Waifu2x alternatives

4 other AI Art & Drawing tools we have sourced reviews for, all in the same niche as Waifu2x (Image Upscaling). Within that, they're ordered by aitrove popularity, not by a quality score: we haven't tested them hands-on, so we don't rank them as "best".

Waifu2x in one minute

Best for: Upscaling clean anime stills and illustrations.

Biggest catch: Weak on photos.

Skip it if: You're upscaling photos or video. Use Real-ESRGAN or Upscayl.

Price: Free. (checked Oct 11, 2026)

Full Waifu2x review

At a glance

ToolBest forBiggest catchStarting price
Topaz GigapixelPhotographers upscaling and restoring images.Subscription-only now. Perpetual licenses endedFree tier: no. Standard $29/mo or $149/yr. Pro $499/yr. (checked Oct 10, 2026)
Real-ESRGANBatch upscaling on your own GPU.Can produce texture artifacts, over-sharpening and invented detailFree (open source). (checked Oct 11, 2026)
Let's EnhanceOccasional print-quality upscales.Batch work gets expensive, per reviewsFree trial credits. Personal $9/$24/$34 per mo (annual) or $12/$32/$45 monthly for 100/300/500 credits. (checked Oct 11, 2026)
UpscaylFree local upscaling on a gaming-class GPU.Needs a Vulkan-compatible dedicated GPU. Most iGPUs and CPU-only machines are unsupportedFree (open source). (checked Oct 11, 2026)

1. Topaz Gigapixel

AI Art & Drawing · Image Upscaling

Best for: Photographers upscaling and restoring images.

Pros

  • Top-tier AI image upscaling
  • Standard and Pro tiers
  • Old perpetual licenses still run their legacy versions

Biggest catch

Subscription-only now. Perpetual licenses ended

Skip it if: You hate subscriptions.

Starting price: Free tier: no. Standard $29/mo or $149/yr. Pro $499/yr. (checked Oct 10, 2026)

Full Topaz Gigapixel review · Topaz Gigapixel vs Waifu2x · Topaz Gigapixel alternatives

Sources for Topaz Gigapixel

2. Real-ESRGAN

AI Art & Drawing · Image Upscaling

Best for: Batch upscaling on your own GPU.

Pros

  • Free, open-source image and video upscaler that runs locally
  • BSD 3-Clause license allows commercial use
  • Fast enough for batch work, with an anime model

Biggest catch

Can produce texture artifacts, over-sharpening and invented detail

Skip it if: You need faithful restoration for archival or legal use.

Starting price: Free (open source). (checked Oct 11, 2026)

Full Real-ESRGAN review · Waifu2x vs Real-ESRGAN · Real-ESRGAN alternatives

Sources for Real-ESRGAN

3. Let's Enhance

AI Art & Drawing · Image Upscaling

Best for: Occasional print-quality upscales.

Pros

  • Easy browser and API image upscaling and enhancement
  • Personal-plan credits roll over (up to six months' worth) while you're subscribed
  • Pay-as-you-go credits never expire

Biggest catch

Batch work gets expensive, per reviews

Skip it if: You upscale thousands of images. Self-host Real-ESRGAN instead.

Starting price: Free trial credits. Personal $9/$24/$34 per mo (annual) or $12/$32/$45 monthly for 100/300/500 credits. (checked Oct 11, 2026)

Full Let's Enhance review · Let's Enhance alternatives

Sources for Let's Enhance

4. Upscayl

AI Art & Drawing · Image Upscaling

Best for: Free local upscaling on a gaming-class GPU.

Pros

  • Free, open-source desktop upscaler for Windows, macOS and Linux
  • Runs locally: no account, watermark or usage limits
  • Batch mode

Biggest catch

Needs a Vulkan-compatible dedicated GPU. Most iGPUs and CPU-only machines are unsupported

Skip it if: You only have integrated graphics.

Starting price: Free (open source). (checked Oct 11, 2026)

Full Upscayl review · Upscayl alternatives

Sources for Upscayl

Head-to-head comparisons

Pros, catches and prices are compiled from public sources (official pricing and docs pages, published reviews, user reports), not hands-on testing. Prices change often, so check the vendor page before you buy.