uploading them anywhere, which is particularly helpful for designers or teams working with large batches of files. It keeps the workflow offline and simple.
Best for:
- Designers
- Creative teams
- Offline workflows
Squoosh
Built by Google, Squoosh is a browser-based tool for comparing image formats. Multiple files such as JPEG, WebP, and AVIF can be tested side by side before exporting. It removes guesswork and makes compression visible instead of abstract.
Best for:
- Learning image formats
- Manual optimization
- One-off image editing
Cloudinary
Cloudinary treats images like a system, not files. It resizes, crops, converts, and delivers images automatically based on device and browser. A mobile user and a desktop user don’t get the same file, and that happens without manual setup. It’s built for scale, especially ecommerce and content-heavy platforms.
Best for:
- Large websites
- Ecommerce
- Enterprise applications
Imgix
Imgix generates images in real time using URL parameters instead of storing multiple versions. Change the URL, change the output size or format. That makes it flexible for developers managing large image libraries.
Best for:
- Developers
- Large image libraries
- Dynamic websites
Best Services For Optimizing Video Assets
Video adds more complexity, and so does resolution, bitrate, codec, delivery method. All of it affects performance. Uploading raw 4K video directly is usually where problems start.
HandBrake
HandBrake is a free tool for compressing video locally.
It gives control over codecs, bitrate, and resolution, with presets that simplify common use cases like marketing videos or demos.
Best for:
- Small businesses
- Marketing videos
- Product demonstrations
FFmpeg
FFmpeg runs from the command line and handles almost every type of video processing.
It’s not beginner-friendly, but it’s what powers most large-scale video systems behind the scenes.
Best for:
- Developers
- Automation
- Video processing pipelines
Mux
Mux treats video as infrastructure.
It handles encoding, hosting, streaming, and analytics. Each video is delivered in multiple versions so viewers automatically get the best quality for their connection.
Best for:
- SaaS companies
- Learning platforms
- Media publishers
Bunny Stream
Bunny Stream combines video hosting with a global CDN.
It focuses on fast delivery and automated encoding without enterprise-level pricing.
Best for:
- Growing businesses
- Membership sites
- Training portals
Choosing The Right File Formats
Format choice matters just as much as compression, sometimes more depending on the use case.
JPEG is still the default for photos because it works almost everywhere without issues. WebP usually comes in smaller while keeping similar visual quality, which is why a lot of modern sites are moving toward it. AVIF pushes file size even lower, but it’s not fully supported across every browser yet, so it still needs some fallback planning.
PNG is still the go-to when transparency is involved, especially for interface elements or graphics that need clean edges. SVG handles logos and icons better in most cases since it scales without losing sharpness, no matter the screen size.
Video follows a similar pattern. MP4 using H.264 is still the safest choice if you want something that plays everywhere without friction. WebM performs well in modern browsers and can reduce file size. H.265 compresses even more efficiently, but compatibility is still uneven across devices and browsers.
At the end of the day, the goal isn’t picking the newest format just because it exists. It’s picking the one that fits your audience, balances quality with file size, and doesn’t create playback or loading issues down the line.
Optimization Isn’t Only About Compression
Compression is only part of the work. Responsive images matter, and so does lazy loading, caching, and using a CDN. A compressed image that loads at the wrong size is still wasteful. A video that loads before it’s needed still slows the page. Bottomline, optimization is ongoing and every new upload carries the same responsibility.
Choosing The Right Service
There’s no universal best tool. Smaller sites usually do fine with tools like TinyPNG or HandBrake. They fit into existing workflows without much setup. On the other hand, larger platforms lean toward Cloudinary, Imgix, Mux, or Bunny Stream because manual optimization doesn’t scale. Automation becomes the default. It usually comes down to one question. Should optimization be handled by a person, or by the system?
Building Faster Websites That Scale
Fast websites come from repeated decisions that add up over time. Image and video optimization sits in the middle of that. It affects speed, SEO, user experience, and conversion rates at the same time.
Looking for a development partner that already follows these best practices? Our vetted list of the best web design companies features companies that actively use the best services for optimizing image and video assets while building fast, reliable, and search-friendly websites. It’s a practical starting point for teams planning a redesign or improving an existing site.