Image optimization is crucial for enhancing user experience and boosting site performance. By increasing SEO, improving conversions, and lowering bounce rates, you can significantly impact a website’s overall success with image processing. But finding a pricing model that truly reflects the value of image optimization can be challenging.
Many pricing models in the market fall short, creating unpredictability and frustration for businesses and content creators. In this blog post, we'll explore various pricing models and why the Origin Image pricing approach stands out as the best solution.
Traditional pricing models for image optimization
Let’s look at the most common pricing models and their respective benefits and drawbacks.
Bandwidth-based pricing
Bandwidth-based pricing is a common model where customers are charged based on the amount of data transferred. In some scenarios, bandwidth-based pricing can offer transparency, as customers are directly billed for the amount of data transferred.
However, while this approach might seem straightforward, it comes with significant drawbacks. The most glaring issue is unpredictability. Bandwidth usage can fluctuate dramatically based on traffic, making it difficult to forecast costs.
Less obviously but perhaps worse for the customer, there's a fundamental conflict of interest. Companies that charge by bandwidth have little incentive to optimize images effectively since higher bandwidth usage means higher revenue for them. It's akin to leaving the fox in charge of the henhouse—ulterior motives abound.
Storage-based pricing
Another prevalent model is storage-based pricing, where charges are based on the amount of storage used. This model can be appealing for its predictability, allowing for easier budgeting based on image storage requirements.
But this method is problematic because it doesn't directly correlate with the actual value derived from image optimization. The size of storage doesn't necessarily reflect how many images are being used or how frequently they are accessed. This approach also requires the customer to constantly curate their image library to ensure they are not being charged for media no longer in use.
Transformation-based pricing
Transformation-based pricing can provide granular control over image optimization costs, allowing customers to tailor their usage to specific needs. However, this granularity can also lead to complications.
This model charges customers for each transformation applied to an image, such as resizing or cropping. While this might appear logical, it can quickly become costly and overly complex, especially for businesses that require multiple transformations for their images. This model also discourages image experimentation, since each manipulation adds to the cost.
Frustrations with traditional models
These traditional pricing models often result in unpredictable costs, misaligned incentives, and complicated billing structures. Businesses end up spending more time managing their image optimization budgets than focusing on their core activities.
Introducing Origin Image pricing
We believe that the best pricing model is one that directly reflects the value you get from image optimization.
Enter the Origin Image model.
An Origin Image is any asset requested through a rendering API from your connected source. Multiple transformations of the same image, such as resizing, cropping, or making an image responsive, do not count as additional Origin Images.
Key advantages of Origin Image pricing
This model offers several key advantages that streamline and enhance the image optimization process.
Direct correlation with usage and value
Origin Image pricing directly correlates with the actual number of images used, making it a fair and transparent model. It ensures that you are charged based on the value derived from the images rather than arbitrary (and potentially misleading) metrics like bandwidth or storage.
Simple and predictable billing
With Origin Image pricing, billing is straightforward and predictable. Each billing month, the count of Origin Images is reset, and you only pay for the tier of images accessed during that period. This clarity helps you manage your budget more effectively.
Encouragement of efficient image optimization
By not charging for transformations or bandwidth, the Origin Image model encourages businesses to optimize their images efficiently, and transform them as much as they like. This model aligns customer incentives with that of the image service provider, ensuring that both benefit from delivering high-quality, optimized images.
Working out how many Origin Images you have
While there’s no question that pricing based on Origin Images is the fairest way to price image optimization, sometimes we at imgix hear questions around how to calculate the number of Origin Images that you would serve in a month. There are a few different ways we can help you estimate this:
- Start an imgix trial. This is the most accurate way to determine the number of Origin Images you will use—and it comes with the bonus that you get to see imgix in action on your own images and webpages. And don’t worry - all you have to do to get your imgix trial up and running is add a CNAME record to your site, pointing your image URLs to imgix.
- Estimate using Google Analytics. A less accurate (but definitely indicative) way to determine your Origin Image count is by estimating the number of images served on each type of page on your site, and then using Google Analytics to understand how many times that type of page is served per month.
- Estimate using imgix comparables. The other way that you can estimate Origin Images is by asking us for information about comparable imgix customers with a similar amount of traffic, in a similar vertical. This is the least accurate way to estimate Origin Image counts, but it’s useful as a starting point.
Embrace predictable and fair pricing with Origin Images
The Origin Image pricing model offers a clear, fair, and predictable way to measure the value of image optimization. It eliminates the frustrations associated with traditional pricing models and aligns incentives to ensure efficient image optimization.
Ready to experience the benefits? Check out imgix pricing plans and see how our Origin Image pricing can help transform your digital content strategy.
