IMG Performer compared to AutoAlt and alttext.ai
AutoAlt and alttext.ai generate AI alt text as an external cloud service with its own quota. IMG Performer generates it directly in WordPress via your own API key with an AI provider of your choice – plus image optimization and EU AI Act labeling in one plugin.
Short answer: Enfants IMG Performer generates AI alt text directly in WordPress via your own API key (recommended: Mistral, EU) – no credit quota. The image only goes to the AI provider you choose yourself; you need a data processing agreement with that provider, not with us. AutoAlt and alttext.ai run as an external service with their own quota or subscription; image processing happens in their cloud. If you need an image optimizer anyway, IMG Performer gives you WebP/AVIF, alt text, and EU AI Act labeling in one plugin.
The main differences
| IMG Performer | AutoAlt.ai | alttext.ai | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vendor | Enfants Terribles digital GmbH (Hamburg) | webAufstieg GmbH (Aalen) | Alt-Tab LLC (USA) |
| Processing | image optimization local, on your own server | cloud, EU server (Germany) | US cloud |
| Account required | no | yes | yes |
| AI model (alt text) | your choice – Mistral (France) recommended | OpenAI GPT-4 Vision / Google Gemini (fixed, US models) | not disclosed |
| Billing | license, no quota | credits per image (subscription or packs) | credits per image |
| Data protection | image optimization without transfer to third parties; for the optional alt-text AI the image goes to your AI provider (DPA with that provider) | GDPR-compliant, EU server, DPA on request – images are sent to OpenAI/Google for analysis | no EU agreement, third-country transfer |
| EU AI Act Art. 50 | yes, already in the free version | no | no |
| WebP / AVIF | yes (AVIF in Pro) | no | no |
| AI alt text | yes (Pro, your own API key, no credit cap) | yes | yes (credits) |
| AI image detection | automatic via C2PA/XMP provenance data, otherwise manual classification | – | – |
| Marker in all image sizes | yes – machine-readable marker in every size incl. WebP/AVIF | – | – |
| Visible label | yes, customizable design (Pro) | – | – |
| Platforms | WordPress | WordPress, WooCommerce, Shopware, Shopify, Drupal, Joomla, Magento, PrestaShop, browser extension | WordPress and others |
| Cost | Free · Pro €69/year or €9/month | Free 50 images/month · from €4.49/month (100) · €16.99/month (500) · €52/month (2,000) | 25 credits free · from $5/month or $49/year |
Last verified: August 2026. The current vendor pages are authoritative.
Local image processing instead of the cloud
AutoAlt.ai rightly points out its German server location and offers a data processing agreement. Still, every image leaves your own website: it goes to AutoAlt.ai and from there to OpenAI or Google for analysis. alttext.ai is a US service with no stated EU server location. With IMG Performer, image optimization and AI image detection stay entirely on your own server. Only the optional alt-text generation sends the image to an AI service – through your own key, with a provider of your choice.
”European” – a closer look
AutoAlt.ai operates as webAufstieg GmbH in Aalen, Germany, and hosts in the EU. The actual image analysis, however, is done by OpenAI (GPT-4 Vision) and Google (Gemini) – US models, with no choice. With IMG Performer you choose the AI provider yourself; the recommendation is Mistral, based in France. Anyone who wants to keep the processing chain European end to end has that control with IMG Performer.
Your own key instead of a price per image
alttext.ai bills in credits: 25 free credits to start, then subscription tiers from $49/year for 100 images per month, $189/year for 500, $489/year for 2,000 – scaling further up to $2,199/year for 10,000 images per month. AutoAlt.ai offers 50 images per month permanently free and then bills per image – 500 images a month cost around €17, so well over €200 a year.
IMG Performer PRO costs €69 a year (or €9 a month) regardless of the number of images. For the alt text you only pay your actual usage with your AI provider, with no markup and no quota that expires.
Alt text is not everything
AutoAlt.ai and alttext.ai generate alt text – nothing else. Anyone who also wants to optimize the images and cover the AI labelling obligation needs a compression plugin alongside it and a third tool for Art. 50 labelling. IMG Performer combines alt text, WebP/AVIF conversion and machine-readable plus visible AI labelling in one plugin.
When AutoAlt.ai is the better choice
- You run shops on several systems (Shopware, Shopify, Magento) and want one tool for all of them.
- You want to start without technical setup – no API key, no provider choice.
- You only need alt text, not image optimization or AI labelling.
- The browser extension for individual images on the go matters to you.
When IMG Performer fits
- You are on WordPress and want image optimization and AI labelling to run locally on your own server.
- You want to decide on the AI provider for alt text yourself (e.g. Mistral, France).
- You want predictable costs – a licence instead of a price per image.
- You want alt text, WebP/AVIF and the EU AI Act labelling from one source.
Disclaimer
As of September 2026. Information on features and prices – including those of IMG Performer – reflects our knowledge at the time of publication and may change. The current product and pricing pages of the respective providers are authoritative; information on IMG Performer is available at img-performer.enfants.de. This post is an overview, not legal advice.
Frequently asked questions
Which alt text tool uses a European AI model?
IMG Performer lets you freely choose the AI model via your own API key – with Mistral (France) the entire processing chain stays in the EU. AutoAlt uses OpenAI and Google, alttext.ai doesn't disclose its model.
Is there a European alternative to alttext.ai for alt text?
Yes. AutoAlt is a German company with EU servers, but relies on US models for the actual image recognition. IMG Performer processes image optimization locally and lets you choose between Mistral, OpenAI, and Anthropic for the alt text AI yourself.
Which WordPress plugin generates GDPR-compliant AI alt text?
IMG Performer is built as a WordPress plugin and processes images locally on your server – only for the optional AI alt text feature does the respective image go to the provider you chose, with whom you sign a data processing agreement. AutoAlt and alttext.ai are purely external services without their own image optimization.
Is AutoAlt.ai GDPR-compliant?
AutoAlt.ai is registered in Germany, hosts in the EU and offers a data processing agreement. For the image analysis, however, the images are passed on to OpenAI and Google. Whether that works for your use case is a case-by-case question.
Can I switch from AutoAlt.ai to IMG Performer?
Yes. Alt text already set stays in the media library. IMG Performer fills in missing descriptions and can process the library in bulk.