diff --git a/ChangeLog b/ChangeLog
index a76ce7dd..6dfb2fc2 100644
--- a/ChangeLog
+++ b/ChangeLog
@@ -2,6 +2,7 @@
 - all tools support `--version`
 - add vips_svgload_string() convenience function
 - fix thumbnail with small image plus crop plus no upsize [Andrewsville]
+- rename speed / reduction-effort / etc. params as "effort"
 
 14/7/21 started 8.11.3
 - build threadpool later [kleisauke]
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/pforeign.h b/libvips/foreign/pforeign.h
index d0773caa..ff1dbd48 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/pforeign.h
+++ b/libvips/foreign/pforeign.h
@@ -211,7 +211,7 @@ int vips__webp_read_source( VipsSource *source, VipsImage *out,
 int vips__webp_write_target( VipsImage *image, VipsTarget *target,
 	int Q, gboolean lossless, VipsForeignWebpPreset preset,
 	gboolean smart_subsample, gboolean near_lossless,
-	int alpha_q, int reduction_effort,
+	int alpha_q, int effort,
 	gboolean min_size, int kmin, int kmax,
 	gboolean strip, const char *profile );
 
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/pngsave.c b/libvips/foreign/pngsave.c
index ecdbb3a2..ecf0f575 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/pngsave.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/pngsave.c
@@ -472,8 +472,8 @@ vips_foreign_save_png_buffer_init( VipsForeignSavePngBuffer *buffer )
  * * @palette: %gboolean, enable quantisation to 8bpp palette
  * * @Q: %gint, quality for 8bpp quantisation 
  * * @dither: %gdouble, amount of dithering for 8bpp quantization
- * * @bitdepth: %int, set write bit depth to 1, 2, 4 or 8
- * * @effort: %int, quantisation CPU effort
+ * * @bitdepth: %gint, set write bit depth to 1, 2, 4 or 8
+ * * @effort: %gint, quantisation CPU effort
  *
  * Write a VIPS image to a file as PNG.
  *
@@ -546,8 +546,8 @@ vips_pngsave( VipsImage *in, const char *filename, ... )
  * * @palette: %gboolean, enable quantisation to 8bpp palette
  * * @Q: %gint, quality for 8bpp quantisation 
  * * @dither: %gdouble, amount of dithering for 8bpp quantization
- * * @bitdepth: %int, set write bit depth to 1, 2, 4 or 8
- * * @effort: %int, quantisation CPU effort
+ * * @bitdepth: %gint, set write bit depth to 1, 2, 4 or 8
+ * * @effort: %gint, quantisation CPU effort
  *
  * As vips_pngsave(), but save to a memory buffer. 
  *
@@ -602,8 +602,8 @@ vips_pngsave_buffer( VipsImage *in, void **buf, size_t *len, ... )
  * * @palette: enable quantisation to 8bpp palette
  * * @Q: quality for 8bpp quantisation 
  * * @dither: amount of dithering for 8bpp quantization
- * * @bitdepth: %int, set write bit depth to 1, 2, 4 or 8
- * * @effort: %int, quantisation CPU effort
+ * * @bitdepth: %gint, set write bit depth to 1, 2, 4 or 8
+ * * @effort: %gint, quantisation CPU effort
  *
  * As vips_pngsave(), but save to a target.
  *
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/vips2webp.c b/libvips/foreign/vips2webp.c
index 96beade0..77539d4b 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/vips2webp.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/vips2webp.c
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ typedef struct {
 	gboolean smart_subsample;
 	gboolean near_lossless;
 	int alpha_q;
-	int reduction_effort;
+	int effort;
 	gboolean min_size;
 	int kmin;
 	int kmax;
@@ -147,7 +147,7 @@ static int
 vips_webp_write_init( VipsWebPWrite *write, VipsImage *image,
 	int Q, gboolean lossless, VipsForeignWebpPreset preset,
 	gboolean smart_subsample, gboolean near_lossless,
-	int alpha_q, int reduction_effort,
+	int alpha_q, int effort,
 	gboolean min_size, int kmin, int kmax,
 	gboolean strip, const char *profile )
 {
@@ -158,7 +158,7 @@ vips_webp_write_init( VipsWebPWrite *write, VipsImage *image,
 	write->smart_subsample = smart_subsample;
 	write->near_lossless = near_lossless;
 	write->alpha_q = alpha_q;
-	write->reduction_effort = reduction_effort;
+	write->effort = effort;
 	write->min_size = min_size;
 	write->kmin = kmin;
 	write->kmax = kmax;
@@ -196,7 +196,7 @@ vips_webp_write_init( VipsWebPWrite *write, VipsImage *image,
 
 	write->config.lossless = lossless || near_lossless;
 	write->config.alpha_quality = alpha_q;
-	write->config.method = reduction_effort;
+	write->config.method = effort;
 
 	if( lossless )
 		write->config.quality = Q;
@@ -554,7 +554,7 @@ int
 vips__webp_write_target( VipsImage *image, VipsTarget *target,
 	int Q, gboolean lossless, VipsForeignWebpPreset preset,
 	gboolean smart_subsample, gboolean near_lossless,
-	int alpha_q, int reduction_effort,
+	int alpha_q, int effort,
 	gboolean min_size, int kmin, int kmax,
 	gboolean strip, const char *profile )
 {
@@ -562,7 +562,7 @@ vips__webp_write_target( VipsImage *image, VipsTarget *target,
 
 	if( vips_webp_write_init( &write, image,
 		Q, lossless, preset, smart_subsample, near_lossless,
-		alpha_q, reduction_effort, min_size, kmin, kmax, strip,
+		alpha_q, effort, min_size, kmin, kmax, strip,
 		profile ) )
 		return( -1 );
 
diff --git a/libvips/foreign/webpsave.c b/libvips/foreign/webpsave.c
index e969fd00..b96bd2c9 100644
--- a/libvips/foreign/webpsave.c
+++ b/libvips/foreign/webpsave.c
@@ -5,9 +5,11 @@
  * 29/10/18 
  * 	- add animated webp support
  * 15/1/19 lovell
- * 	- add @reduction_effort 
+ * 	- add @effort 
  * 18/7/20
  * 	- add @profile param to match tiff, jpg, etc.
+ * 30/7/21
+ * 	- rename "reduction-effort" as "effort"
  */
 
 /*
@@ -84,7 +86,7 @@ typedef struct _VipsForeignSaveWebp {
 
 	/* Level of CPU effort to reduce file size.
 	 */
-	int reduction_effort;
+	int effort;
 
 	/* Animated webp options.
 	 */
@@ -204,11 +206,11 @@ vips_foreign_save_webp_class_init( VipsForeignSaveWebpClass *class )
 		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsForeignSaveWebp, kmax ),
 		0, INT_MAX, INT_MAX );
 
-	VIPS_ARG_INT( class, "reduction_effort", 19,
-		_( "Reduction effort" ),
+	VIPS_ARG_INT( class, "effort", 19,
+		_( "Effort" ),
 		_( "Level of CPU effort to reduce file size" ),
 		VIPS_ARGUMENT_OPTIONAL_INPUT,
-		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsForeignSaveWebp, reduction_effort ),
+		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsForeignSaveWebp, effort ),
 		0, 6, 4 );
 
 	VIPS_ARG_STRING( class, "profile", 20, 
@@ -217,6 +219,13 @@ vips_foreign_save_webp_class_init( VipsForeignSaveWebpClass *class )
 		VIPS_ARGUMENT_OPTIONAL_INPUT,
 		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsForeignSaveWebp, profile ),
 		NULL );
+
+	VIPS_ARG_INT( class, "reduction-effort", 21,
+		_( "Reduction effort" ),
+		_( "Level of CPU effort to reduce file size" ),
+		VIPS_ARGUMENT_OPTIONAL_INPUT | VIPS_ARGUMENT_DEPRECATED,
+		G_STRUCT_OFFSET( VipsForeignSaveWebp, effort ),
+		0, 6, 4 );
 }
 
 static void
@@ -224,7 +233,7 @@ vips_foreign_save_webp_init( VipsForeignSaveWebp *webp )
 {
 	webp->Q = 75;
 	webp->alpha_q = 100;
-	webp->reduction_effort = 4;
+	webp->effort = 4;
 
 	/* ie. keyframes disabled by default.
 	 */
@@ -259,7 +268,7 @@ vips_foreign_save_webp_target_build( VipsObject *object )
 	if( vips__webp_write_target( save->ready, target->target, 
 		webp->Q, webp->lossless, webp->preset,
 		webp->smart_subsample, webp->near_lossless,
-		webp->alpha_q, webp->reduction_effort,
+		webp->alpha_q, webp->effort,
 		webp->min_size, webp->kmin, webp->kmax,
 		save->strip, webp->profile ) )
 		return( -1 );
@@ -327,7 +336,7 @@ vips_foreign_save_webp_file_build( VipsObject *object )
 	if( vips__webp_write_target( save->ready, target,
 		webp->Q, webp->lossless, webp->preset,
 		webp->smart_subsample, webp->near_lossless,
-		webp->alpha_q, webp->reduction_effort,
+		webp->alpha_q, webp->effort,
 		webp->min_size, webp->kmin, webp->kmax,
 		save->strip, webp->profile ) ) {
 		VIPS_UNREF( target );
@@ -399,7 +408,7 @@ vips_foreign_save_webp_buffer_build( VipsObject *object )
 	if( vips__webp_write_target( save->ready, target,
 		webp->Q, webp->lossless, webp->preset,
 		webp->smart_subsample, webp->near_lossless,
-		webp->alpha_q, webp->reduction_effort,
+		webp->alpha_q, webp->effort,
 		webp->min_size, webp->kmin, webp->kmax,
 		save->strip, webp->profile ) ) {
 		VIPS_UNREF( target );
@@ -473,7 +482,7 @@ vips_foreign_save_webp_mime_build( VipsObject *object )
 	if( vips__webp_write_target( save->ready, target,
 		webp->Q, webp->lossless, webp->preset,
 		webp->smart_subsample, webp->near_lossless,
-		webp->alpha_q, webp->reduction_effort,
+		webp->alpha_q, webp->effort,
 		webp->min_size, webp->kmin, webp->kmax,
 		save->strip, webp->profile ) ) {
 		VIPS_UNREF( target );
@@ -528,7 +537,7 @@ vips_foreign_save_webp_mime_init( VipsForeignSaveWebpMime *mime )
  * * @smart_subsample: %gboolean, enables high quality chroma subsampling
  * * @near_lossless: %gboolean, preprocess in lossless mode (controlled by Q)
  * * @alpha_q: %gint, set alpha quality in lossless mode
- * * @reduction_effort: %gint, level of CPU effort to reduce file size
+ * * @effort: %gint, level of CPU effort to reduce file size
  * * @min_size: %gboolean, minimise size
  * * @kmin: %gint, minimum number of frames between keyframes
  * * @kmax: %gint, maximum number of frames between keyframes
@@ -549,7 +558,7 @@ vips_foreign_save_webp_mime_init( VipsForeignSaveWebpMime *mime )
  * Use @alpha_q to set the quality for the alpha channel in lossy mode. It has
  * the range 1 - 100, with the default 100.
  *
- * Use @reduction_effort to control how much CPU time to spend attempting to
+ * Use @effort to control how much CPU time to spend attempting to
  * reduce file size. A higher value means more effort and therefore CPU time
  * should be spent. It has the range 0-6 and a default value of 4.
  *
@@ -606,7 +615,7 @@ vips_webpsave( VipsImage *in, const char *filename, ... )
  * * @smart_subsample: %gboolean, enables high quality chroma subsampling
  * * @near_lossless: %gboolean, preprocess in lossless mode (controlled by Q)
  * * @alpha_q: %gint, set alpha quality in lossless mode
- * * @reduction_effort: %gint, level of CPU effort to reduce file size
+ * * @effort: %gint, level of CPU effort to reduce file size
  * * @min_size: %gboolean, minimise size
  * * @kmin: %gint, minimum number of frames between keyframes
  * * @kmax: %gint, maximum number of frames between keyframes
@@ -664,7 +673,7 @@ vips_webpsave_buffer( VipsImage *in, void **buf, size_t *len, ... )
  * * @smart_subsample: %gboolean, enables high quality chroma subsampling
  * * @near_lossless: %gboolean, preprocess in lossless mode (controlled by Q)
  * * @alpha_q: %gint, set alpha quality in lossless mode
- * * @reduction_effort: %gint, level of CPU effort to reduce file size
+ * * @effort: %gint, level of CPU effort to reduce file size
  * * @min_size: %gboolean, minimise size
  * * @kmin: %gint, minimum number of frames between keyframes
  * * @kmax: %gint, maximum number of frames between keyframes
@@ -704,7 +713,7 @@ vips_webpsave_mime( VipsImage *in, ... )
  * * @smart_subsample: %gboolean, enables high quality chroma subsampling
  * * @near_lossless: %gboolean, preprocess in lossless mode (controlled by Q)
  * * @alpha_q: %gint, set alpha quality in lossless mode
- * * @reduction_effort: %gint, level of CPU effort to reduce file size
+ * * @effort: %gint, level of CPU effort to reduce file size
  * * @min_size: %gboolean, minimise size
  * * @kmin: %gint, minimum number of frames between keyframes
  * * @kmax: %gint, maximum number of frames between keyframes