# Compresto

> Compresto is a native macOS app that batch compresses videos, images, PDFs, and GIFs — up to 90% smaller with no quality loss, all offline on your Mac. Formerly known as CompressX. Also offers an Image Compression REST API.

Compresto is a native macOS application and web platform for multimedia file compression. It supports videos (MP4, MOV with H.264 / H.265 / HEVC / AV1), images (PNG, JPEG, HEIC, WebP, AVIF, GIF, SVG, TIFF), and PDFs, with batch processing and hardware acceleration via VideoToolbox on Apple Silicon.

Last updated: 2026-10-25

## Main pages

- [Homepage](https://compresto.app/): Product overview, features, testimonials, and download.
- [Pricing](https://compresto.app/pricing): Plans and pricing FAQs.
- [Image Compression API](https://compresto.app/api): REST API with live demo, code examples, and API pricing.
- [API documentation](https://compresto.app/docs): Full developer docs for the Image Compression API.
- [Downloads](https://compresto.app/downloads): Current and previous macOS builds.
- [Compress images online](https://compresto.app/compress-image): Free in-browser image compression.
- [Blog](https://compresto.app/blog): Guides on compression, codecs, and macOS workflows.
- [Changelog](https://compresto.app/changelog): Release notes.
- [FAQs](https://compresto.app/faqs): Frequently asked questions.
- [Use cases](https://compresto.app/use-case): Scenario-based guidance.
- [Industries](https://compresto.app/industries): Industry-specific compression solutions.
- [Education](https://compresto.app/education): Compresto for students, teachers, and schools.
- [Compresto for Windows](https://compresto.app/windows): Windows availability and alternatives.
- [Case studies](https://compresto.app/case-studies): Customer stories.
- [Case study: Poly Artboard](https://compresto.app/case-studies/polyartboard): How Poly Artboard boosted efficiency with Compresto.
- [Case study: Kirill at Moeck & Moeck](https://compresto.app/case-studies/kirill-at-moeck-moeck): How a marketing pro uses Compresto to boost productivity.
- [How to set up](https://compresto.app/how-to-setup): Installation guide.
- [Contact](https://compresto.app/contact): Reach the team.
- [Author: Hieu Dinh](https://compresto.app/authors/hieu-dinh): Founder and primary author of the guides on this site.

## Comparisons

- [Compresto vs HandBrake](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-handbrake): Compare Compresto and HandBrake to find the right video compression tool for your Mac workflow.
- [Compresto vs FFmpeg](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-ffmpeg): GUI simplicity vs command-line power — compare Compresto and FFmpeg for Mac video compression.
- [Compresto vs Shutter Encoder](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-shutter-encoder): Compare Compresto and Shutter Encoder to choose the right video compression approach for your Mac.
- [Compresto vs Permute 3](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-permute-3): Two native macOS tools compared — see how Compresto and Permute 3 differ in compression focus and format support.
- [Compresto vs Apple Compressor](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-apple-compressor): Professional video encoding vs everyday compression — compare Apple Compressor and Compresto for Mac.
- [Compresto vs VLC](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-vlc): Media player vs dedicated compressor — compare VLC and Compresto for video compression on Mac.
- [Compresto vs Clideo](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-clideo): Online browser-based compression vs offline Mac app — compare Clideo and Compresto for video compression.
- [Compresto vs ImageOptim](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-imageoptim): Free lossless image optimizer vs all-in-one compression — compare ImageOptim and Compresto for Mac.
- [Compresto vs JPEGmini](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-jpegmini): JPEG specialist vs all-format compressor — compare JPEGmini and Compresto for your image compression needs.
- [Compresto vs TinyPNG](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-tinypng): Web-based PNG compressor vs offline Mac app — compare TinyPNG and Compresto for image optimization.
- [Compresto vs Squoosh](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-squoosh): Google's browser image tool vs native Mac compression — compare Squoosh and Compresto for image optimization.
- [Compresto vs ShortPixel](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-shortpixel): WordPress image API vs local Mac compression — compare ShortPixel and Compresto for your image workflow.
- [Compresto vs Adobe Acrobat](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-adobe-acrobat): Skip the Adobe subscription — compare Compresto and Adobe Acrobat for PDF compression on Mac.
- [Compresto vs Smallpdf](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-smallpdf): Online PDF compressor vs offline Mac app — compare Smallpdf and Compresto for privacy-safe PDF compression.
- [Compresto vs Keka](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-keka): Media compression vs file archiving — understand how Compresto and Keka serve different compression needs on Mac.
- [Compresto vs BetterZip](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-betterzip): Archive management vs media file compression — see how BetterZip and Compresto complement each other on Mac.
- [Compresto vs CloudConvert](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-cloudconvert): Cloud format conversion vs offline Mac compression — compare CloudConvert and Compresto for your file workflow.
- [Compresto vs FreeConvert](https://compresto.app/compresto-vs-freeconvert): Free online file converter vs offline Mac compression — compare FreeConvert and Compresto for your workflow.
- [All comparisons](https://compresto.app/compare): Full list of Compresto vs. competitor pages.

## Free online tools

- [Tools index](https://compresto.app/tools): Collection of free online utilities.
- [EXIF Data Remover](https://compresto.app/tools/exif-data-remover): Remove EXIF metadata from images online.
- [Image Metadata Extractor](https://compresto.app/tools/image-metadata-extractor): Extract detailed image metadata.
- [Image Diff](https://compresto.app/image-diff): Compare two images side by side.
- [PDF to Image](https://compresto.app/pdf-to-image): Convert PDF pages to images.

## API

The Image Compression API provides programmatic access to Compresto's compression engine.

- Endpoint: `POST /v1/compress` — compress images (multipart or base64 JSON).
- Demo: `POST /v1/demo-compress` — try compression without signup (rate limited).
- Usage: `GET /v1/usage` — check API usage statistics.
- Parameters: `quality` (1-100), `format` (auto/jpeg/png/webp), `maxWidth`, `maxHeight`.
- Auth: API key required (except the demo endpoint).

## Supported formats

- Video: MP4, MOV (H.264, H.265 / HEVC, AV1).
- Image: PNG, JPEG, HEIC, WebP, AVIF, GIF, SVG, TIFF.
- PDF: Standard PDF files.
- Features: batch processing, hardware acceleration via Apple Silicon and VideoToolbox, folder monitoring, video trimming, GIF conversion.

## Use cases and industries

- [Use cases](https://compresto.app/use-case): Scenario-based compression walkthroughs with recommended settings.
- [Industries](https://compresto.app/industries): Compression guidance by industry.
- [Full index](https://compresto.app/llms-full.txt): Every use case, profession page, and guide, listed individually.

## Recent guides

- [GitHub File Size Limit: 25MB, 50MB, 100MB and How to Push Large Files](https://compresto.app/blog/github-file-size-limit): GitHub warns at 50MB, blocks files over 100MB, and caps browser uploads at 25MB. Here's every GitHub size limit in one table, how to fix the GH001 'Large files detected' error, and when Git LFS or a smaller file is the better fix.
- [How to Extract tar.gz Files on Mac, Windows, and Linux](https://compresto.app/blog/extract-tar-gz): A tar.gz file is a folder bundled with tar and compressed with gzip. Every modern OS can extract one without extra software. Here's the double-click way, the one-line command, and what to do when extraction fails.
- [Etsy Listing Photo Size (2026): Photos, Banner & Shop Icon](https://compresto.app/blog/etsy-listing-photo-size): Etsy recommends listing photos at least 2000 pixels on the shortest side. Here's the full 2026 cheat sheet for listing photos, thumbnails, banners, shop icons and videos, plus how to resize and compress a whole shoot on a Mac.
- [Variable Frame Rate (VFR): What It Is and How to Fix Sync Drift](https://compresto.app/blog/variable-frame-rate): Phones, screen recorders, and Zoom all record variable frame rate video. Players handle it fine; editors often don't, and audio slowly drifts out of sync. Here's how to spot VFR and convert it to constant frame rate with HandBrake or FFmpeg.
- [exFAT vs FAT32 (and NTFS): File Size Limits and Which to Use](https://compresto.app/blog/exfat-vs-fat32): FAT32 can't hold a file larger than 4GB. exFAT can, and it works on both Mac and Windows. NTFS is Windows-first and read-only on a Mac. Here's how to pick a format and fix the 'file too large' error.
- [What Is a RAR File? How to Open It, and RAR vs ZIP Explained](https://compresto.app/blog/what-is-a-rar-file): A RAR file is a proprietary compressed archive created by WinRAR. Anyone can extract one for free, but only RARLAB's software can create one. Here's how RAR works, how to open it on any OS, and when ZIP or 7z is the better choice.
- [AV1 vs H264: 50% Smaller Files, One Catch](https://compresto.app/blog/av1-vs-h264): AV1 produces files 30-50% smaller than H.264 at the same quality — but H.264 plays literally everywhere and encodes instantly. Here's the full breakdown.
- [HEVC vs H264: 50% Smaller Files, One Real Catch](https://compresto.app/blog/hevc-vs-h264): HEVC delivers ~50% smaller files than H.264 at identical quality — but H.264 still wins on compatibility. Here's the 2026 decision framework, with conversion how-tos.
- [Best PDF Compressor for Mac: 8 PDF Reducing Apps Tested (2026)](https://compresto.app/blog/best-pdf-compressor-software-mac): PDF reducing software on a Mac is usually Preview's Reduce File Size filter. Use a dedicated compressor when that filter wrecks scans or slides.
- [YouTube Upload Limit: 256 GB (512 GB Verified) and 15 Minutes](https://compresto.app/blog/youtube-video-size-limits): YouTube's upload limit is 256 GB / 15 minutes until you verify the account, then 512 GB / 12 hours. Compress before you upload — the player will re-encode anyway.
- [7zip vs WinRAR: 10–20% Smaller Files, and 7-Zip Is Free](https://compresto.app/blog/7-zip-vs-winrar): 7-Zip archives land 10–20% smaller than RAR and cost nothing. WinRAR is the one to pay for only when a damaged archive has to be repaired.
- [Slack File Size Limit: 1 GB — What to Do When Storage Is Full](https://compresto.app/blog/slack-file-size-limit): The Slack file size limit is 1 GB on every plan. Slack storage full is a different error: the workspace pool is used up, and deleting the chat message does not free it.
- [Batch Convert HEIC to JPG on Mac: 5 Methods, Start in Preview](https://compresto.app/blog/batch-convert-heic-to-jpg): Select the HEIC files, open them in Preview, then File → Export Selected Images as JPEG at 85%. Automator, Shortcuts, and sips are below for bigger libraries.
- [How to Clear System Data on Mac (and What That Gray Bar Is)](https://compresto.app/blog/optimize-storage-mac): There is no Delete button for System Data. Clear it by removing local Time Machine snapshots, old iPhone backups, and app caches. The check is Apple menu → System Settings → General → Storage.
- [Compresto v1.31 update: EPUB Compression, Translations & Print-Resolution Images](https://compresto.app/blog/compresto-1-31): Compress images inside EPUB books, use Compresto in six languages, and keep JPEG and PNG print resolution plus metadata.
- [x264 vs x265: 25–50% Smaller Files, Much Slower Encodes](https://compresto.app/blog/x264-vs-x265): x265 makes smaller files. That part is easy. The parts that catch people out are that CRF 23 does not mean the same thing in both, and that encode time can grow by an order of magnitude.
- [Optimizilla Alternative: 7 Best Mac Image Compressors (2026)](https://compresto.app/blog/optimizilla-alternative): Optimizilla is a handy free online compressor, but the 20-image cap and server uploads add up fast. Here are 7 alternatives, including offline Mac tools with unlimited batch processing.
- [How to Compress a Video File (Without Losing Quality)](https://compresto.app/blog/how-to-compress-a-video): Compress a video file by re-encoding — not zipping. H.264 for compatibility, HEVC for ~50% smaller files. Do it once from the original.
- [How to Compress a Video File for Email (Stay Under 25 MB)](https://compresto.app/blog/compress-video-for-email): Compress a video file for email by re-encoding to 720p H.264 MP4. That is what actually beats Gmail's 25 MB cap — zipping an MP4 barely helps.
- [10 Ways to Make a File Smaller Without Losing Quality](https://compresto.app/blog/file-size-reduction-tips-10-ways-to-optimize-your-files-without-losing-quality): Compress a file to a smaller size by matching the method to the type: re-encode video, recompress images and PDFs, zip only what is not already compressed.
- [WinRAR for Mac: There Is No GUI App — Here's What to Use Instead](https://compresto.app/blog/winrar-for-mac): There is no official WinRAR graphical app for macOS. RARLAB's Mac build is Terminal-only. Keka and The Unarchiver open RAR files; creating RAR still requires RARLAB's CLI.
- [RedPanda Compress: What It Is, Limits, and the Best Mac Alternative](https://compresto.app/blog/redpanda-alternative): RedPanda Compress runs ffmpeg in your browser, so files never upload. It is free and capable. Large batches, PDFs, and Apple Silicon encoding still want a native Mac app.
- [Lossless Video Compression: Bit-Perfect Files, 40–60% Smaller](https://compresto.app/blog/lossless-video-compression): Lossless video compression keeps every pixel. Expect 40–60% of uncompressed size — far bigger than H.264. Use it for edits and archives, not for sharing.
- [How to Compress a Video Without Losing Quality (YouTube Settings)](https://compresto.app/blog/compress-video-for-youtube): Compress a video without losing quality by keeping resolution and lowering bitrate once — not by zipping, and not by encoding three times. YouTube re-encodes anyway; give it a clean H.264 master.
- [WebM vs MP4: Use MP4 to Share, WebM to Host](https://compresto.app/blog/webm-vs-mp4): Use MP4 to share. Use WebM to host. WebM (VP9/AV1) is usually smaller; MP4 (H.264) still plays on every phone, editor, and TV.
- [AV1 vs H265: 30% Smaller Files, One Speed Catch](https://compresto.app/blog/av1-vs-h265): AV1 is 30–50% more efficient than H.265 and completely royalty-free — but H.265 still wins on encoding speed and hardware support. Here's the full breakdown.
- [Does Google Drive Compress Video? Yes for Playback — Not Your File](https://compresto.app/blog/compress-video-for-google-drive): Google Drive does not shrink the file you upload. Play uses a separate 1080p transcode, so 4K looks like 1080p in the browser. Compress before upload to save the 15 GB quota.
- [How to Compress PDF File Size: Preview, Ghostscript, or Acrobat](https://compresto.app/blog/compress-pdf-file-size): Compress PDF file size by recompressing the images inside it. On a Mac, Preview → Export → Reduce File Size is the 30-second path; Ghostscript and Acrobat give you more control.
- [How to Compress PDF on Mac (Preview in 30 Seconds)](https://compresto.app/blog/compress-pdf-size-mac): How to compress PDF on Mac: Preview → File → Export → Quartz Filter → Reduce File Size. Ghostscript if Preview looks muddy.
- [How to Compress Video on Mac: QuickTime, HandBrake, or Compresto](https://compresto.app/blog/video-compression-on-mac): Compress video on a Mac with QuickTime for a one-off, HandBrake for settings, or Compresto for a batch. Re-encode — Finder Compress will not shrink an MP4.
- [7z vs ZIP: 30–70% Smaller Files Tested (2026 Benchmarks)](https://compresto.app/blog/7-z-vs-zip): 7z compresses files 30–70% smaller than ZIP using LZMA2 and bundles AES-256 encryption by default — but ZIP opens everywhere with no extra software. Use 7z for archiving and storage, ZIP for sharing.
- [How to Make a File Smaller on Mac (ZIP Is the Last Resort)](https://compresto.app/blog/reduce-file-size-on-mac): Make a file smaller on a Mac by matching the method to the type. ZIP a folder of docs. Re-encode video. Recompress photos and the images inside PDFs.
- [How to Edit PDF on Mac Free: 12 Tools (Start with Preview)](https://compresto.app/blog/best-free-pdf-editor-for-mac): Edit a PDF on a Mac for free in Preview for fills, signatures, and page order. Use one of the 11 other tools below when you need to change the actual text.
- [Video Converter Software: 6 Best Free Tools Tested (2026)](https://compresto.app/blog/6-best-free-any-format-video-converter-software): A guide to top free tools for changing video formats easily.
- [How to Compress GIF: Cut Frames, Then Colors](https://compresto.app/blog/compress-gif-file): Compress a GIF by removing frames first, then cutting the color palette. That order saves more size than any ZIP or generic compressor.
- [FFmpeg Scale: Resize Video with 7 Copy-Paste One-Liners](https://compresto.app/blog/ffmpeg-resize-video): FFmpeg scale (the -vf scale filter) with 7 copy-paste resize one-liners. Keep aspect ratio, 4K to 720p, batch. Full filter options live in the scale reference.
- [Google Photos Storage Cost: Every Plan, Price per GB, and Which to Pick](https://compresto.app/blog/google-photos-storage-cost): Google Photos has no plan of its own. Extra space comes from Google One, from $1.99 a month for 100 GB up to 5 TB with AI Pro. Here is what each tier costs, what it holds, and when paying is worth it.
- [Dropbox File Size Limit: 2 TB per File, But Storage Stops You First](https://compresto.app/blog/dropbox-file-size-limit): The Dropbox file size limit is 2 TB per file on every plan. What actually blocks uploads is your storage quota and Dropbox Transfer's per-plan cap. Dropbox also keeps your original video; only previews are compressed.
- [Mac Disk Space Analyzer: DaisyDisk vs GrandPerspective vs OmniDiskSweeper](https://compresto.app/blog/mac-disk-space-analyzer): DaisyDisk is the best paid Mac disk space analyzer, GrandPerspective the best free visual one, and OmniDiskSweeper the simplest free list. Here is how they compare and how to read what they find.
- [How to Use 7-Zip: Zip, Extract, Password-Protect and Command Line](https://compresto.app/blog/how-to-use-7-zip): A practical 7-Zip tutorial: install it from the official site, zip and extract from the right-click menu, encrypt with AES-256, split big archives, and do it all from the command line.
- [What Is Mail Drop? How to Send 5 GB Files from iPhone, Mac and iCloud](https://compresto.app/blog/what-is-mail-drop): Mail Drop uploads large attachments to iCloud and sends a download link instead. Up to 5 GB per message, 30-day expiry, and it does not use your iCloud storage. Here is how to use it on every Apple device.
- [How to Free Up iCloud Storage Without Paying for iCloud+ (or Deleting Your Photos)](https://compresto.app/blog/how-to-free-up-icloud-storage): iCloud's free 5 GB fills up with photos, videos, and old iPhone backups — not documents. Delete the backups, empty Recently Deleted, and compress media before it syncs.
- [Gmail Attachment Size Limit: 25 MB, the 33% Tax, and How to Get Around It](https://compresto.app/blog/gmail-attachment-size-limit): Gmail's 25 MB send limit is a ceiling, not a target. Base64 encoding inflates attachments by about 33%, so a 20 MB file is already too big. Compress first, or send a Drive link.
- [Compresto v1.30 update: Target File Size for Images, Custom GIF Dimensions & Native Apple Silicon FFmpeg](https://compresto.app/blog/compresto-1-30): A size-focused release with JPEG target file size, custom GIF dimensions, and a native arm64 FFmpeg build for Apple Silicon.
- [WeTransfer Alternatives: 7 Ways to Send Large Files (and When Not To)](https://compresto.app/blog/wetransfer-alternative): Every WeTransfer alternative solves the same problem the same way: your file goes to someone else's server and expires. Sometimes that is right. Often the file was just never compressed.
- [How to Compress an Excel File (and Why XLSX Files Get So Large)](https://compresto.app/blog/compress-excel-file): A spreadsheet of numbers should be tiny. If yours is 80 MB, the cells are almost never the reason — and an XLSX is a ZIP archive, so you can look inside and find out what is.
- [Outlook Attachment Size Limit: What It Actually Is and How to Get Around It](https://compresto.app/blog/outlook-attachment-size-limit): Two limits govern every Outlook attachment: the one on your desktop client and the one on the mail server. Raising the first does nothing if the second is what rejected you.
- [tar vs ZIP: What's the Difference and Which Should You Use?](https://compresto.app/blog/tar-vs-zip): tar does not compress anything. That single fact explains almost every difference between tar.gz and ZIP, including why one gets smaller and the other opens faster.
- [AV1 Player: How to Play AV1 Video Files on Any Device](https://compresto.app/blog/av1-player): An AV1 file that will not play is almost always a decoder problem, not a broken file. Here is which players handle AV1, and how to tell software from hardware decoding.
- [Advanced Audio Coding (AAC): The Codec Explained](https://compresto.app/blog/what-is-aac-codec): AAC replaced MP3 as the default lossy audio codec and most people never noticed. Here is what it does, how its profiles differ, and where it still loses to Opus.

- [All guides](https://compresto.app/blog): Full blog archive.

## Legal

- [Privacy Policy](https://compresto.app/privacy)
- [Terms of Service](https://compresto.app/terms-of-service)
- [Acknowledgments](https://compresto.app/acknowledgments)

## Sitemaps

- [Sitemap index](https://compresto.app/sitemap.xml)
- [Server sitemap](https://compresto.app/server-sitemap.xml)
- [Docs sitemap](https://compresto.app/docs/sitemap.xml)
- [Full index](https://compresto.app/llms-full.txt): Complete index of every page and guide on this site.