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Struggling to find the best video upscaling software?
Video upscaling is a highly underrated facet of video editing that brings great value to editors.
For years, traditional upscaling tools have struggled to produce satisfactory results. But thanks to AI, the upscaling process has been nearly perfected, resulting in more natural and lifelike videos.
In this article, we'll review the 10 best video upscaling software options to turn your low-res footage into a professional-grade, 4K quality video or more.
Let's dive in.
10 Best Video Upscaling Software Options
Video upscaling has mostly been ignored by videographers and content creators—mainly due to its artificial and overly-processed effect.
But things have changed. Upscaling software has matured and uses highly-trained AI algorithms that intelligently add new pixels to videos with more realistic outputs.
Most of these tools are so good at upscaling videos that they can easily be mistaken for native 4K or 8K footage!
1. Topaz.ai: Best Overall Upscaling Software
Topaz Video AI is undoubtedly most users' favorite all-purpose video upscaling tool. Powered by next-gen ML models, Topaz can seemingly turn blurry, low-resolution videos into high-res, 16K masterpieces with just a few clicks.
A major benefit of using Topaz is that it does not force unwanted artifacts during the upscaling process—something that makes the resulting video look unnatural.
Within Topaz Video AI, you can also denoise clips, reduce camera shake, or seamlessly add extra frames for slow-motion effects. Each one of these features uses a professional-grade ML model that comes bundled in Topaz's Video AI 4 package, making it an exceptional choice for advanced video upscaling.
Key Features
- Upscale to 16K resolution max with zero compression artifacts
- Iris MQ model recognizes humans and refines facial details
- Boost frame rates by 16x to create ultra-slow-mo videos
- Stabilize shaky videos and eliminate slow shutter smearing
- GPU acceleration supports most chipsets, including Apple Silicon.
Pricing
Topaz Video AI is available at a one-time price of just $299. You can apply for a free trial to test the tool before purchasing. Topaz AI is also backed with 1 year of free updates and a 30-day money back guarantee.
2. AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI: Most Versatile Tool
AVCLabs is another popular choice for upscaling your everyday blurry videos into high-quality, 8K resolution footage. Like most upscaling software, AVCLabs utilizes a powerful AI neural network that adds natural detail and removes noise from low-quality videos.
The software is highly competent at restoring compressed videos we typically receive over texting apps. It can intelligently de-pixelate footage and eliminate camera shake, so you can play videos you receive from friends and family on your 4K displays.
AVCLabs also has many built-in features for making faces clearer, reducing motion blur, and adjusting color saturation for the best results. With its easy-to-use interface and smart AI upscaling engine, AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI is a great purchase for beginners and newbies.
Key Features
- Transform videos to 8K with AI Super Resolution technology
- Add vivid colors to old B&W footage with AI Video Colorizer
- Enhance frame rates for smoother videos or slow-motion
- Choose between single or multi-frame enhancements
Pricing
AVCLabs has three flexible plans for both Windows and Mac users:
- 1 Month Plan: $39.95
- 1 Year Plan: $119.95
- Perpetual Plan: $299.90 (buy once keep forever)
All of their plans come with 24/7 customer support and free updates for the entire duration.
3. DVDFab Video Enhancer AI: Top Budget-Friendly Pick
When it comes to low-budget yet user-friendly upscaling tools, DVDfab Video Enhancer AI takes the win by a clear margin. It's capable of up to 4K upscaling, can effectively remove blur/grain from old footage, and supports a wide range of formats. So whether you're struggling to play an old VCR tape or a video shot from an older camera, DVDfab is fully equipped to meet your upscaling needs.
By using your existing GPU and its advanced AI neural network, DVDfab can convert virtually any old footage into a high-res, 4K video that can be played on modern smartphones or laptops.
You must import a video file into the app, set your denoising/sharpening parameters, and hit the process button. Considering its price, DVDFab is an excellent choice for those looking to convert old footage into 4K resolution videos on a budget.
Key Features
- Eliminate blur and artifacts from low-quality videos with Video Enhancer AI
- Upscale videos to 4K resolution using lossless algorithms
- Fueled by cutting-edge tech, including TensorFlow and Nvidia Cuda
- Extensively trained AI models with fully automated processing
Pricing
DVDFab offers three affordable plans for customers:
- 1 Month Plan: $59.99
- 1 Year Plan: $79.99
- Lifetime Plan: $99.99
All of their packages are backed by a 30-day money back guarantee and free updates.
4. HitPaw Video Enhancer
HitPaw Video Enhancer AI is the perfect mix of versatility and user-friendliness.
With nearly 7 unique AI models, HitPaw lets you effectively upscale your videos to 8K resolution and enhance quality across multiple parameters, some of which include:
- Denoise Model: Remove noise and grain from your footage.
- Animation Model: Add sharpness and clarity to animated videos.
- Face Model: Bring out detail and retouch faces in blurry footage.
- Colorize Model: Convert old black and white footage into fully colorized videos.
- Video Repair Model: Eliminate glitches and abnormal artifacts in faulty clips.
Besides that, HitPaw also has batch processing and auto-enhancement features for convenient upscaling. Coupled with thousands of positive reviews and an affordable price tag, HitPaw becomes an even more lucrative option for various video editing needs.
Key Features
- Achieve 8K resolution, fix glitches, and restore old footage using AI
- Dedicated AI model for enhancing animated videos and improving clarity
- Restore corrupted/damaged footage using video repair model
- Denoise and enhance facial details with powerful algorithms
- Uses GPU acceleration for fast processing speed
Pricing
HitPaw has a free version for both Mac and Windows users to test its features. To access the full software, you need to purchase one of the three following plans:
- 1 Month Plan: $69.99
- 1 Year Plan: $109.99
- Perpetual Plan: $349.99 (buy once keep forever)
Each plan comes with a 30-day money back guarantee. To get HitPaw for multiple team members, you can get an annual business plan starting from $459.99 per year for five Macs/PCs.
5. Ashampoo Video Optimizer
Ashampoo Video Optimizer 2 has more to offer than just upscaling. As the name suggests, the software provides a whole array of video optimization and enhancement features to turn your fuzzy, shaky videos into crystal clear, smooth footage you can enjoy properly.
Among its features, some of the best ones include a video stabilizer, noise reduction tool, sharpening tool, and deflickering tool. Once your footage has reached the desired quality, you can apply one of their 20 stunning presets to bring your videos to life.
Besides that, Ashampoo lets you add timelapse and slow-motion effects to utilize regular videos for your social content. Users can also place custom text with hundreds of effects and fonts to create interactive explainer videos. With a free 30-day trial, Ashampoo Video Optimizer 2 offers outstanding value for content creators and hobbyist cinematographers.
Key Features
- Effortless video editing tools for trimming, stabilizing, and deflickering footage
- Advanced editing features for lens distortion and shake reduction
- 20 color presets for cinematic outputs with vibrant hues
- Add slow-motion effects or create a timelapse with tilt-shift correction
- Customize text/fonts and encode videos in various formats.
Pricing
Ashampoo Video Optimizer 2 is available at a one-time purchase price of $70. You can also get a free 30-day trial by downloading the app. Each purchase is backed by a 30-day money back guarantee and customers can opt for 2 years of premium support for just $5 more.
6. Pixop
Pixop is the definitive software for all your upscaling needs if you're a professional video editor or filmmaker. Powered by a cloud-based AI network, the software has a range of industry-grade upscaling features to convert your old videos into 8K UHD cinematic wonders.
First, you only need an active internet connection and a laptop (find the best laptop for video editing in our full guide). You can import videos dating back to the 90s into its interface.
Next, choose to apply individual effects like deinterlacing, denoising, restoration, upscaling, or frame rate increase, or apply all effects at once with a single click.
Pixop's AI and ML algorithms are trained on thousands of hours of footage, ensuring consistently sharp and pixel-perfect upscaled videos.
Unlike other software, customers do not have to buy a subscription plan for Pixop. Instead, you can select your preferred enhancements and video duration, receiving the encrypted result in your account.
And even though Pixop leans towards the more expensive side, their professional-grade upscaling results and discounts make the extra investment totally worth it.
Key Features
- 8K UHD upscaling on cloud-based servers with no hardware requirements
- AI-enhanced deinterlacing, denoising, and deep restoration
- Access your content anywhere with an intuitive Pixop web app
- REST API integrates into existing databases for bulk video enhancement
- Pay-as-you-go model with no need for monthly subscription fee.
Pricing
Pixop is a service-based tool that charges users per video. You can get an estimated cost by selecting your desired enhancement and video duration. Here's a rough estimate of how much it costs to upscale a video using Pixop's Super Resolution:
- 10-min video: $11.80
- 30-min video: $30.28
- 60-min video: $44.99
New customers can get a flat 25% discount during their first month. Volume discounts are also applicable and increase along with the duration of your footage.
If you want a detailed guide on increasing video resolutions, check out How To Upscale A Video: 5 Ways To Achieve Stunning 4K Quality.
7. PikaVue
PikaVue is a remarkable cloud-based video upscaling software capable of ramping up resolutions to an impressive 16K quality. Using GDFLab's AI engine and private servers, the tool lets you convert low-quality clips into high-resolution footage on virtually any device with an internet connection.
Unlike traditional tools, PikaVue gives you three options for upscaling: 2x, 3x, and 4x.
You can also control parameters like exposure, saturation, and sharpness to achieve optimal output quality. The platform also has a powerful image upscaling tool for turning blurry images into super-sharp photos if needed.
PikaVue offers a generous free plan that lets you upscale 720p videos by up to 4 times its original resolution. While the free version limits users to five conversions per day and a 100MB file size, you can always upgrade to their Enterprise plan to upload 4K videos and upscale unlimited clips and images.
Key Features
- Up to 4K upscaling with various filters for sharpness, exposure, etc.
- Powered by GDFLab's advanced AI models that produce natural results
- Cloud-based platform with no need for purchasing dedicated hardware
- Intuitive and user-friendly web app perfect for beginners.
Pricing
PikaVue has a free plan that lets you upscale up to 5 videos per day. The free plan allows a max input resolution of 864×480 and max upload size of 100MB or 5 mins.
To unlock 4K upscaling and unlimited conversion, you can get a personal quote on their Enterprise Plan from their website.
8. DaVinci Resolve
DaVinci Resolve is a highly-revered video editing software for cinematographers and color graders. But did you know that it also has a robust AI-powered upscaling feature?
Introduced with DaVinci Resolve 18, the SuperScale feature lets you convert low-quality clips into 4K or even 8K videos. The software uses a process known as interpolation, which intelligently adds new pixels by identifying gaps between existing frames.
Resolve also lets you sharpen and reduce noise in your video content while seeing a real-time preview before exporting your video.
It's worth noting that SuperScale requires a powerful computer for smooth operation. But if you're already covered in that department, DaVinci Resolve is an excellent choice for color grading and post-production workflows.
Key Features
- 4K/8K upscaling from HD videos using DaVinci neural engine
- Smart facial recognition, deinterlacing, and object-tracking features
- Resolve FX helps remove noise, lens glare, and restore old footage
- Up to 32K and 120FPS workflows with 10-bit color grading
- 3D audio mixing with support for Dolby Atmos™
Pricing
DaVinci Resolve SuperScale is only available on their premium Studio version, which is available at one-time purchase price of $295 on Blackmagic Design's website.
9. Adobe After Effects
Adobe After Effects is another professional-grade motion graphics software that comes with its own upscaling feature.
Known as detail-preserving upscale effects, the powerful feature lets you enhance video resolution by 2x or 4x with decent precision using a process called interpolation.
This upscaling feature works best with videos that have a native resolution of at least 720p or 1080p.
You won't have much control over noise reduction and sharpness, but After Effects does let you cross-edit videos across its other suite of tools, such as Premiere Pro and Photoshop.
Key Features
- Increase resolution by 4x with detail-preserving upscaling
- Create engaging animations with 3D rotoscoping
- Advanced AI-powered scene edit detection
- Hyper-realistic motion titles and moving text effects
Pricing
Adobe After Effects is available separately for $22.99 per month. You can also get it as part of Adobe Creative Cloud (20+ apps) at $59.99 per month with 100GB of cloud storage. After Effects comes with a generous 7-day free trial and has special discounts for students/teachers.
10. TensorPix
TensorPix is a tremendous value-for-money software for high-quality video upscaling in 4K. The platform is built on a cloud server with powerful GPUs, making it possible to upscale videos on any device without hiccups.
TensorPix lets you do more than increase resolution; you can deinterlace videos, remove blur, boost frame rates, or even eliminate specks of dirt found on old film footage.
Plus, TensorPix offers an outstanding free plan that lets you select two AI enhancements and upload up to 4K quality videos without paying a single penny.
Key Features
- Upscale SD videos to 4K resolution with AI engine
- Powerful cloud-based servers that are 100x faster than average PCs
- Stutter-free 60FPS frame rate conversion for smooth videos
- Deinterlace footage and remove film dirt from old clips
- Edit or upscale video on smartphones on an intuitive web platform
Pricing
TensorPix has a free plan that lets you upscale native 4K videos. To access features like additional video slots, live previews, or more AI effects, you can purchase one of the following paid plans:
- Standard: $11.95 per month
- Premium: $27.10 per month
- Elite: $66.29 per month
Best Video Upscaling Tools in Conclusion
That's it for our list of best video upscaling software. When selecting a tool, consider your resolution goals (4K, 8K, 16K) and the types of AI enhancements you require besides upscaling. Most options on our list come with a free trial; some run completely online without needing a dedicated graphics card for rendering.
Considering the above factors will help you choose an AI video upscaling software that will last for years to come and give you the most bang for your buck.
If you want to use AI to build videos from scratch, check out our list of 7 Best AI Video Generators To Help Spread Your Message.
Or, if you want to generate more income from existing videos, explore these 15 Video Ad Networks To Profit More From Your Content.
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