PixRinseStart with the job
| Your job | Start with | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Convert a few HEIC photos | Finder’s Convert Image | Already on your Mac. It offers fixed sizes and no quality control. See the steps. |
| Compress one image without installing anything | Squoosh | A web app that says images stay on your device. Open your image, compare the result and save it. |
| Shrink files with quality preserved by default | ImageOptim | Free and open source. It overwrites files and puts the originals in the Trash. Compare it with PixRinse. |
| Optimize whatever you copy or drop | Clop | Works on your clipboard and on files you drop, and can fit a file under a chosen size. Drops are optimized in place, with originals kept in a backup folder. |
| Build a custom multi-step pipeline | Retrobatch or XnConvert | Retrobatch connects operations as nodes. XnConvert offers over 80 actions and runs on Windows, Mac and Linux. |
| Use a free compressor with folder support | Caesium | Free software for Mac and Windows, with metadata options and folder structure support. |
| Meet a size limit, dimensions and format across a batch | PixRinse | Set the requirements once, export copies and see which files did not meet them. See the workflow. |
The tools side by side
| Tool | Runs on | Cost | Reach a set file size | Convert formats | Metadata |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Finder and Preview | macOS | Included with macOS | Preview shows an estimate. No limit setting | Yes | Finder: keep all or remove all. Preview: removes location, one image at a time |
| ImageOptim | macOS 11+ | Free and open source | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Removes EXIF such as GPS, with an option to keep it |
| Clop | macOS 14+ | Free version, plus a lifetime Pro license | Yes: Fit under size | Yes | Not mentioned |
| Retrobatch | macOS 12+ | Paid, with a 7-day trial. Regular and Pro editions | Not mentioned | Yes | Edit, add or wipe, including GPS |
| XnConvert | Windows, Mac, Linux | Free for private or educational use. Companies need a license | Not mentioned | Yes | Metadata editing |
| Caesium | Windows, macOS 12+ | Free software (GPL-3.0) | Not mentioned | Not mentioned | Metadata options |
| Squoosh | Web browser | Open source (Apache-2.0) | Not mentioned | Yes | Not mentioned |
| PixRinse | macOS 14+ | Free with limits. Pro is a one-time lifetime purchase | Yes, with a report of unmet requirements | Yes | Policies, with separate capture-date and copyright controls |
“Not mentioned” means the product page we checked did not describe that feature. The app may still offer it, so check the vendor’s documentation if it matters to you.
Where PixRinse fits, and where it doesn’t
PixRinse is a good fit when
- Your images must meet a destination’s size, dimension and format rules.
- You want to keep working from exported copies.
- You want to remove GPS and serial numbers but keep the capture date.
- The same sources go out in several forms, again and again.
- You want to install from the Mac App Store and keep processing on your Mac.
Look elsewhere when
- You want a completely free tool. ImageOptim, Caesium and the built-in tools may suit you better.
- You also need video or PDF compression. Clop covers those.
- You work with SVG or need animation preserved.
- You want a many-step visual pipeline with effects and watermarks. Look at Retrobatch or XnConvert.
A couple of common questions
What is the best free image compressor for Mac?
It depends on the job. Finder and Preview are already on your Mac. ImageOptim and Caesium are free downloads, and Squoosh runs in a browser. PixRinse is free to download with limits on batch size and outputs.
Can I compress images without uploading them?
Yes. Finder and Preview work on your Mac, PixRinse processes images on your Mac, and Squoosh says its compression runs locally in your browser. Check the privacy details of any online service before using it with private images.
Which of these can reach an exact file size?
Among the tools here, Clop and PixRinse describe a size target on their own pages. PixRinse reports any file that did not meet the limit. A strict limit may still conflict with dimensions or quality.
Why isn’t there a winner?
These tools solve different problems, and we make one of them. Choosing by the job you have is more useful than a ranking.
Sources
Checked on November 4, 2026. Product details change, so confirm anything important on the vendor’s site.
Try it on your own files.
Add a few images to PixRinse and compare the results yourself.
Download for MacFree: up to 10 images per batch and one output per source. Compare Free & Pro.