miniscule to zero image size optimisation

Yes it is. The first question is do you have Remove metadata turned on?
Then, if you want compression beyond the default lossless mode of EWWW, and better quality than what PSP 7 is doing (probably with even better savings), give the lossy JPG option a try. It does require a paid subscription, but if you want those kinds of results, it’s well worth it.

Yes metadata removal was slected

give the lossy JPG a try? I’d rather use a service that was upfront about paying if you wanted a decent plugin

The plugin IS upfront about what is provided without paying. You get the best lossless optimization available, which is exactly in line with the recommendations from Google, Yahoo, and pretty much every other speed testing website.

You wanted MORE than the standard optimization, so I recommended the lossy options, which is equivalent to what PSP7 is doing for you (even though EWWW will likely achieve better savings, with better quality than PSP7).

I use the free plugin for my regular job without paying just fine, as do over 100,000 other people.

As someone who paid a huge $10 (prepaid) for 5000 images, no monthly commitment I can say the cloud paid option is money well spent (for me).

The techniques used in the cloud enabled version+lossy are much better. If you want to see what it would look like before parting with any amount of money.. Try https://www.jpegmini.com it works like that (with more file type support) when operating in cloud mode.

Without the “paid” cloud mode, for me, it didn’t help me much as most of my images were saved with the “save for web” function in photoshop which does a good job. EWWW found a few I missed out of hundreds. Saved me a pathetic 402kb with the free edition. It’s saved me about 50MB on the same image library on the cloud paid. It’s not EWWW’s fault. I was already pretty strict/good with my image saving habits.

To simplify FREE gives FREE results, which you may well already be getting with a good graphics program like PS Pro or PhotoShop. Paid gets you much better, it’s lossy and effective.

I have no affiliation with anyone. I’m just a person who never minds paying a fair price for a good product. It’s possibly a complex product trying to be both “Freeware” and “Shareware”. Unpaid and Paid. It is however useful in both modes to varying degrees to different people.