ImageUpscaler vs Upscayl

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors.

The short answer

Cheaper paid plan: ImageUpscaler — $9.90/mo vs $9.99/mo for Upscayl
Free plan: Both have one
Public API: ImageUpscaler has one; not confirmed by us for Upscayl
Higher Trust score: ImageUpscaler — 95 vs 80 for Upscayl
Best fit: ImageUpscaler: One-off enlargements where installing desktop software is overkill · Upscayl: Photographers and artists upscaling images privately on their own hardware

From our own records as of each tool's last check. Anything we have not confirmed is left out rather than guessed. How we verify

ImageUpscalerBrowser image upscaler that also deblurs, strips JPEG artifacts and enhances photos, with batch jobs and an API, billed in credits.

UpscaylFree open-source desktop app that upscales images locally with AI models, plus a paid cloud version for larger images.

Side by side

Fact	ImageUpscaler	Upscayl
Category	Image Upscaling & Restoration	Image Upscaling & Restoration
Pricing model	Freemium	Freemium
Starts at	$9.90/mo	$9.99/mo
Public API	Yes	Not confirmed
Trust score	95 / 100	80 / 100
Platforms	Web, API	Web, macOS, Windows, Linux
Company	ImageUpscaler	Upscayl
Launched	—	2022
Last verified	Oct 15, 2026	Oct 29, 2026

What our research says

ImageUpscaler

A no-friction browser upscaler with a sensible spread of repair tools sharing one credit pool, priced well below desktop alternatives, and with batch jobs and an API it now works for small pipelines too. The credit ladder is the catch: the free allowance is a taster, the cheapest plan covers 50 images, and API volume starts on the $49 Business tier. The operator is a small Ukrainian team with no named legal entity, which is worth weighing before uploading client work.

Pros

Deblur, JPEG artifact removal and enhancement share the same credit balance
Batch processing with a single ZIP download
HTTP API with 100 free calls a month and sample code in a dozen languages
Credits also cover video at 5 credits per file
Entry paid tier at $9.90/month, or $5.75/month on annual billing

Cons

No legal entity named; the About page only says the team is from Ukraine
Free allowance is 3 credits a month per tool
API volume beyond the free calls needs a Business plan from $49/month
The jump from 50 to 500 credits more than doubles the monthly price

Upscayl

Upscayl is the obvious first stop for anyone with a decent GPU who wants free, private image upscaling on their own machine. People without a capable graphics card, or who need face restoration and very large outputs, will lean on the paid cloud version or a dedicated retouching tool.

Pros

Desktop app is free, open source and works offline
Runs on Windows, macOS and Linux
Batch and double upscaling, several models
Cloud credits roll over while subscribed

Cons

Desktop performance depends on your GPU
Generative detail and face tools are cloud-only and paid
No public API

Which one fits

Choose ImageUpscaler if you need

One-off enlargements where installing desktop software is overkill
Cleaning up compressed or slightly blurred source images
Small shops wiring upscaling into a workflow through the API

Choose Upscayl if you need

Photographers and artists upscaling images privately on their own hardware
Designers preparing small images for print
Users who want batch upscaling without a subscription