Upscayl
Verified Oct 29, 2026 ActiveFree open-source desktop app that upscales images locally with AI models, plus a paid cloud version for larger images.
Listed on EffectHub ·
Pricing
- Pricing model
- Freemium
- Paid options from
- $9.99/mo
- Billing
- Monthly
The desktop app is free and open source; Upscayl Cloud has a 10-credit free trial, then subscriptions from $9.99/month for 100 credits ($24.99 for 300, $39.99 for 500, $199.99 for 2,500; annual billing cheaper) or one-time credit packs. Subscription credits roll over while subscribed but are lost after cancelling.
Use tool ↗About Upscayl
Upscayl enlarges low-resolution or blurry images with AI upscaling models, up to 16x, with batch processing, double upscaling and a choice of models for photos, art or sharp detail. The desktop app for Windows, macOS and Linux is free and open source under AGPL-3.0, runs entirely on your own GPU, and needs no account. Upscayl Cloud adds browser-based upscaling to much larger outputs, face enhancement and detail recovery, AI image generation and cloud storage, paid with monthly credits. The project was started in 2022 by Nayam Amarshe and TGS963 and has more than 50,000 GitHub stars.
- API
- Not confirmed
- Last verified
- Oct 29, 2026
Verified sources
- Desktop app free and open source for Linux, macOS and Windows; up to 16x; batch and double upscaling; Upscayl Cloudupscayl.org ↗
- Free trial 10 credits; Pro $24.99 for 300 credits/month; rollover and cancellation rulesupscayl.org ↗
- AGPL-3.0, created July 2022, by Nayam Amarshe and TGS963, latest release v2.15.0 on 25 Dec 2024github.com ↗
- Terms governed by the laws of India, arbitration seat New Delhiupscayl.org ↗
Is Upscayl legit?
We don’t label tools safe or unsafe. Below are the records we checked ourselves, each with the date we read it.
- TLS certificate
- Issued by Google Trust Services, valid until Jan 13, 2027Seen in our own connection to the site on Oct 29, 2026
- Last checked
- Oct 29, 2026The site answered
- On the market since
- 2022The vendor's own material, read by us
- Operated by
- Upscayl, IndiaOur research, card verified Oct 29, 2026
Pros & cons of 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
Best for
- Photographers and artists upscaling images privately on their own hardware
- Designers preparing small images for print
- Users who want batch upscaling without a subscription
Not for
- Users on machines without a supported GPU who need speed
- Anyone needing an API for automated pipelines
Watch out: Cancelling a cloud subscription forfeits unused subscription credits and deletes your Upscayl Cloud history after one month; the latest desktop release on GitHub dates from December 2024.
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