Topaz Labs
AI upscaling and enhancement software for photos and video
Overview
Topaz Labs built its name on doing one thing better than the general-purpose editors: making a low-quality image or clip look like it wasn't low-quality. Gigapixel's upscaling and Photo AI's face recovery are still some of the best results you'll get from consumer software, and plenty of professional photographers and video editors keep it in their toolkit specifically for those two jobs.
The rough edge is the business model. Topaz has moved from simple one-time app purchases toward subscriptions bundled into a Studio plan, and longtime users on Trustpilot and Reddit have not been quiet about it. Expect a learning curve if you want more than the default "autopilot" settings, occasional crashes on large batch jobs, and the odd upscale where a face or an ear comes out looking slightly uncanny. It's strong software, but it's not plug-and-play perfect.
Key Features
Gigapixel AI: Upscales images up to 16x while trying to preserve or invent realistic detail, rather than just stretching pixels.
Photo AI: Automated denoise, sharpen, and face recovery for photos, including a well-regarded face restoration model.
Video AI: Upscales and stabilizes footage, restores old or low-res video, and interpolates frame rates.
Local + Cloud Rendering: Process on your own GPU for unlimited local jobs, or offload heavier renders to Topaz's cloud using monthly credits.
Astra & Bloom: Newer cloud-based tools for creative video upscaling and stylized image upscaling.
Plugin Support: Works as a standalone app or a plugin inside Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro/DaVinci Resolve workflows.
Pricing
Starting price
$19/mo
Gigapixel (entry app): From $19/mo billed annually ($149/yr), or $29/mo billed monthly. Unlimited local and cloud upscaling with limited commercial use.
Photo: From $25/mo billed annually ($199/yr), or $39/mo billed monthly. Unlimited local and cloud image rendering.
Video: From $39/mo billed annually ($299/yr), or $59/mo billed monthly. Includes 25 monthly video cloud credits.
Studio (all apps bundled): From $45/mo billed annually ($399/yr), or $69/mo billed monthly. Includes Photo, Video, Gigapixel, Bloom, Astra, and more, plus 300 monthly video cloud credits.
Studio Pro: From $79/mo billed annually ($799/yr). Full commercial use, higher cloud limits, and seat management for teams.
Enterprise: Custom pricing for API access, on-premise processing, and dedicated support.
Disclaimer: pricing may change, confirm on Topaz Labs' own pricing page before buying.
Pros
Best-in-Class Upscaling: Gigapixel AI consistently outperforms Photoshop's built-in upscaling and generic AI upscalers on detail retention.
Strong Face Recovery: Photo AI's face restoration is repeatedly singled out by reviewers as its most impressive feature.
Runs Locally: Local processing on your own GPU is unlimited under every paid tier, so you're not metered for everyday use.
Fits Existing Workflows: Plugin support for Photoshop, Lightroom, and major video editors means you don't have to leave your usual pipeline.
Cons
Subscription Shift: Topaz has pushed users from one-time app purchases toward recurring Studio subscriptions, a change longtime customers frequently complain about on Trustpilot and Reddit.
Real Learning Curve: Reviewers note that getting past the default autopilot settings and dialing in manual controls takes real time, even for experienced users.
Crashes on Big Jobs: Multiple reviews mention the app crashing during large batch processing runs, especially with Video AI.
Occasional Artifacts: Face and detail recovery can misfire, producing odd or unnatural results around ears, hands, or fine detail.
What Makes It Unique
Purpose-Built Enhancement Models: Unlike general AI image tools that generate or edit images, Topaz's models are trained narrowly for upscaling, denoising, and restoration, which is why its output holds up better on real photos and footage than general-purpose generators.
Kay Score
7.8
/ 10
Tool Information
Pricing
$19/mo
Category
Image & Design
Platform
Web / iOS / Android
Last Updated
