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Photo Editing

Upscayl

Free open-source desktop app that upscales images with AI up to 16x, with a paid cloud version for editing and generation.

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Best for
Beginners and Pro users
Free plan
Yes
Agent-ready (MCP / API)
No
Platforms
Windows, macOS, Linux, Web
Last verified
Oct 15, 2026

Overview

Upscayl is a free, open-source AI image upscaler. You choose a model, drop in a blurry or low-resolution picture, and it enlarges and sharpens it, up to 16x according to its site. It uses Real-ESRGAN with Vulkan, and the desktop app works on Windows, macOS and Linux.

Who it fits

It suits designers, marketers, artists and hobbyists who need larger versions of logos, product shots, scans or old photos without paying a subscription. Because it runs locally, images do not have to be uploaded anywhere.

What the plans include

The desktop app costs nothing. The team also sells Upscayl Cloud, a browser version with cloud storage, AI face enhancement, editing and image generation on credit-based plans. See the pricing page for current tiers.

Limits and alternatives

Processing speed depends on your graphics card, and the app focuses on stills. Magnific offers creative upscaling with prompts, Topaz Labs covers photos and video enhancement, and Photoroom handles product-photo cleanup.

Who it's for

A good fit if you are…

  • Anyone who wants a free, private AI upscaler that runs on their own computer
  • Designers and marketers who need to enlarge low-resolution images in batches

Another tool may suit you better if you are…

  • People who want an editor with layers, text and templates
  • Users without a reasonably recent graphics card, since processing runs locally

Pricing

Upscayl Desktop is free and open source. Upscayl Cloud is a paid subscription; see the official pricing page. As of Oct 2026, verify.

  • Upscayl's site and GitHub describe the desktop app as free and open source; the repository says its backend is licensed under AGPLv3.
  • Upscayl Cloud adds browser use, cloud storage, AI editing and image generation with credit-based paid plans; see its pricing page for current figures.
  • The desktop app runs on your own hardware, so there is no per-image fee.

Prices as of Oct 2026 (checked Oct 15, 2026), verify before buying. Source: vendor pricing page.

Key features

  • AI image upscaling up to 16x
  • Multiple models for different image types
  • Batch and double-upscale options
  • Runs offline on Windows, macOS and Linux
  • Cloud version: AI editing, face enhancement and image generation

Integrations: Desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux; Upscayl Cloud in the browser.

Agent-ready? No. No official agent interface was found; the desktop app is operated through its own UI.

Pros and good to know

Drawn from the vendor's own documentation and public sources.

Pros

  • Free and open source
  • Runs locally, so images stay on your machine
  • Batch processing

Good to know

  • Local processing needs a capable GPU
  • Image upscaling only, no video
  • Cloud features are a separate paid product

Alternatives

  • Magnific: Image and video upscaling and editing platform (formerly Freepik) with generation models, stock content and an MCP server.
  • Topaz Labs (Photo, Video & Astra): AI upscaling and restoration for photos and video: sharpen, denoise, upscale, recover faces and interpolate frames.
  • Photoroom: Product-photo editor with background removal, AI backgrounds, batch editing, plus connections for developers and AI assistants.

Sources

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