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Upscayl

Free open-source AI image upscaler for desktop.

FREEIMAGE EDITING & ENHANCEMENT

Last updated May 17, 2026 · Filed under Image Editing & Enhancement

CLICKS

PRICING TYPE

FREE

STARTING

Free

ADDED

2026

About this tool

Upscayl is a free, open-source AI image upscaler available for Windows, macOS and Linux. It runs entirely locally using GPU acceleration and bundles a selection of upscaling models including Real-ESRGAN, REMACRI and others tuned for different content types such as photographs, line art, anime and digital paintings. Features include 2x to 16x upscaling, batch processing, custom model loading and a simple before/after viewer. Because it works offline, Upscayl is popular with privacy-conscious users, archivists restoring old photos, indie game developers upscaling assets, and anyone who wants free local upscaling without uploading images to a cloud service. A paid Upscayl Pro version adds extra models, faster updates and commercial use rights while the core app remains free under the AGPL license.

USE CASES

Photo upscaling
Old photo restoration
Game asset upscaling
Batch processing

KEY FEATURES

Open source
Runs offline
Multiple models
Batch processing
Cross-platform

Upscayl pros and cons

Hand-derived from the catalog data — strengths and trade-offs to weigh before signing up.

Pros of Upscayl

Completely free to use — no paid tier required
Open source
Runs offline
Multiple models

Cons of Upscayl

No autonomous agent — handles single prompts, not multi-step workflows
Competition is strong in this space — see Magnific and Cleanup.pictures for comparison

PLANS & PRICING

2 plans from Upscayl

Pulled from Upscayl’s public pricing page. Prices may change — verify on the vendor’s site before purchasing.

POPULAR

Free (Open Source)

Free desktop AI upscaler

$0forever

Unlimited local upscales

Open source app
Runs locally on your machine
No internet required
Batch processing

Upscayl Cloud

Cloud-powered upscaling

$5.99per month

Higher cloud limits

Faster cloud processing
No GPU required
Higher resolution outputs
Priority queue

HOW IT COMPARES

Upscayl vs Image Editing & Enhancement

Side-by-side with the top 3 other image editing & enhancement in this category.

Open full comparison

TOOL	UpscaylTHIS TOOL Image Editing & Enhancement Free open-source AI image upscaler for desktop.	Magnific Image Editing & Enhancement AI upscaler and enhancer that hallucinates realistic detail.	Cleanup.pictures Image Editing & Enhancement Erase unwanted objects, people, or text from photos.	Topaz Photo AI Image Editing & Enhancement Desktop app for sharpening, denoising, and upscaling photos.
PRICING MODEL	Free	Paid	Freemium	Paid
STARTING PRICE	Free	$39/mo	$5/mo	$199 one-time
CATEGORY	Image Editing & Enhancement	Image Editing & Enhancement	Image Editing & Enhancement	Image Editing & Enhancement
AI AGENT	No	No	No	No
EDITOR'S PICK	No	No	No	No
KEY FEATURES	Open source Runs offline Multiple models Batch processing Cross-platform	Up to 16x upscale Creativity slider HDR Style transfer Relight	Browser-based Bulk processing HD output API access Mobile apps	Autopilot Denoise model Sharpen Upscale to 6x Lightroom plugin
USE CASES	Photo upscaling Old photo restoration Game asset upscaling Batch processing	Photo upscaling 3D render enhancement Restoring old photos Product photography	Object removal Watermark removal Photo retouch Real estate cleanup	RAW cleanup Denoising Sharpening Upscaling
TAGS	#upscale#open-source#offline	#upscale#enhance#photo	#inpainting#retouch#photo	#photo#denoise#upscale
WEBSITE	upscayl.org	magnific.ai	cleanup.pictures	www.topazlabs.com/topaz-photo-ai

QUESTIONS & ANSWERS

Upscayl — frequently asked questions

What is Upscayl?

Upscayl is an AI image editing & enhancement tool used for photo upscaling, old photo restoration, game asset upscaling.

Is Upscayl free?

Yes — Upscayl is free to use, with no paid tier required.

What are the key features of Upscayl?

Notable features include Open source, Runs offline, Multiple models, Batch processing, Cross-platform.

What can Upscayl be used for?

Common use cases for Upscayl include photo upscaling, old photo restoration, game asset upscaling, batch processing.

What are the best alternatives to Upscayl?

If Upscayl isn't quite right for your use case, top alternatives in the image editing & enhancement space include Magnific, Cleanup.pictures, Topaz Photo AI. See the full list on ConsistencyAI’s Upscayl alternatives page.

Is Upscayl better than Magnific?

Upscayl and Magnific both serve image editing & enhancement workflows but target different needs. Compare pricing, features, and use cases head-to-head on the Upscayl vs Magnific page to pick the right fit.

What are the pros and cons of Upscayl?

Strengths: fully free; Open source + Runs offline. Tradeoffs: no autonomous agent; competing tools in the space may offer different feature mixes. See the full Pros & Cons section above for detail.