Is UpRes free to use?

Yes. UpRes has a free tier that includes 5 image upscales per month at 2K resolution. No credit card is required to sign up.

How much does UpRes cost?

UpRes Creator is $9/month for 50 images and 20 videos. Pro is $19/month for 100 images and 30 videos. Studio is $39/month. Business is $49/month for 500 images and 150 videos, plus API access. Every paid plan reaches up to 8K. Annual plans save 20%.

Does UpRes have an API?

Yes. UpRes Business includes a REST API at api.upres.ai for programmatic image and video upscaling. There is also an npm CLI (upres-cli) and an MCP server for AI agents.

Can UpRes upscale video?

Yes. UpRes supports video upscaling up to 8K using the Motion and Motion X models. Motion X provides higher quality at the cost of processing time.

What is the best AI upscaler?

The best AI upscaler depends on the file. UpRes uses 14 public aliases: Flare for photos, Prism for text and products, Lumen for print, Mirage for art, and Motion or Motion X for video. Denoise, sharpen, faces, and speech have their own aliases.

UpRes vs Upscayl: Free AI Upscaler Comparison (2026)

The short version

Upscayl is a free, open-source desktop app. You install it, pick a model, and upscale one image at a time. No cloud, no subscription, no limits.

UpRes is a cloud platform with 14 public aliases, batch processing, video upscaling, an API, and a CLI. Free tier of 5 images, then $19/month.

Use Upscayl if: you have a good GPU, upscale occasionally, and want zero cost. Use UpRes if: you upscale in bulk, need video, want API automation, or work on a machine without a GPU.

Feature comparison

Feature	Upscayl	UpRes
Price	Free	Free tier + $19/mo
Platform	Desktop (Win/Mac/Linux)	Web + API + CLI
GPU required	Yes (your own)	No (cloud GPU)
Models	1 (Real-ESRGAN)	14 public aliases
Video upscaling	No	Yes (up to 8K)
Batch processing	Manual, one at a time	API + folder upload
API	No	REST API + MCP server
Max resolution	Depends on GPU VRAM	8K
Watermark (free)	No	Yes (2K free tier)
Open source	Yes	No

When to pick which

Pick Upscayl if: you have a desktop with a decent GPU, you upscale a few images per week, and you do not need video or API access. It is genuinely free and the quality is good for a single model.

Pick UpRes if: you upscale images regularly, need different models for different image types, want video upscaling, need batch processing or API integration, or work on a laptop without a strong GPU.

FAQ

Is Upscayl really free?

Yes, Upscayl is 100% free and open source. You download it and run it on your own computer. There are no limits, watermarks, or subscriptions. The tradeoff is that it requires a capable GPU and processes one image at a time.

Can Upscayl upscale video?

No. Upscayl is an image-only upscaler. UpRes supports video upscaling up to 8K with the Motion and Motion X models.

Does Upscayl have an API?

No. Upscayl is a desktop GUI application with no API or CLI. UpRes includes a REST API, npm CLI, and MCP server for automation.