← All posts
Guide · By Steffen Müller

The best GDPR-compliant alternative to ShortPixel

Mandatory account, credit system, every image sent to the ShortPixel cloud – if you're looking for an alternative, there are two local options: IMG Performer and EWWW in local mode.

People looking for a ShortPixel alternative are usually bothered by three things: the mandatory account, the credit system, and the fact that every compression goes to the ShortPixel cloud. The most privacy-friendly answer is a plugin that works locally on your server. Two are candidates: IMG Performer, if you need image optimization, AI labeling and AI alt text together, and EWWW in local mode, if you only want to compress and convert.

What bothers many people about ShortPixel

ShortPixel is functionally strong, but it works exclusively through the cloud. In practice that means: you create an account, every image operation consumes credits (one upload can cost several credits, because the original and the derived sizes count individually), and every image is transferred to ShortPixel for processing. For a data-protection assessment, transparent information on the server location and – for the AI alt text – on the model used is missing.

What to look for in an alternative

  • Processing local or in the EU – not on servers in a third country without an adequacy decision.
  • No mandatory account for the core function.
  • No credit cap that eventually runs out.
  • WebP and AVIF with automatic fallback.
  • If accessibility matters: an alt-text feature with a European AI model and your own API key.

IMG Performer

Processes locally via GD or Imagick, no account, no credit system. The free version converts WebP with no limit; the Pro version adds AVIF, bulk conversion for existing images, and AI alt text through your own API key (recommendation: Mistral, France). In addition, IMG Performer handles the AI labeling under Article 50 of the EU AI Act – automatic detection of AI-generated images on upload and manual categorisation for borderline cases. Detailed comparison: IMG Performer vs. ShortPixel.

EWWW Image Optimizer (local mode)

EWWW can compress and convert locally without images leaving the server. If you also use cloud compression, EWWW at least gives you EU servers (Frankfurt) and a data-processing agreement. EWWW has no alt-text or AI-labeling feature.

What we do not recommend

A US cloud service as an “alternative” does not solve the actual problem. And a pure alt-text service is not a replacement for an image optimization plugin – then you run two cloud dependencies instead of one.

Disclaimer

As of September 2026. Third-party details may change; their product pages are authoritative. This article is context, not legal advice.

Frequently asked questions

So is ShortPixel not GDPR-compliant?

That is a case-by-case assessment that each website has to make for itself. The point is: with local processing, the question of third-country transfer and data processing does not arise in the first place.

Can I switch from ShortPixel to IMG Performer without redoing everything?

Yes. WebP/AVIF files already delivered stay. From activation, IMG Performer converts new uploads automatically; the Pro version can go through the existing media library retroactively.

What about the AI alt text I already bought from ShortPixel?

Alt text already set stays in the media library. For new images, IMG Performer generates alt text through your own API key – you pay only the actual model cost, no quota.