7 best AI video upscalers, models & enhancers (2026)

Best AI video upscalers by workflow

Magic Hour publishes this guide and is included in the comparison. These are workflow recommendations from current product documentation, not quality scores from a common benchmark. Sources were checked September 13, 2026.

Best AI video upscaling models and engines

A product and a model are different layers. Magic Hour, Topaz Video and TensorPix are products or workflows; Proteus, Iris and Real-ESRGAN are processing models or engines inside a product or local pipeline. Choose the product for access, privacy and export requirements, then choose a model for the source defect.

Topaz models: Topaz's current enhancement guide lists Proteus for general enhancement, Iris for faces, Nyx for denoising, Rhea for 4× upscaling, Artemis for denoise-and-sharpen work, Gaia for high-quality or animation sources, and Dione variants for interlaced footage. These are source-specific starting points, not a universal quality ranking.

Video2X engines: The current Video2X command guide exposes Real-ESRGAN and Anime4K upscaling routes; its project also includes Real-CUGAN and RIFE. RIFE is frame interpolation, so it changes temporal cadence rather than replacing an upscaling model. The local route requires compatible hardware and model selection.

SeedVR2 research model: SeedVR2 is an Apache-2.0 video-restoration research model from authors at NTU and ByteDance Seed, with released inference code and model weights. It is a technical local evaluation route rather than a consumer upscaler subscription. Its published results do not prove it will beat every product or model on your footage; compare the same moving source and inspect temporal consistency.

1. Magic Hour: upscale a clip online

Magic Hour's video upscaler accepts MOV and MP4 uploads and offers 2× or 4× scaling, or a target resolution between 720p and 4K. Start with a no-signup preview of the first 3 seconds, at up to 2× or 2K, whichever is lower. The no-signup preview is limited to three attempts per day. A signed-in Free account can use 2× scaling for longer clips with sufficient credits. The 4× and named-resolution targets require a paid subscription; input limits and the selected job’s credit quote still apply.

Use it when you have an approved clip and want a larger delivery version without installing desktop software. Upload a short representative segment first, choose the needed output, and inspect the download before processing the full piece.

For a product video, watch the label through motion. Reject an output that makes the package sharper but changes the lettering. For a presenter, inspect eyes and teeth as the face moves. If the underlying animation or lip sync is wrong, fix that step before upscaling.

Check the operation quote in the account and the current plan. The same subscription can include several tools, but usage depends on the actual operation.

Choose the final dimensions, not just the multiplier. For a 1280 × 720 landscape source, 2× scaling means 2560 × 1440; it does not mean 4K. For that source, choose the 4K target when delivery requires 3840 × 2160. A 4× multiplier would request 5120 × 2880 before output limits are applied, so check the displayed dimensions and validation instead of assuming that the largest multiplier is usable. These are dimension calculations, not quality-test results.

Before the full run: open Video Upscaler, preview the chosen source segment, select an output larger than the source, and read the quote. A target already reached by the source is rejected. Where Creative is available, inspect whether added texture changes a face or label before using it on the full clip. The step-by-step guide explains these checks.

Access check: The no-signup preview covers the first 3 seconds at up to 2× or 2K, whichever is lower. Video Upscaler’s 2× target is available to Free accounts with sufficient credits for longer clips; 4× and named-resolution targets require a paid subscription. Buying a credit pack adds balance without changing subscription-tier access. Separate the target’s plan requirement from the credits needed for the selected job. See credits versus tool access.

2. Topaz Video: choose controls for the source

Topaz Video offers local processing and separate cloud products. Compare the current subscription, cloud allowance, and commercial license; an older one-time price is not a current quote.

Its enhancement documentation distinguishes progressive, interlaced, and previously mis-deinterlaced footage. It documents Dione variants for interlaced sources, Iris for face-oriented recovery, and Proteus for adjustable general enhancement. These names are starting points, not universal winning presets.

Identify the source type before selecting a model. An old camcorder transfer with interlacing needs a different evaluation from a modern progressive phone clip. Keep a copy of the source and compare movement as well as detail.

4K upscaling and 60 fps interpolation are different operations

Topaz’s current preset guide uses Proteus for its 4K preset and adds Apollo for 4K & 60FPS. The first changes spatial detail; the second also creates intermediate frames. Start with enhancement at the source frame rate, then evaluate interpolation separately so you can identify which step introduced a motion artifact.

Before buying a local workflow, check Topaz’s current system requirements. Its Mac minimum is Apple Silicon with 16 GB RAM. On Windows, dedicated GPU specifications start at 6 GB VRAM; Aion, Hyperion and Rhea require 8 GB. Some integrated GPUs are supported, but Topaz warns about limited usable speed. Meeting a minimum is not a runtime promise; cloud processing is a separate route.

For a meaningful comparison, export the same short source at its original frame rate and required dimensions first. Review moving text, faces and occlusions; then change frame rate only if delivery requires it. Record the model, settings, runtime and actual accepted output. This is a suggested procedure, not a benchmark result.

3. TensorPix: cloud enhancement with a free entry point

TensorPix pricing lists free-plan enhancement for inputs up to 720p and credits available through weekly login. That is an input limit, not a guaranteed output resolution or unlimited processing allowance. Paid plans expand source eligibility and capacity.

Use the free balance to test a short section containing movement and fine detail. Confirm the final output options and quoted charge before uploading a longer source. For more on free access, see the free online upscaler guide.

4. CapCut: enhancement within an edit

CapCut's instructions describe importing footage in Desktop, opening Video > Basic > Enhance quality, and selecting HD, UHD, or 4K. Confirm the feature and export access in your account. A free application download does not establish that every AI operation is free.

This is a practical candidate if the clip already lives in a CapCut project. Compare the enhanced segment before applying the setting across the entire timeline.

5. AVCLabs: a desktop option to compare

AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI offers video enhancement, upscaling, and face-related processing. Check its system requirements and trial conditions before downloading a large source or committing to a batch.

Use an identity-sensitive clip in the evaluation. Keep facial enhancement only if it improves the viewed result without replacing recognizable details. A smoother face is not automatically a more accurate face.

6. DaVinci Resolve Studio: enhancement inside post-production

Blackmagic Design lists Resolve Studio at $295 and includes temporal and AI spatial noise reduction along with additional AI tools. Do not assume those features are included in free Resolve.

Choose this route when editing, color correction, and audio finishing are part of the same job. If the main problem is exposure or noise, correct that before deciding a larger output is necessary.

7. Video2X: local open-source processing

Video2X is a video super-resolution and frame-interpolation framework. It is a candidate for technical users who want to operate the pipeline themselves. Software access does not remove the cost of hardware, setup, or processing time.

Keep frame interpolation and upscaling separate in the first comparison. Changing both at once makes it harder to tell which operation introduced a defect.

How to compare 1080p and 4K fairly

Use the same ten-second source and compare both outputs at the same display size. Include a moving face, product label, or fine texture that matters to your project. A large still preview can conceal flicker and inconsistent detail.

If the 1080p version already meets the delivery requirement and looks as good at the viewing size, 4K may add cost and upload time without useful improvement.

Estimate a batch before processing it

Record the source duration, target resolution, filter or model, and quoted charge. Multiply by planned attempts rather than assuming every render is a final asset.

For example, twenty 30-second clips represent ten minutes of source. Two full attempts per clip mean twenty minutes processed. Apply the provider's quote to that workload. This is a planning example, not a measured provider price or expected acceptance rate.

If Topaz is on your shortlist, check the current plans and tradeoffs in the Topaz Video AI pricing guide.