You don't need a $22.99/month editing suite just to make files smaller. If you have a folder of product photos, Lightroom exports, or screenshots that need compressing — not editing — here are five tools built specifically for that.
Drop folders of 1000s of files. We process them all in seconds.
100% Offline Privacy
Files never leave your machine. No servers, no uploads.
Why Photoshop is the wrong tool for compression
Photoshop can export compressed images — File > Export > Export As, or Save for Web. But:
It's designed for editing, not compression. Opening Photoshop to compress an image is like driving a truck to the corner store. The launch time, the interface complexity, and the manual per-file workflow make it impractical for anything beyond a single image.
No batch compression. Photoshop's batch actions exist but require setting up scripts and actions — not intuitive for non-developers. Compressing a folder of 100 product photos in Photoshop is a significant manual operation.
$22.99/month for just compression. Photoshop's single-app plan costs $22.99/month ($275/year). If compression is your primary need, you're paying for 95% of features you don't use.
Files stay large unless you know the exact settings. "Save As JPEG" in Photoshop defaults to quality 8/12 (~85%) — fine for print, far too large for web. Getting consistently small file sizes requires knowing exactly which settings to apply every time.
Upgrade your workflow today.
Stop making compromises with browser-based compressors. Get unlimited batch compression, local privacy, and multi-format support for a one-time fee.
5 Best Photoshop Alternatives for Compression (2026)
Quick comparison
Tool
Price
Batch
Upload?
TIFF
Video
Offline
Platforms
FastCompressor
Free / $19 once
20 free / ∞ Pro
Never
Mac, Win, Linux
TinyPNG
Free / $39/yr
20/session
Server
Browser
Squoosh
Free
One at a time
Never
PWA
Browser
Affinity Photo
Free
Yes
Mac, Win
iLoveIMG
Free / $4/mo
Unlimited
Server
Browser
1. FastCompressor — Built for exactly this use case
Price: Free / Pro $19 one-time Platforms: macOS, Windows, Linux Batch: 20 images free · unlimited Pro Upload required: Never Formats: JPG, PNG, WebP, TIFF, AVIF, GIF, MP4, MOV, WebM
FastCompressor is purpose-built for the task Photoshop handles clumsily: compressing a folder of images quickly, offline, without uploading anything to a server. It opens in seconds, accepts a folder drop, and compresses every file using your local CPU — no monthly fee, no complex interface, no editing features you don't need.
What it does that Photoshop can't do efficiently:
Batch an entire folder. Drop a folder of 200 Lightroom exports. FastCompressor processes all of them simultaneously, applies consistent quality settings across every file, and saves the output to a new folder — originals untouched. Photoshop's equivalent requires scripting.
No file size limit. Compress 400 MB TIFFs, large video files, or high-resolution product photos without restriction. Photoshop doesn't compress video.
Consistent, predictable output. Set quality once — say, JPG at 80, PNG lossless, video at H.264 quality 24 — and every file in the batch gets exactly that treatment. Photoshop's "Export As" requires per-file confirmation.
Works offline. No Creative Cloud dependency, no internet connection required.
TIFF compression. FastCompressor compresses TIFF losslessly using LZW or Deflate. Photoshop can do this too, but it's a manual per-file operation. FastCompressor batches it automatically.
Video compression. Photoshop doesn't compress video. FastCompressor handles MP4, MOV, and WebM natively.
Folder Watch (Pro). Set a watched folder and FastCompressor compresses every new file saved to it automatically. No manual step needed.
One-time price. $19 once vs $22.99/month for Photoshop. If compression is your primary need, FastCompressor costs less than one month of Photoshop.
2. TinyPNG — Simple batch compression in a browser
Price: Free / $39/year Pro Platforms: Browser — all platforms Batch: 20 images/session free Upload required: Yes — all files go to Tinify's servers Formats: JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF
TinyPNG is the most widely used browser-based alternative for people who used Photoshop's "Save for Web" function. Drop up to 20 images, they compress, you download. No installation, no learning curve, no subscription required for the free tier.
The limitations: everything uploads to Tinify's servers, the free tier caps at 5 MB per file and 20 images per session, and there's no TIFF or video support. For publicly accessible web images in small batches, it's a practical quick fix. For larger batches, sensitive images, or TIFF workflows, it falls short.
3. Squoosh — Best for understanding the compression tradeoff
Price: Free Platforms: Browser — all platforms Batch: One image at a time Upload required: Never (WebAssembly, fully local) Formats: JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, JPEG XL
Squoosh is the closest browser equivalent to Photoshop's "Save for Web" quality comparison. It shows you a real-time before/after slider as you adjust codec and quality settings — exactly the kind of per-image visual control that Photoshop users are used to. It runs locally in the browser, so nothing uploads.
The significant limitation: one image at a time. If you're replacing Photoshop's batch export workflow for a folder of images, Squoosh won't help — it requires the same manual per-file process Photoshop does, without Photoshop's scripting options.
Best for: calibrating the right quality level for a specific image type. Use Squoosh to decide "JPG at 80 is right for these product photos," then apply that setting to the entire folder in FastCompressor.
4. Affinity Photo — Best if you still need editing alongside compression
Price: Free (since October 2025 after Canva acquisition) Platforms: Windows, macOS Batch: Yes (via macros) Upload required: Never Formats: JPG, PNG, TIFF, WebP, PSD and many others
Affinity Photo became free in October 2025 following Canva's acquisition of Serif. It's the most capable Photoshop replacement available at zero cost — layers, RAW processing, masking, HDR merge, frequency separation, and batch processing via macro recording are all included.
For users who need both editing and compression — not just compression — Affinity Photo is the strongest free alternative. It exports to JPG, PNG, TIFF, and WebP with quality control, handles batch jobs through macros, and processes everything offline.
Where it's not the right fit: if your need is pure batch compression with no editing, Affinity Photo has the same problem as Photoshop — it's an editing suite, and setting up batch compression macros takes time. For a folder of images that just need to be smaller, a dedicated compression tool is faster.
Where it's genuinely better than Photoshop: it's free, it's a one-time install with no Creative Cloud dependency, and the quality is comparable to Photoshop for most photography workflows.
5. iLoveIMG — Free batch compression without installing anything
iLoveIMG's free tier allows unlimited batch compression in a browser — no session cap, no account required. For someone who used Photoshop purely to export images for web use and wants a simpler replacement with no installation, iLoveIMG covers the basic workflow.
The core limitation: all files upload to iLoveIMG servers and are deleted after two hours. For client images, NDA-covered product photography, or anything sensitive, this isn't acceptable. It also doesn't support TIFF, AVIF, or video.
Best for: non-technical users who want free batch compression of public-facing JPG and PNG in a browser without installing software.
Which should you use?
You need fast batch compression, offline, with no upload → FastCompressor. Purpose-built for this. Opens in seconds, compresses a folder in seconds, $19 once.
You need editing features alongside compression → Affinity Photo. Free since October 2025, full Photoshop-grade editing, batch via macros.
You need to fine-tune one image visually and nothing leaves your device → Squoosh. No batch, but the quality calibration is excellent.
You need quick batch compression in a browser, images are public-facing → TinyPNG or iLoveIMG. Both upload to servers. TinyPNG has a 20-image/5 MB free limit. iLoveIMG has no batch limit on the free tier.
FAQ
Can I compress images without Photoshop?
Yes, easily. Dedicated compression tools like FastCompressor, TinyPNG, and Squoosh do this faster and more efficiently than Photoshop's "Export As" workflow — without the $22.99/month subscription.
Does Photoshop compress images well?
Photoshop can export JPEG at specific quality settings and PNG losslessly. The compression quality is good but the workflow isn't built for batch jobs. "Export As" requires per-file confirmation. For anything more than a few files, a dedicated compression tool is significantly faster.
What's the cheapest way to batch compress images?
FastCompressor's free tier handles 20 images per session with no account and no expiry. Caesium Image Compressor is free and unlimited for offline batch compression of JPG, PNG, and WebP. iLoveIMG's free tier is unlimited in a browser but uploads files to their server.
Can I compress RAW files without Photoshop?
RAW files (CR2, NEF, ARW) are not compressed as RAW — they're typically exported from RAW processors (Lightroom, Capture One, Darktable) to JPG or TIFF first, then compressed. FastCompressor handles the compression step after export. Affinity Photo handles both RAW processing and compression in one app.
Is there a free alternative to Photoshop that also compresses images well?
Affinity Photo (free since October 2025) handles both editing and compression export. For compression only, FastCompressor is faster and simpler — it opens in seconds, compresses a folder in seconds, and costs $19 once vs Photoshop's $22.99/month.