AI Image Upscaler Comparison: Price, Max Upscale & Offline

This page has two parts: a source-cited spec table and a deterministic monthly-cost estimator. The specs — max upscale factor, offline support, free tier, batch, API, generative vs classic — are tabulated facts read from each vendor's own pricing page, cited inline and verified on July 11, 2026. Nothing is scored or opinionated except the plain “best for” tag. Your images are never uploaded here; this is a comparison, not an upscaler.

The estimator is the only arithmetic, and it turns “images per month” (call it V) into a monthly cost per tool using one rule per pricing model:

• Free (Upscayl, waifu2x): Rs 0/month — free forever, so volume never changes the cost.
• One-time (Topaz Gigapixel): Rs 0/month after purchase, shown separately as a “Rs X once” upfront figure so a perpetual license doesn't unfairly lose on month one.
• Pay-per-image (Topaz Labs API): cost = V × price-per-image. At very low volume this is the cheapest paid route; it scales linearly with V.
• Subscription(Magnific, Let's Enhance, Krea, Bigjpg, Adobe, Pixelcut): the cheapest plan whose monthly image quota is ≥ V. If V exceeds every plan's quota the top plan is shown with an over-quota note; at V = 0 the cost is zero, because you would not subscribe to upscale nothing.

Each US-dollar figure is converted to rupees at the CBSL indicative rate (default Rs 305 per US dollar, editable in the tool): LKR = USD × rate. The ranking then sorts by monthly cost ascending, breaking ties by upfront cost (a free tool beats a one-time license at the same Rs 0/mo), then by higher max-upscale, then by name — a total order, so identical inputs always give the same result. To keep the estimator honest, every cost is computed twice by two independent code paths (a plan scan and a filter-and-reduce); the tool shows a “verified” badge only when both agree. Prices are volatile snapshots — always confirm against the linked vendor source before buying, and note the rupee figure is indicative, not a payment quote.

Upscaling enlarges an image you already have. If you need to create images from a prompt instead, see the AI image generator comparison; to write alt text for the results, the image alt-text generator; and to check whether a picture was AI-made, the AI image detector.

• Topaz Labs — Gigapixel AI perpetual license pricing
• Topaz Labs API — pay-as-you-go per-image pricing
• Upscayl — free, open-source offline upscaler (Real-ESRGAN)
• Magnific AI — subscription tiers (generative upscaling)
• Let's Enhance — credit plans and per-image quota
• Krea AI — subscription and free tier
• Bigjpg — free tier and monthly plans
• Adobe — Enhance / Super Resolution (2×, runs locally)
• Pixelcut — free and Pro plans
• Central Bank of Sri Lanka — daily indicative USD→LKR rate

Prices and specs were last verified against the official pages on July 11, 2026. The cheapest recurring subscription across the table is $6/mo; 2 tools are free and 4run offline. Upscaler pricing changes often — if you spot a figure that has moved, email me and I'll update it.