The affordable Compresto alternative for Mac
Compresto compresses images, video and PDFs hard, and converts a list of formats. If you also need audio, PDF tools and a Finder right-click, Picmal does that too. Files never leave your Mac.
Pay once, 14-day refund. Requires macOS 15 or later.
TL;DR Picmal vs Compresto
Compresto squeezes files as small as they'll go, up to 90% reduction. Picmal ($29, pay once) does real compression too. It also converts audio, combines PDFs, has its own Raycast extension, and costs $20 less as of October.
- Pick Picmal if
- You need more than compression. Audio to convert, PDFs to shrink or combine, a Finder right-click, and you'd rather not pay $49 as of October.
- Pick Compresto if
- You compress files all day and want the smallest possible output, whatever it costs.
What is Compresto?
Compresto is a Mac app that shrinks videos, images and PDFs, often to a file size you pick. It runs on your Mac, converts a list of formats, and has a Raycast extension. Its site sells a one-time license and a subscription. If you mostly need small files for email or chat, it fits.
I make Picmal, so weigh what I say. Compresto compresses harder than Picmal does. Picmal adds audio conversion, PDF tools and a Finder right-click. Check the Compresto site for what it does today, then see the table below.
Picmal vs Compresto at a glance
Compresto is built to squeeze files as small as possible. Picmal compresses and converts across images, video, audio, and PDFs. Both run offline, both handle batches.
| Feature | Picmal | Compresto |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $29 one-time | $49 one-time as of October (also a subscription) |
| What it's for | Convert, compress & edit | File compression |
| Privacy | 100% offline | 100% offline |
| Image conversion | Yes. HEIC, JPG, PNG, WebP, and more | Yes. HEIC, PNG, JPG, WebP, and more |
| Video conversion | Yes. MP4, MOV, MKV, and more | Yes. WebM, MOV, MKV, AVI to MP4, and more |
| Audio conversion | Yes. MP3, WAV, FLAC, and more | Not listed on its site |
| PDF support | Yes. Compress, combine, images to PDF | Yes. Compression |
| Compression | Yes. Images, video, audio, PDF | Up to 90% reduction |
| Metadata removal | Yes | Yes |
| Folder monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Shortcuts integration | Yes | No |
| Raycast extension | Yes | Yes |
| Finder right-click | Yes | No |
| macOS | 15+ | 13+ |
From the people
who use it
"It's a Mac-assed Mac App. Focused, customizable, flexible, well designed and super fast. 10+ times a day I need to convert a file for use on a website. Picmal makes that process a joy. My favorite conversion is taking a multipage PDF and converting each page to an individual image with one click (something even Preview can't do)."
"Wonderfully simple app! I struggled with converting my images from one format to another constantly with online free tools. Picmal makes it effortless. Worth the money to avoid the hassle for sure!"
"I use Picmal to convert images. It works perfectly. I can just leave the Picmal window open on my desktop. Whenever I want to convert an image, I drag the file onto the window and click “convert”—and seconds later, the converted file is in the appropriate folder with the suffix “converted.” It couldn’t be easier or more hassle-free!"
"Working on a presentation and had to convert and resize a lot of images. Picmal did them all in a flash."
"I feel Picmal is one of the apps that I would categorize as essential. There are many features that distinguish the app from other web converters such as Folder Watching and Clipboard Optimization."
"Clean and easy to use. Perfect for quickly converting images without unnecessary extras."
"Everything works as expected - great app!"
"You did a great job here! I like how easy Picmal is to use, and the frequent upgrades show that you are very committed to improving this beautiful software."
"I f* love this app. Just so you know. Keep building!"
"I like the interface. I like the batch processing. I like the fact in the I can set default conversions. I like your program a lot."
"I like the quality of the image processing. It also supports all the important image files. But it still needs some work regarding both the UI and the UX design of it."
"I love how Picmal's made compressing videos a frictionless, easy and straightforward."
"It's simple to use and does everything I need it to do. Hell, it does much more than I need and the developer keeps adding features :)"
"I love the app! I use it 4-5 days a week for audio and image conversion as I tag and add missing album artwork to my library of 70,000 songs. After that is done, I would like to try it out with my Blu-ray collection on Plex. I truly appreciate the hard work that goes into creating and frequently updating an app such as this. All the best!"
"The program is very simple and practical, and its options are clear."
"Thoughtful, polished, and constantly improving. Alberto genuinely listens to feedback, and it shows in Picmal. Easy 5 stars."
"Picmal is simple and fast but also integrates complex workloads if needed."
"Picmal is complete. The quality is good, and it does exactly what I need."
"Easy to use, automation & batch processing. AVIF & Webp support"
"keep up the great work! Very cool tool you've built here."
"Simple and powerful is a combination that is hard to get right. Picmal nails it! I find image presets particularly useful. Set it up and then just drag and drop to resize and convert."
"Me ha sosprendido la compresion que realiza el programa y si apreciar la calidad."
"The easy going workflow"
"I just sent a few samples through to check everything, and I am very pleased with the results. Everything worked correctly and above all it was easy and not unduly complicated."
Pay once and you're all set
One price, every tool, yours to keep.
How many Macs?
Half price until 30 November.
2 Macs is $10 more2 Macs is $5 more
14-day refund. Requires macOS 15 or later.
What you get
-
Convert, compress and edit images, video, audio and PDFs
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Everything runs on your Mac, nothing gets uploaded
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Use it on 1 Mac
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Command line tool, Raycast extension and watched folders
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Free updates forever, no subscription
More than 10 Macs? Email me.
Upgrades, new Macs and discounts are in the FAQ.
Frequently asked questions
Can't find what you're looking for? Email support@picmal.app
Is Picmal a good Compresto alternative?
If you need more than compression, yes. Picmal converts formats, compresses files, and handles images, video, audio, and PDFs, all for $29. Compresto is built to compress as hard as it can.
Does Picmal compress files as much as Compresto?
Compresto advertises up to 90% reduction and is tuned for exactly that. Picmal compresses well across images, video, audio, and PDFs. Not as far, but enough for most jobs. And you get format conversion and PDF tools in the same app.
Why is Picmal cheaper than Compresto?
As of October, Compresto costs $49 one-time for one Mac. Picmal is $29 and adds audio conversion, PDF combining and a Finder right-click. Compresto compresses harder, so the cheaper price is not the whole story.
Does Picmal have Raycast integration like Compresto?
Yes. The Picmal Raycast extension adds Convert Files, Compress Files, Combine PDFs, and Images to PDF, plus Raycast AI tools, so you can ask it to convert or compress in plain English. Picmal also works with Apple Shortcuts, Finder right-click, and the command line.
Can Picmal compress PDFs like Compresto?
Yes. Picmal compresses PDFs, and the output is never larger than the input. It also combines PDFs, turns images into a PDF, and exports PDF pages to PNG at the DPI you pick. On top of that, real compression for images, video, and audio.
Does Compresto convert file formats?
Yes. Its site lists conversions like HEIC to PNG, WebM to MP4 and TIFF to JPG next to compression. It does not list audio conversion. Picmal converts images, video and audio, and compresses all of them.
Is Compresto a one-time purchase or a subscription?
Its site offers both a one-time purchase and a subscription. The one-time Personal plan is $49 for one Mac as of October. Picmal is one-time only, with a 7-day trial and a 14-day refund.
What if Picmal doesn't work for me?
Full refund within 14 days, no questions asked. Email support@picmal.app.
How does the license work?
You pay once and keep it. No renewals, no subscriptions. Your license activates on the number of Macs you bought it for, and you can move it to another Mac whenever you want. Prices are in USD, tax is added at checkout, and you pay through Stripe.
I bought Picmal and now I need more Macs. Can I upgrade?
Yes, and you only pay the difference. Going from 1 Mac to 2 is $10, 2 to 5 is $50, 5 to 10 is $60, and every other jump works the same way. Enter your license key here and the same key covers more Macs. The offer never expires, so starting small is never the wrong call.
What happens if I get a new Mac?
Open Picmal on your old Mac, go to Picmal → Register license to deactivate, then activate on the new one. Takes about ten seconds.
Do you offer student or country discounts?
Yes. I want Picmal to be affordable wherever you are. Students and educators get 40% off: verify your school email on the education page and the code lands in your inbox. If the price is steep for your country, checkout already adjusts it for you. If it still doesn't work, email support@picmal.app and tell me where you are, and I'll send a code.