How we checked: prices, trials and system requirements come from each vendor's own pricing, buy and documentation pages, read October 29, 2026. Several vendors show discounted and list prices side by side; we quote the price charged on the day. We did not upscale the same clip in every tool, so this guide does not compare output quality. The break-even figures are our own arithmetic.
AI video upscalers at a glance#
| Tool | Price | Free trial | Max output | Runs on |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topaz Video | $299/year, or $39/month with annual commitment, $59 month to month; Pro $699/year | Preview every model; exports watermarked | 4K and 8K; interpolation to 120 fps | Windows and Apple Silicon Mac, locally; cloud credits included |
| AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI | $39.95/month, $95.96/year or $149.90 one-time (1 PC) | Exports 30 seconds with a watermark | Up to 8K, 120 fps | Windows and Mac, locally |
| HitPaw VikPea | $43.19/month, $99.99/year (500 credits) or $350.39 one-time (800 credits) | Preview only | 4K and 8K | Windows, Mac, iOS, Android; cloud rendering |
| Vmake | Free (20 credits a day); Plus and Pro prices not published | Free plan: 720p export, watermark on some features | 2K, 4K or 8K | Browser |
| CapCut | Free | Free tool | Up to 4K | CapCut Desktop and web |
| Video2X | Free, open source (AGPLv3) | Free | Depends on the model used | Windows and Linux; needs an AVX2 CPU and Vulkan GPU |
Buy once or subscribe? The break-even#
- AVCLabs: the $149.90 one-time licence costs the same as about 1.6 years of the $95.96 annual plan. If you will upscale for more than a year and a half, buy it outright. The one-time licence also has a 30-day refund window, against 5 days on subscriptions.
- HitPaw VikPea: the $350.39 one-time licence equals about 3.5 years of the $99.99 annual plan, and it covers updates only within the current major version.
- Topaz Video: there is no longer a one-time option. At $299 a year it costs about twice AVCLabs' outright price every year, which is the price of the strongest models and Topaz's cloud rendering.
Topaz Video#
Topaz Video (formerly Video AI) upscales to 4K and 8K and interpolates up to 60 and 120 fps. The base plan includes unlimited local rendering and 25 cloud credits a month that do not roll over. Its Starlight models run in the cloud only on Macs and AMD GPUs. You need a capable machine: on Windows at least 16 GB RAM and 6 GB of VRAM (Topaz recommends an RTX 30-series or newer with 8 GB+), on Mac an M-series chip with 16 GB. Intel Macs, Linux and virtual machines are not supported. The trial lets you preview every model, but exports carry a watermark.
AVCLabs and HitPaw#
AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI processes everything locally, so footage never leaves your computer, and outputs up to 8K at 120 fps on Windows and Mac. HitPaw VikPea covers more devices, with Windows and Mac apps plus iOS and Android, and offers cloud rendering when your own hardware is too slow. Both sell monthly, yearly and one-time licences, and both show heavily discounted prices next to list prices, so check the price at checkout.
Free options#
- Video2X: open-source and free, built on Real-ESRGAN, Real-CUGAN and Anime4K for upscaling and RIFE for frame interpolation. Strong for anime and for anyone comfortable with a technical setup.stork.ai
- CapCut: a free AI upscaler with HD, UHD and 4K output, run through CapCut Desktop. CapCut does not state limits on the tool's page.stork.ai
- Vmake: browser-based with a free daily allowance; free exports stop at 720p, so use it to test before paying.stork.ai
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Which one to choose#
- Best quality, regular work, capable machine: Topaz Video.
- Occasional use, want to own it: AVCLabs one-time licence.
- No powerful computer, or you work on a phone: HitPaw VikPea with cloud rendering, or Vmake in a browser.
- Zero budget: Video2X or CapCut.
Upscaling photos rather than video? See our best AI photo upscalers.
Frequently asked questions#
What is the best AI video upscaler?#
Topaz Video is the most capable, with 4K and 8K upscaling and frame interpolation to 120 fps, but it is subscription-only from $299 a year and needs a recent GPU or Apple Silicon Mac. AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI is the cheapest to own outright at $149.90.
Is Topaz Video AI a one-time purchase?#
Not any more. Topaz Labs now sells Topaz Video only as a subscription: $299 a year, $39 a month with an annual commitment, or $59 month to month. Topaz Video Pro is $699 a year.
Is there a free AI video upscaler?#
Yes. Video2X is free and open source (Windows and Linux), CapCut offers a free AI upscaler with up to 4K output, and Vmake has a free daily allowance with 720p exports.
Can I try Topaz Video for free?#
Yes, the trial lets you preview every model, but exported videos carry a watermark until you subscribe.