Alternatives to mod_pagespeed, ngx_pagespeed, and IISpeed
Open-source mod_pagespeed
and ngx_pagespeed are
deprecated, and IISpeed is in transition. These pages cover the maintained mod_pagespeed and
how each server reaches it.
mod_pagespeed shares the optimization core that powers 230,000+ live sites today ( BuiltWith, May 2026) — not We-Amp customers, but proof it works at scale.
mod_pagespeed alternative
Open-source mod_pagespeed is deprecated. mod_pagespeed, the native module plus the optimizer worker, is its actively maintained continuation.
Read →ngx_pagespeed alternative
ngx_pagespeed was the nginx port of mod_pagespeed; the GitHub repository is now read-only. mod_pagespeed is the maintained nginx path — the native module plus the optimizer worker, with variant-aware caching and zero-copy serving.
Read →IISpeed alternative
IISpeed is deprecated. Free license transfer to mod_pagespeed for native IIS, or to the WeAmp.PageSpeed.AspNetCore NuGet package for ASP.NET Core.
Read →Google PageSpeed Module alternative
"Google PageSpeed Module" almost always means the deprecated server module (mod_pagespeed / ngx_pagespeed) — not PageSpeed Insights (pagespeed.web.dev), which is still active and unrelated.
Read →mod_pagespeed vs the alternatives
8 side-by-side write-ups: where mod_pagespeed overlaps with adjacent tools, and where it doesn't. A self-hosted nginx pipeline behaves nothing like a SaaS CDN or a WordPress plugin, so each write-up says where mod_pagespeed wins and where the other tool does.
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Self-hosted, image-focused
mod_pagespeed vs imgproxy
Both self-hosted. imgproxy is image-only; mod_pagespeed is a full HTML pipeline that includes image work.
Read the comparison →
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Self-hosted, image-focused
mod_pagespeed vs Thumbor
Thumbor is a Python image server with face-aware smart cropping. mod_pagespeed handles images plus CSS, JS, and HTML.
Read the comparison →
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Managed edge / WordPress
mod_pagespeed vs Cloudflare APO
APO caches WordPress HTML at the edge; mod_pagespeed optimizes at the origin and works on any stack.
Read the comparison →
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Managed SaaS / WordPress
mod_pagespeed vs NitroPack
NitroPack is managed SaaS for WordPress; mod_pagespeed runs on your server and is free under the Apache License 2.0, with no traffic tiers.
Read the comparison →
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Self-hosted plugin / WordPress
mod_pagespeed vs WP Rocket
WP Rocket is the established WordPress optimization plugin. mod_pagespeed runs at the server layer and is CMS-independent.
Read the comparison →
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Managed SaaS / media
mod_pagespeed vs Cloudinary
Cloudinary is a managed media CDN with video. mod_pagespeed is self-hosted image optimization inside a broader HTML pipeline.
Read the comparison →
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WordPress plugin / image CDN
mod_pagespeed vs ShortPixel
ShortPixel optimizes WordPress images via a plugin and its Adaptive Images CDN. mod_pagespeed is self-hosted and optimizes images plus CSS, JS, and HTML at your origin.
Read the comparison →
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Managed SaaS / image CDN
mod_pagespeed vs imgix
imgix is a managed real-time image CDN; your images egress to its edge. mod_pagespeed is a self-hosted full HTML pipeline; images never leave your origin.
Read the comparison →
Where each tool fits
mod_pagespeed optimizes at your origin: one self-hosted pipeline for images, CSS, JS, and HTML. The tools below each solve part of that, or solve it somewhere else: at the edge, in a SaaS dashboard, or inside WordPress.
| Tool | Type | Best at | Where mod_pagespeed fits |
|---|---|---|---|
| imgproxy | Self-hosted image proxy | On-demand image transforms by URL | Images plus CSS, JS, and HTML in one pipeline |
| Thumbor | Self-hosted Python image server | Face-aware smart cropping | Images plus CSS, JS, and HTML |
| Cloudflare APO | Managed edge cache | Edge HTML caching for WordPress | Origin-side optimization on any stack |
| NitroPack | Managed SaaS (WordPress) | Turnkey, hosted setup | Runs on your server, free under Apache-2.0, no traffic tiers |
| WP Rocket | WordPress plugin | Deep WordPress integration | Server-layer, CMS-independent |
| Cloudinary | Managed media CDN | Video and digital-asset management | Self-hosted image optimization in a broader pipeline |
| ShortPixel | WordPress plugin / image CDN | WordPress image compression + CDN delivery | Full origin pipeline (images, CSS, JS, HTML), any CMS |
| imgix | Managed image CDN | Real-time image transforms by URL | Self-hosted; images stay at your origin, plus CSS/JS/HTML |
Background reading
- mod_pagespeed alternatives in 2026 — the deep comparison of what is available to replace the deprecated module, written for teams evaluating their options.
- Is mod_pagespeed deprecated? Yes — here's what to use in 2026 — the full history of the deprecation and a path-by-path forward plan.
- Is mod_pagespeed still maintained? — what development resumed and what has shipped since.
- Improving your PageSpeed Insights score — which render-blocking, next-gen image, and caching audits a server module fixes.
- Serving images yourself? Self-hosted image optimization covers WebP and AVIF serving without a third-party image CDN.
- Running Apache? The Apache PageSpeed module is the native in-process continuation for httpd.
Try mod_pagespeed
Every integration is licensed under the Apache License 2.0. The software is free. We sell support; Priority and Enterprise add a private package repository (being set up). See support and the software license.
Open source under the Apache License 2.0 — free in development and in production.
Written by We-Amp, which develops mod_pagespeed, so the framing isn't neutral. Where a competitor is the better fit for your stack, the comparison says so.
mod_pagespeed, ngx_pagespeed, IISpeed, imgproxy, Thumbor, Cloudflare, NitroPack, WP Rocket, Cloudinary, ShortPixel, imgix, and other product names are trademarks of their respective owners. Comparisons reflect publicly available information as of 2026 and are provided for evaluation; We-Amp B.V. is not affiliated with or endorsed by any of them, by Google or by the Apache Software Foundation.