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mod_pagespeed 2.1 is here — open source (Apache-2.0): the module you know, plus the optimizer worker

Comparisons

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.

The optimization core these tools are weighed against powers 230,000+ live sites today (BuiltWith, May 2026) — not We-Amp customers, but proof it works at scale.

Looking for the open-source predecessor instead? See alternatives to mod_pagespeed.

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

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.

Still comparing? See pricing or the mod_pagespeed 2.1 module page.

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 them.

Try mod_pagespeed

Install and run it — mod_pagespeed 2.1 is open source under the Apache License 2.0, free in development and in production. Support — and hardened builds — from the people who build it are what's for sale.

Download & run Support plans

Open source under the Apache License 2.0 — free in development and in production.