How to Optimize Files for Ordinals Inscriptions

Every byte of data you inscribe on Bitcoin costs satoshis in fees. Optimizing your files means making them as small as possible while keeping quality high. Smaller files = cheaper inscriptions.

Inscription fees are directly proportional to file size. A 100KB image costs roughly 10x more than a 10KB image. During high-fee periods, this can mean the difference between a $5 inscription and a $50 one.

Optimization isn't about cutting corners — it's about being smart with your bytes.

For images, use these strategies:

• •Choose the right format: WebP is often 25-50% smaller than PNG for the same quality
• •Resize dimensions: Don't inscribe a 4000px image if 400px conveys the same thing
• •Reduce colors: For pixel art, use indexed PNG with limited palettes
• •Use our Image Compress tool: Automatically find the best compression settings
• •Consider SVG: For vector graphics, SVG can be dramatically smaller than raster formats

For HTML inscriptions:

• •Minify everything: Remove whitespace, comments, and unnecessary code
• •Inline CSS and JS: Avoid external references (they won't work on-chain)
• •Use our Inscription Creator: It generates optimized self-contained HTML
• •Base64 encode assets: Embed images as base64 data URIs
• •Reference existing inscriptions: Use /content/ to reuse on-chain assets

For 3D models:

• •Use Draco compression: Our 3D Compress tool applies Google's Draco compression
• •Reduce polygon count: Simplify geometry before inscribing
• •Optimize textures: Compress texture images separately
• •Use GLB format: Binary glTF is more compact than glTF+separate files

For text-based inscriptions:

• •Use our Text Compress tool: Apply Brotli or Gzip compression
• •Minify JSON: Remove formatting whitespace
• •Choose efficient encoding: UTF-8 for text, base64 for binary embedded in text
• •Remove metadata: Strip unnecessary EXIF data from images