# Topaz Labs alternative

> A good Topaz Labs alternative for images is Kenerate AI: it runs in the browser (no install, no GPU), upscales to 2K, 4K or 8K for 3 credits, up to 128 MP with Kenerate Upscale, and restores old or blurry photos with Phota Enhance — paid per image, with packs from $15, no subscription and 25 free credits. Topaz Gigapixel is a Windows and macOS app from $12/month billed yearly ($149/yr) or $29 month-to-month; it upscales up to 6× and includes plugins for Photoshop and Lightroom Classic. For video, see the AI video upscaler.

URL: https://kenerateai.com/alternatives/topazlabs-alternative
Publisher: Kenerate AI (https://kenerateai.com)
Last updated: 26 September 2026

## Key facts
- Topaz Gigapixel: From $149/yr or $29/mo
- Gigapixel: Desktop app, up to 6×
- Kenerate: Browser, pay per image
- Kenerate max: 8K or 128 MP

## Steps
1. Open the Kenerate upscaler — Go to kenerateai.com/app/tool/image-upscale — 25 free credits on sign-up, nothing to install.
2. Match the Gigapixel model you used — Standard / High Fidelity → Image Upscaler (4K/8K) or Kenerate Upscale; Low Res → Real-ESRGAN; Recover / Face Recovery → Phota Enhance; Redefine → Clarity Pro.
3. Compare at 100% — Run one of your usual photos and zoom in on faces and fine texture.
4. Batch the rest — Use Batch edit in Edit Studio for up to 20 photos at a time.

## In depth

### Count your images
Gigapixel is a subscription from $149 a year; Kenerate charges per image (3 credits ≈ 3.5¢ for a 4K upscale) from a $15 pack that never expires. At a few hundred upscales a year, pay-per-image is usually cheaper; at thousands, a subscription and your own GPU can win.

### Check the size you actually need
Print labs publish pixel targets — Walgreens lists 5400 × 3600 px for a 24×36-inch poster [1]. Online-store images rarely need more than about 2048 px on a side [2]. Paying for 6× or 16× only matters if the destination needs it.

### Faithful first, creative only on purpose
Classic super-resolution models such as Real-ESRGAN add plausible texture without redrawing the scene [3]. Generative models — Topaz Redefine, Kenerate's Clarity Pro — can invent new detail. That is great for art and renders, but for faces, products and text, start with a faithful model.

References:
[1] Walgreens Developer — Image requirements: https://developer.walgreens.com/support/image-requirements
[2] Shopify Help — Product media types and sizes: https://help.shopify.com/en/manual/products/product-media/product-media-types
[3] Wang et al. — Real-ESRGAN (2021), arXiv: https://arxiv.org/abs/2107.10833

## FAQ
Q: What is the best Topaz Labs alternative?
A: For upscaling in the browser without a subscription, Kenerate AI: 4K/8K for 3 credits, up to 128 MP, photo restoration, and 25 free credits. If you need a Photoshop plugin or offline GPU batches, Topaz Gigapixel is still the stronger desktop tool.

Q: Is there a free Topaz Gigapixel alternative?
A: Kenerate is free to start with 25 credits — about 34 Real-ESRGAN upscales or eight 4K upscales. Upscayl is a free open-source desktop app if you have a compatible GPU.

Q: Is Topaz Gigapixel free?
A: No. Topaz lists Gigapixel as a subscription — $149 a year, $19 a month on a yearly plan or $29 month-to-month — and no free trial is listed on its pricing page.

Q: Does Kenerate need a GPU?
A: No. Everything runs on Kenerate's servers, so it works on any laptop, Mac, Chromebook or phone.

Q: Can Kenerate restore faces like Topaz?
A: Yes. Phota Enhance repairs blurry, old and damaged photos, including faces, for 39 credits. Check the face against the original — AI restoration rebuilds detail it cannot see.

Q: What about Topaz Video?
A: This page compares image upscaling. For video, use Kenerate's AI video upscaler at kenerateai.com/ai-video-upscaler.

## Related pages
- AI image upscaler: https://kenerateai.com/ai-image-upscaler
- Upscale image: https://kenerateai.com/upscale-image
- AI image enhancer: https://kenerateai.com/ai-image-enhancer
- Upscale image to 4K: https://kenerateai.com/upscale-image-to-4k
- Increase image resolution: https://kenerateai.com/increase-image-resolution
- HD photo converter: https://kenerateai.com/hd-photo-converter
- Unblur image: https://kenerateai.com/unblur-image
- Sharpen image: https://kenerateai.com/sharpen-image
- Unpixelate image: https://kenerateai.com/unpixelate-image
- Photo restoration: https://kenerateai.com/photo-restoration
- Uncensored image enhancer: https://kenerateai.com/enhance-ai
- Enhance AI art: https://kenerateai.com/enhance-ai-art
- Anime upscaler: https://kenerateai.com/anime-upscaler
- Bulk image upscaler: https://kenerateai.com/bulk-image-upscaler
- Remove glare from photo: https://kenerateai.com/remove-glare-from-photo
- Restore old photos: https://kenerateai.com/how-to-restore-old-photos
- Best photo restoration software: https://kenerateai.com/best-photo-restoration-software
- Denoise photos: https://kenerateai.com/how-to-denoise-photos
- Increase image resolution: https://kenerateai.com/how-to-increase-resolution-of-an-image
- Sharpen an image in Photoshop: https://kenerateai.com/how-to-sharpen-an-image-in-photoshop
- All upscaler alternatives: https://kenerateai.com/image-upscaler-alternatives
- Remini alternative: https://kenerateai.com/remini-alternative
- Let's Enhance alternative: https://kenerateai.com/lets-enhance-alternative
- upscale.media alternative: https://kenerateai.com/upscale-media-alternative
- Upscayl online: https://kenerateai.com/upscayl-online
- Bigjpg alternative: https://kenerateai.com/bigjpg-alternative
- VanceAI alternative: https://kenerateai.com/vanceai-alternative
- waifu2x alternative: https://kenerateai.com/waifu2x-alternative
- Magnific AI alternative: https://kenerateai.com/magnific-ai-alternative

## Sources
- Topaz Labs — Pricing: https://www.topazlabs.com/pricing
- Topaz Gigapixel: https://www.topazlabs.com/gigapixel