Overview

Upscayl is an AI image upscaler that comes in two forms: a free, open-source desktop app, and a newer paid web service called Upscayl Cloud. Both do the same basic job, turning a blurry or pixelated image into a larger, clearer one, but they suit different people.

Upscayl Desktop

The desktop app runs on Linux, macOS and Windows. It's free and open source; in the project's words, "download once, forever yours". You pick from several AI models for different kinds of images, choose how far to enlarge (up to 16x), and save in high quality. Batch Upscayl processes a whole folder at once, and Double Upscayl runs an image through twice for extra quality. There are plenty of customisation options too.

Upscayl Cloud

The cloud version works in a browser on any device and adds features the desktop app doesn't have:

Upscaling up to 16x with multiple models, which Upscayl says is ten times faster than before.
Colour accuracy aimed at print.
Image editing with face enhancement, detail recovery and batch processing.
AI image generation in several styles.
Cloud storage so you can reach your files anywhere.

Cloud pricing

From the official pricing page, checked October 2026: a free trial gives 10 credits after you fill in a short trial application. The Pro plan is priced by how many credits you need each month (100 to 5,000), and the page showed $24.99 at the 300-credits-a-month level. Pro includes credit rollover, priority support, six months of unlimited storage, upscaling up to 256 MP and image generation. Business plans go up to 512 MP with custom pricing. You can also buy credits once instead of subscribing, and annual billing saves up to 40%.

If you cancel, subscription credits don't roll over and your history is deleted after a month. See upscayl.org/pricing for your exact amount.

Which one to pick

If you just want to upscale on your own computer, the free desktop app is the obvious place to start. Choose Cloud if you work on a phone or tablet, need very large outputs or want editing and generation in the same place.

Pros: a genuinely free, open-source desktop app; batch processing; cloud option for any device.
Cons: the desktop app is upscaling only; Cloud needs a trial application; Cloud history is deleted a month after you cancel.