Best Free AI Image Upscalers in 2026

Detailed Reviews

1. 1

   EditThisPicOur pick

   Best Overall — Directable Upscaling Without Signup

   EditThisPic upscales based on what you describe. "Upscale this product photo, sharpen the texture." "Increase resolution but keep faces natural, no plastic sharpening." That control matters because the most common complaint about AI upscalers is over-sharpened faces or hallucinated details. One free preview edit per week, no account; purchased downloads are clean.

   Strengths

   • Directable upscaling — say what to sharpen and what to leave natural
   • No signup, free preview edit
   • Works for portraits, products, and architecture
   • 15-30 second results

   Weaknesses

   • Free tier is 1 edit/week
   • Web-only, no native upscale-only mode
   • Output capped at reasonable resolution, not 8K

   Pricing

   Free: 1 edit/week. Paid: from $4.99 for 10 edits

   Best for

   Anyone who wants control over how the upscale handles faces vs. textures

   Verdict: The best free option when you want to upscale without the plastic AI face look.

   Try it free →
2. 2

   Upscayl

   Best Free Open-Source Desktop Upscaler

   upscayl.org

   Upscayl is a free open-source desktop app that runs upscaling locally on your machine. No accounts, no watermarks, no upload limits. The quality is genuinely good for a free tool and you can process batches. Trade-off: it's a desktop install, not a quick web action.

   Strengths

   • Completely free, open source
   • Runs locally, no upload required
   • Good quality on most photos
   • Batch processing

   Weaknesses

   • Desktop install required
   • No prompt control
   • Generic upscale only
   • Slower on lower-end hardware

   Pricing

   Free, open source

   Best for

   Batch upscaling on your own machine with no privacy concerns

   Verdict: Best free open-source option — EditThisPic is better when you want a quick one-off in browser.

3. 3

   BigJPG

   Best for Illustration Upscaling

   bigjpg.com

   BigJPG specializes in upscaling illustrations, anime, and graphics. It produces cleaner results on artwork than photo-focused upscalers. Free for small files; larger files require a paid plan.

   Strengths

   • Strong on illustrations and anime
   • Web-based
   • No account for small files

   Weaknesses

   • Only good for illustrated content
   • Slow processing
   • File size limits on free tier
   • Weak on real photos

   Pricing

   Free for small files. Paid from $5/month

   Best for

   Upscaling illustrations and anime artwork

   Verdict: Niche tool for artwork — EditThisPic is a better fit for actual photos.

4. 4

   Let's Enhance

   Best Web-Based Photo Upscaler (Paid)

   letsenhance.io

   Let's Enhance is a polished web upscaler with good quality and integrations. The catch is the free tier is small — a handful of upscales per month — and regular use requires a subscription.

   Strengths

   • Polished web UI
   • Good general-purpose upscaling
   • Some free monthly credits
   • Decent enterprise integrations

   Weaknesses

   • Requires account
   • Small free quota
   • Quickly hits paywall
   • No prompt control

   Pricing

   Free credits monthly. Paid from $9/month

   Best for

   Occasional web-based upscaling

   Verdict: Decent but quickly limited — EditThisPic offers more direct control for free.

5. 5

   Topaz Gigapixel AI

   Highest Quality (Paid)

   topazlabs.com

   Topaz Gigapixel AI is widely considered the highest-quality upscaler available. It handles faces, textures, and edges with care and minimal artifacts. The catch: it's a paid product, not a free option.

   Strengths

   • Industry-leading quality
   • Excellent handling of faces
   • Local desktop processing

   Weaknesses

   • Not actually free
   • Desktop install
   • Overkill for casual users

   Pricing

   One-time license from $99

   Best for

   Professionals upscaling client photos

   Verdict: Best quality available — but it's paid, not a free option.

6. 6

   ImgLarger

   Best Quick Free Upload

   imglarger.com

   ImgLarger is a simple web upscaler — upload, choose a multiplier, download. Free tier supports basic upscaling without an account for very small files. Quality is okay for the price (free).

   Strengths

   • Quick and simple
   • No account for small files
   • Multiple AI tools in one site

   Weaknesses

   • Watermarks on free tier output
   • Small file size limit on free
   • Quality below dedicated upscalers

   Pricing

   Free with watermark. Pro from $7.50/month

   Best for

   One-off small upscales with no setup

   Verdict: Fine for casual use — EditThisPic produces cleaner output, with a free preview and clean paid downloads.

7. 7

   Pixlr Upscale

   Best Browser Editor With Upscale Built-In

   pixlr.com

   Pixlr's upscale is part of its broader browser editor. Free with ads, optional account. Quality is okay for casual use. It's a good fit if you're already using Pixlr for other edits.

   Strengths

   • Integrates with full editor
   • Free with ads
   • Browser-based, no install

   Weaknesses

   • Heavy ads on free
   • Quality below dedicated upscalers
   • Best features need Premium

   Pricing

   Free with ads. Premium from $4.90/month

   Best for

   Upscaling inside an existing Pixlr workflow

   Verdict: Useful if you already use Pixlr — EditThisPic is more direct for one-off upscales.

8. 8

   Adobe Photoshop Super Resolution

   Best Quality in Adobe Ecosystem

   photoshop.com

   Adobe's Super Resolution doubles the resolution of an image while preserving detail. It produces excellent results on photos. Requires Creative Cloud, so the free path is limited.

   Strengths

   • Excellent quality
   • Built into Photoshop and Camera Raw
   • Best handling of RAW files

   Weaknesses

   • Requires Creative Cloud
   • Real cost is the subscription
   • Doubles resolution, not arbitrary multipliers

   Pricing

   Requires Creative Cloud subscription

   Best for

   Adobe users upscaling RAW or high-quality sources

   Verdict: Excellent inside Adobe — EditThisPic wins for anyone not already in CC.