Upscayl is a free, open-source AI image upscaler for Windows, Mac and Linux that runs entirely on your own computer. Upscayl Cloud is a newer paid tier with extra models, face enhancement, models cleared for commercial use and an API. What decides whether it suits you is whether free, offline enlargement is enough, or whether you need what the cloud tier adds.
What is Upscayl?
Upscayl Desktop is free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence, and it is available for Linux, macOS and Windows. You download it once and it is yours for good, with nothing to renew.
The desktop app does all of its processing on your own machine and needs no internet connection. Upscayl Cloud runs in the browser and is sold as monthly credits or one-time bundles.
Its backend is fully open source under the AGPLv3 licence, with the code on GitHub, where the community also helps with questions. Because the desktop app is free with no limits, there is no per-image charge and no cap on how many images you enlarge on your own computer.
Upscaling with Upscayl
Upscayl enlarges images up to 16x. It improves low-resolution and pixelated images as it enlarges them, but it cannot de-blur an image or adjust its focus.
The desktop app has a Batch Upscayl mode for processing a folder of images in one go, and Upscayl Cloud accepts up to 20 images at a time. Face enhancement, which restores and enhances facial details, is part of Upscayl Cloud and not the desktop app.
Output size on the cloud tier depends on the plan: up to 256 MP on Pro, and up to 64 MP input and 512 MP output on Business. Upscayl Cloud also offers AI image generation alongside the upscaler.
What the paid cloud tier adds
Everything the desktop app does is free and unlimited on your own computer. Upscayl Cloud adds extra models, face enhancement, processing in the browser and an API for building upscaling into your own applications, documented at docs.upscayl.org.
Upscayl Cloud is made for commercial use: you can upscale images for your business, clients or projects, and the Cloud models all allow commercial usage. Help comes from Upscayl's support team by email and from the community on GitHub and Telegram.
Upscayl pricing: what each plan gives
Upscayl Desktop is free and open source, with no limits on your own computer. Upscayl Cloud has a free trial with 10 credits, for input up to 8 MP and output up to 64 MP; you log in and fill out a trial application to get it. One credit upscales one image.
- Cloud Pro 100: $9.99 a month, or $89.99 a year, for 100 credits a month, with output up to 256 MP.
- Cloud Pro 300: $24.99 a month, or $219.99 a year, for 300 credits a month.
- Cloud Pro 500: $39.99 a month, or $339.99 a year, for 500 credits a month.
- Cloud Business: 1,000 to 5,000 credits a month, with output up to 512 MP.
- One-time credits: 50 credits for $9.99 that never expire.
Annual billing lowers the monthly cost: Cloud Pro 100 works out to $7.50 a month at $89.99 a year, Pro 300 to $18.33 a month and Pro 500 to $28.33 a month. One-time credits suit occasional cloud jobs, since they never expire.
Privacy and security
Your images are not used to train AI models. The desktop app processes images locally and never uploads them, so your photos stay on your own computer.
Support runs by email at support@upscayl.org, with community help on GitHub and Telegram.
Who Upscayl suits
Upscayl suits anyone who wants a free AI upscaler that works offline on Windows, Mac or Linux and want unlimited enlargement up to 16x without uploading anything. The open-source licence and batch mode make it a practical tool for large folders of images, and the cloud tier is there for anyone who later needs face enhancement, an API or commercial-use models.
It suits less well anyone who needs to fix blurry or out-of-focus photos, since Upscayl cannot de-blur or adjust focus. Face enhancement means paying for Upscayl Cloud, and the cloud trial is small, at 10 credits with input up to 8 MP.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Upscayl really free?
Yes. Upscayl Desktop is free and open source under the AGPL-3.0 licence, with no limits on your own computer. Upscayl Cloud is a separate paid tier from $9.99 a month for 100 credits.
Does Upscayl need an internet connection?
No. Upscayl Desktop does all of its processing on your local machine and needs no internet connection. Upscayl Cloud runs in the browser.
Can Upscayl fix blurry photos?
No. Upscayl improves low-resolution and pixelated images as it enlarges them, but it cannot de-blur an image or adjust its focus.
Does Upscayl train AI on my images?
No. Your images are not used to train AI models, and the desktop app never uploads them.
