AI Image Upscaling: The Complete Test

Need to enlarge a photo without making it blurry? AI upscaling has transformed what’s possible.

I tested 8 tools on real images. Here’s what works.

What AI Upscaling Actually Does

Traditional upscaling: Interpolates pixels (adds blur)

AI upscaling: Predicts what detail should exist (adds sharpness)

The difference is dramatic. AI upscalers can 4x or even 8x an image while maintaining quality.

The Tools Tested

1. Topaz Gigapixel AI
2. Adobe Enhance
3. Upscale.media
4. Let’s Enhance
5. Real-ESRGAN
6. Bigjpg
7. Icons8 Upscaler
8. Waifu2x

Test Methodology

Test images:

• Low-res portrait (400x600)
• Compressed JPEG landscape
• Old scanned photo
• AI-generated image

Measured:

• Detail preservation
• Artifact introduction
• Face quality
• Processing speed

Topaz Gigapixel AI

Price: $99 one-time

Results

The best overall quality. Period.

Strengths:

• Exceptional detail recovery
• Best face enhancement
• Handles compression artifacts
• Multiple AI models for different content

Weaknesses:

• Desktop software only
• One-time cost is significant
• Slower processing

Best for: Professional photographers, archival work, serious quality needs.

Quality rating: 9.5/10

When to Use

• Client-facing work
• Large prints
• Restoring old photos
• Maximum quality required

Adobe Enhance (Photoshop/Lightroom)

Price: Part of Creative Cloud ($10-55/month)

Results

Very good if you already have Adobe.

Strengths:

• Integrated workflow
• Good quality
• Fast processing
• Non-destructive in Lightroom

Weaknesses:

• Requires Adobe subscription
• Not as good as Topaz
• Limited options

Best for: Adobe users who need good-enough upscaling.

Quality rating: 8/10

Upscale.media

Price: Free (limited) / $9/month

Results

Best free option for most people.

Strengths:

• Free tier is generous
• Web-based, no install
• Fast processing
• Good quality for free

Weaknesses:

• Quality below paid desktop apps
• Resolution limits on free tier
• Watermark on free outputs

Best for: Casual use, social media, quick enhancements.

Quality rating: 7.5/10

Let’s Enhance

Price: Credits-based ($9+ for credits)

Results

Web-based with multiple enhancement options.

Strengths:

• Multiple enhancement types
• Good upscaling quality
• Batch processing
• Color/light improvements

Weaknesses:

• Credit system is confusing
• Gets expensive for volume
• Not as good as Topaz

Best for: Web users wanting quality close to desktop apps.

Quality rating: 7.5/10

Real-ESRGAN

Price: Free (open source)

Results

Best free option for tech-savvy users.

Strengths:

• Free, open source
• Excellent quality
• Multiple models available
• Can run locally

Weaknesses:

• Requires technical setup
• Command line or basic GUI
• No customer support

Best for: Developers, tech users, people who can run scripts.

Quality rating: 8.5/10 (but requires tech skills)

Bigjpg

Price: Free (limited) / $9/month

Results

Decent web option, especially for anime/illustration.

Strengths:

• Specialized for anime/art
• Simple interface
• Free tier available

Weaknesses:

• Smaller file size limits
• Slower processing
• Not ideal for photos

Best for: Anime/illustration upscaling.

Quality rating: 7/10 (photos), 8/10 (anime)

Icons8 Upscaler

Price: Free with limits / subscription

Results

Quick and easy, moderate quality.

Strengths:

• Very simple to use
• Free tier
• Fast results

Weaknesses:

• Quality not as good
• Limited options
• Free tier restrictions

Best for: Quick social media upscales.

Quality rating: 6.5/10

Waifu2x

Price: Free

Results

Old but still works for anime content.

Strengths:

• Completely free
• Works for anime
• No signup required

Weaknesses:

• Not good for photos
• Outdated compared to newer tools
• Limited file sizes

Best for: Anime upscaling on a budget.

Quality rating: 6/10 (photos), 7.5/10 (anime)

Head-to-Head Results

Portrait Test (400x600 → 1600x2400)

Winner: Topaz Gigapixel AI

Landscape Test (Compressed JPEG)

Winner: Topaz

Old Photo Restoration

Winner: Topaz (has dedicated restoration features)

Recommendations by Use Case

Professional Photography

Choose: Topaz Gigapixel AI Why: Best quality, worth the investment for client work

Casual/Social Media

Choose: Upscale.media (free) or Adobe (if you have it) Why: Good enough quality, easy to use

Old Family Photos

Choose: Topaz Gigapixel AI Why: Best at handling damage and recovering detail

Anime/Illustrations

Choose: Real-ESRGAN or Bigjpg Why: Specialized for illustrated content

Budget Conscious

Choose: Real-ESRGAN (if technical) or Upscale.media (if not) Why: Best free options

Volume Processing

Choose: Topaz (desktop) or Let’s Enhance (cloud batch) Why: Handle large numbers of images efficiently

Tips for Best Results

Before Upscaling

1. Start with best source - Better input = better output
2. Remove noise first - If image is noisy, denoise before upscaling
3. Crop to needed area - Don’t upscale more than necessary

Choosing Settings

1. Match the model to content - Portrait model for faces, landscape for nature
2. Start at 2x - Often enough, and faster
3. Don’t over-upscale - 8x creates more artifacts than 2x twice

After Upscaling

1. Check at 100% zoom - Artifacts may not show at zoomed out view
2. Fine-tune if needed - Slight sharpening or noise reduction
3. Compare to original - Make sure you improved it

The Reality Check

What AI Upscaling Can Do

• Add believable detail
• Sharpen edges
• Reduce JPEG artifacts
• Improve faces
• Increase resolution significantly

What It Can’t Do

• Recover completely missing information
• Fix motion blur
• Magically restore destroyed photos
• Create perfect detail from nothing

Starting quality matters. A slightly soft 1080p photo upscales beautifully. A 100x100 heavily compressed JPEG has limits.

My Setup

For client work: Topaz Gigapixel AI (worth every penny)

For quick tasks: Adobe Enhance (already have subscription)

For batch web images: Upscale.media

For experiments: Real-ESRGAN

The Bottom Line

If quality matters: Pay for Topaz Gigapixel AI ($99)

If you need free: Upscale.media (easy) or Real-ESRGAN (powerful)

If you have Adobe: Use built-in Enhance feature

AI upscaling is genuinely useful technology. The paid tools produce results that would have seemed impossible a few years ago. The free tools are good enough for most casual needs.