Curtail vs XConvert Image Compressor
Curtail
apps.gnome.orgXConvert Image Compressor
xconvert.comSide by side
| Figure | Curtail | XConvert Image Compressor |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | $4.99/mo |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | — |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 1 | 3 |
| Spec score · Image Compression Software | 8.3 (#23) | 8.8 (#7) |
| Batch processing | The changelog lists recursive directory compression as a feature. | Batch uploads are supported, with individual or ZIP downloads. |
| Compression modes | It supports both lossless and lossy compression. | both |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Metadata controls | Yes | Yes |
| Supported formats | It supports PNG, JPEG, WebP, and SVG files. | JPG,JPEG,JFIF,PNG,WebP,HEIC,AVIF,GIF,BMP,TIFF,ICO,PPM,EPS,RAW formats (CR2,NEF,DNG,ARW,ORF,RAF,RW2) |
Plans
XConvert Image Compressor
- Basic$4.99 a month
- Pro$9.99 a month
- FreeFree
In their own words
Curtail
Curtail is a free Linux application for compressing PNG, JPEG, WebP, and SVG images. It offers both compression modes and lets users decide whether image metadata is retained. Recursive directory compression supports batch processing across folder contents. When compression would produce a larger file, Curtail restores the original. Actions are provided to open a compressed image and reveal it in its folder. The project is released under the GNU General Public License version 3 or later and uses open-source components including Oxipng, pngquant, Jpegoptim, libwebp, and Scour. The project recommends installing its Flatpak package from Flathub; unofficial Snap, Ubuntu PPA, and Fedora COPR packages are also listed. Flathub marks the app as potentially unsafe and lists read/write access to the home folder. The GNOME page lists version 1.17.0, released on 2026-10-05, and links to an issue tracker. Curtail is available at no cost, with no trial required.
XConvert Image Compressor
XConvert Image Compressor is a web-based tool for compressing, resizing, and converting images, with batch processing and API access. It supports formats including JPG, JPEG, JFIF, PNG, WebP, HEIC, AVIF, GIF, BMP, TIFF, ICO, PPM, EPS, and several RAW formats. Images can be uploaded from a computer, Google Drive, or Dropbox. Compression can be combined with conversion to JPG, WebP, AVIF, PNG, or HEIC; metadata controls and Auto Scale are also available. Auto Scale adjusts dimensions to meet a target file size while maximizing quality. Free users can compress images up to 300 MB each, with no per-session file-count cap. Free video conversions are also offered: visitors get 30 daily, and free accounts get 60. Basic costs $4.99 a month or 49.99 USD yearly; Pro costs $9.99 a month or 99.99 USD yearly. The service says uploads use TLS in transit and files are automatically deleted after a few hours. No account is required for the online tool, and an XConvert desktop app supports offline conversion and editing.