What's new in v1.8.4

The ImageOptim alternative that also converts formats

ImageOptim is free, local, and good at what it does. It just can't convert a HEIC to a JPG, touch a video, or compress a PDF. Picmal does all of that on your Mac for $39 once.

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TL;DR Picmal vs ImageOptim

ImageOptim is free, open source, runs entirely on your Mac, and squeezes PNG and JPEG about as hard as anything out there. Its limits are that it only compresses, only images, and development has been quiet for years. Picmal ($39, pay once) converts formats too, covers video, audio, and PDFs, and is actively maintained.

Pick Picmal if
You need to convert formats, not just compress. Or you've got video, audio, and PDFs to deal with and would rather not collect four apps.
Pick ImageOptim if
You compress PNGs and JPEGs for the web, you want the smallest possible file, and free and open source matters to you. It's a good tool, keep it.

Picmal vs ImageOptim at a glance

Both are Mac apps that keep your files on your Mac. ImageOptim compresses images. Picmal converts and compresses images, video, audio, and PDFs.

Feature Picmal ImageOptim
Price $39 one-time Free, open source
Privacy 100% offline 100% offline
Image compression Yes Yes, its speciality
Image conversion Yes. HEIC, JPG, PNG, WebP, AVIF, and more No
Video Convert & compress No
Audio Convert & compress No
PDF Compress, merge, split, images to PDF No
Resize Yes No
Metadata removal Yes Yes
Batch processing Yes Yes
Folder monitoring Yes No
Shortcuts integration Yes No
Raycast extension Yes No
Finder right-click Yes Yes
Actively updated Yes Rarely
macOS 15+ 13+

Which one is right for you?

Here's where each one makes more sense.

Choose Picmal

Compression alone isn't the job

  • You need to convert formats, HEIC to JPG being the usual one
  • You want newer formats like AVIF and JXL, not just PNG and JPEG
  • Video, audio, or PDFs are part of the same pile of work
  • You'd rather use something that's still being maintained

Stay with ImageOptim

Free, open source, and it does the job

  • You only ever compress PNG and JPEG for the web
  • You want the last few percent of file size and nothing else
  • Free and open source is the point, not a compromise

Everything else Picmal does

One app for images, video, audio, and PDFs. Convert, compress, and edit, all on your Mac. These are the essentials, and there's plenty more in the docs.

Convert between formats

Over 100 formats across images, video, audio, RAW, and PDF. HEIC to JPG, MOV to MP4, FLAC to ALAC. Drop it in, pick the output, done.

Compress and save space

Get under an email limit or a slow upload, without the quality drop you'd actually notice. No browser, no waiting.

Split and organize PDFs

Break a PDF apart, or drag pages around to reorder, rotate, and delete. Your documents never leave your Mac.

Combine videos

Stitch a pile of clips into one video. Drag to reorder, pick the format, export in a single pass.

Merge and split audio

Join tracks into one file, or split a long recording by its chapters. Podcasts and audiobooks, sorted.

Images to PDF

Turn a folder of photos into a multi-page PDF. A4, Letter, or custom, with a password if you want one.

Combine PDFs

Merge a stack of PDFs into one file. Put the pages in the right order, set the size, and save it out.

Finder Shortcuts Raycast

Fits your workflow

Finder, Shortcuts, and Raycast. A conversion is never more than a right-click away.

Picmal CLI

Script it, drop it in a cron job, or hand it to a coding agent. The same engine as the app, right from your terminal.

What people are
saying about Picmal

"Clean and easy to use. Perfect for quickly converting images without unnecessary extras."

Marynes, Picmal user
Marynes

"Everything works as expected - great app!"

Anthony Nguyen, Picmal user
Anthony Nguyen

"Great app! Simple and easy to use."

Beckett R, Picmal user
Beckett R

"It works perfectly now! Thanks and good work. It's really the kind of utility that I find very useful. I know that there are tons of free online tools doing the same thing but it's so much faster that way."

7107Labs, Picmal user
7107Labs

"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!"

River Sloane, Picmal user
River Sloane

"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."

Gianluca Savini, Picmal user
Gianluca Savini

"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)."

Rob H, Picmal user
Rob H

"I really like these kinds of tools: simple interface, focused functions, one-time purchase, and continuous updates."

limboy, Picmal user
limboy

"Been enjoying the app! Thanks for the very handy utility."

@imnogeekAJ, Picmal user
@imnogeekAJ

"I f* love this app. Just so you know. Keep building!"

Alessandro Bonini, Picmal user
Alessandro Bonini

"Clean and easy to use. Perfect for quickly converting images without unnecessary extras."

Marynes, Picmal user
Marynes

"Everything works as expected - great app!"

Anthony Nguyen, Picmal user
Anthony Nguyen

"Great app! Simple and easy to use."

Beckett R, Picmal user
Beckett R

"It works perfectly now! Thanks and good work. It's really the kind of utility that I find very useful. I know that there are tons of free online tools doing the same thing but it's so much faster that way."

7107Labs, Picmal user
7107Labs

"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!"

River Sloane, Picmal user
River Sloane

"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."

Gianluca Savini, Picmal user
Gianluca Savini

"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)."

Rob H, Picmal user
Rob H

"I really like these kinds of tools: simple interface, focused functions, one-time purchase, and continuous updates."

limboy, Picmal user
limboy

"Been enjoying the app! Thanks for the very handy utility."

@imnogeekAJ, Picmal user
@imnogeekAJ

"I f* love this app. Just so you know. Keep building!"

Alessandro Bonini, Picmal user
Alessandro Bonini

Pay once and you're all set

One purchase includes all updates. If you change your mind, you can ask for a refund within 14 days.

Picmal

$39 one-time

  • Every feature, no add-ons

  • Free updates forever

  • Use on 2 Macs

  • Command line tool, Raycast extension and watched folders

  • Updates land the day I ship them, with no App Store review wait

Get Picmal for $39

Picmal Pro

$69 one-time

  • Everything in Picmal

  • Use on 5 Macs

  • One license for a studio, a family, or a desk and a laptop

Get Picmal Pro for $69

Mac App Store

$39 one-time

  • All conversion and compression features, same engines, same quality

  • Free updates forever

  • Purchases, updates and refunds handled by Apple

  • Family Sharing, no license key

  • No command line tool, Raycast extension or watched folders. Compare the two builds

Get it on the App Store

Prices in USD. Any tax is added at checkout. Secure payment via Stripe.

How does the license work?

You pay once and keep it. No renewals, no subscriptions. Picmal activates on 2 Macs, Picmal Pro on 5, and you can move a license to another Mac whenever you want.

What is the difference between Picmal and Picmal Pro?

The app is identical, and so is the support: one person answers every email, and that person is me. Pro covers 5 Macs instead of 2.

I bought Picmal and now I need more Macs. Can I upgrade?

Yes, for $30. Email support@picmal.app and I'll send you the link, then your existing key covers 5 Macs. The offer never expires, so starting with the cheaper plan is never the wrong call.

Should I buy here or on the Mac App Store?

Same price, same engines, same quality. Apple handles the purchase, updates and refunds, and you get Family Sharing with no license key. Buying direct adds the command line tool, the Raycast extension, watched folders, camera EXIF on RAW conversions, and up to 5 Macs on one license. Here is the full comparison of the two builds.

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.

Can I get a refund?

14 days, no questions asked. Email support@picmal.app. App Store purchases go through Apple instead.

A note from Picmal's founder

Hello there 👋

I'm Alberto, the developer behind Picmal.

Picmal started because I was tired of opening a browser every time I needed to convert a few files. I figured there had to be a better way, so I built one.

Over time, that simple image converter has grown into something much bigger, mostly thanks to the people who use it.

Along the way, I've tried to stay true to a few simple ideas: your files should stay on your computer, the app should feel at home on your Mac, and you should only have to pay once.

One of my favorite parts of building Picmal is talking to customers. Many of the features in the app today started as conversations with people who needed something that didn't exist yet.

So if there's a feature you've always wished for, or something you haven't found in other tools, I'd love to hear from you. If it fits Picmal, I'll do my best to build it.

Best,

Alberto

Frequently asked questions

Can't find what you're looking for? Email support@picmal.app

Is Picmal a good ImageOptim alternative?

It depends what you're missing. ImageOptim is free, local, and very good at squeezing PNG and JPEG without visible loss. If that's all you need, keep it. Picmal is worth $39 if you also need to convert formats, handle video, audio, or PDFs, or want the app to still be getting updates.

Can ImageOptim convert between formats?

No. ImageOptim compresses an image and leaves it in the same format. It won't turn a HEIC into a JPG or a PNG into a WebP. That's the single most common reason people go looking for an alternative, and it's what Picmal does.

Is ImageOptim still being updated?

Development has been very quiet for a long time. It still works well on the formats it supports, but it hasn't kept pace with newer ones like AVIF and JXL, or with changes in macOS. Picmal ships updates regularly, listed at picmal.app/changelog.

Does Picmal compress as well as ImageOptim?

For everyday web and storage use, the difference isn't something you'll see. ImageOptim runs several open source optimisers in sequence and can shave out the last few percent on PNG, which matters if you're chasing absolute minimum size. Picmal trades that last few percent for covering video, audio, PDFs, and format conversion in one app.

Do both keep files on my Mac?

Yes. This is one thing they genuinely share. Neither uploads your images anywhere, both work with no internet connection. If you're comparing either of them to a web converter, that's the real difference.

Is ImageOptim free?

Yes, and open source. That's a real advantage and worth saying plainly. Picmal costs $39 once, so it only makes sense if the extra formats, media types, and integrations are worth that to you.

What if Picmal doesn't work for me?

Full refund within 14 days, no questions asked. Email support@picmal.app.