EditThisPic vs Topaz Photo AI: Desktop Enhancement or Free Browser AI Editor?
A $199 desktop AI enhancer vs a free browser editor that understands plain English. Different tools, different strengths.
The Verdict
Topaz Photo AI is a powerful desktop app for upscaling, denoising, and sharpening photos — it costs $199 one-time and requires installation. EditThisPic lets you describe any edit in plain English: remove objects, swap backgrounds, fix lighting, and more. It runs free in your browser with no account needed.
| Feature | EditThisPic | Topaz |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free tier + pay-as-you-go | $199 one-time purchase (+ yearly upgrades) |
| Installation | None — works in any browser | Desktop app download required, GPU recommended |
| AI Upscaling | Basic upscaling via AI | Industry-leading upscaling (up to 6x) |
| Noise Reduction | Describe 'reduce noise in the photo' | Best-in-class AI denoising with fine control |
| Sharpening | Describe 'sharpen the image' | AI-powered sharpening with motion/focus blur correction |
| Object Removal | Describe what to remove | Not available |
| Background Replacement | Describe the new background | Not available |
| Creative Edits | Color changes, style transfers, sky replacement, etc. | Enhancement only — no creative editing |
| Batch Processing | One image at a time | Process hundreds of images with autopilot |
| Mobile Access | Full functionality on any device | Desktop only (Windows/Mac) |
Frequently Asked Questions
No. EditThisPic runs in your browser and processes edits in the cloud. You don't need a powerful GPU or even a desktop computer. Topaz Photo AI requires a decent GPU for fast processing and only runs on Windows and Mac desktops.
No. Topaz Photo AI is purely an enhancement tool — it upscales, denoises, and sharpens. It cannot remove objects, people, backgrounds, or make any creative changes to photo content. For those tasks, you need an editor like EditThisPic.
Both have strengths. Topaz can sharpen blurry old photos and reduce grain. EditThisPic can fix scratches, tears, faded colors, and restore missing areas. For full old photo restoration, EditThisPic handles more of the process in one tool.
Absolutely. A great workflow: use Topaz for batch enhancement (upscale, denoise, sharpen your shoot), then use EditThisPic for individual creative edits on specific photos (remove distractions, replace skies, fix specific issues). They complement each other perfectly.
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