Upscayl vs Resly AI
Upscayl is free, open source and runs on your own computer, and if it does what you need you should use it. Resly costs money, so it has to do something Upscayl doesn't: it works in any browser with no install, and it reshapes a photo to the exact size you need by extending the scene. We make Resly; here is the honest comparison.
Written by the team that makes Resly AI. Facts about Upscayl checked on their own site on 1 October 2026; sources are at the bottom of the page.
Choose Upscayl if…
Choose Upscayl if you have a computer with a decent graphics card, want to upscale for free, and the image is already the shape you need.
Choose Resly AI if…
Choose Resly if you're on a phone or a work laptop, or the photo has to fit a frame or a post size and you don't want to crop it.
Side by side
| Feature | Upscayl | Resly AIPay per image | Resly StudioFor bulk and regular use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux; Upscayl Cloud in the browser | In the browser, on any device, including a phone | In the browser, on any device |
| Account needed | Not for the desktop app; yes for Upscayl Cloud | No | Yes, a free business account |
| How you pay | Desktop is free; Upscayl Cloud Pro is $24.99 a month for 300 credits | Pay per image, from $1.99, with each extra image in the order cheaper. No subscription | Credits from $0.50 an image: one-off packs from $10, or monthly plans from $15 |
| Largest output | Up to 16× on the desktop; Cloud Pro up to 256 megapixels | 16 megapixels (8,000px on the long side). Detail is rebuilt at up to 4K, about 16 megapixels, then fitted to your size | 16 megapixels (8,000px on the long side). Detail is rebuilt at up to 4K, about 16 megapixels, then fitted to your size. Also delivered as print-ready PDF |
| Changes the shape to fit a print | No. It enlarges the image at its existing shape | Yes. Type any size and the scene is extended to fit, not cropped | Yes. Type any size and the scene is extended to fit, not cropped |
| How it adds detail | Open-source upscaling models you choose between | A generative AI model that redraws detail, so small things like faces can change slightly | A generative AI model that redraws detail, so small things like faces can change slightly |
| Free option | Yes, the whole desktop app | No. The examples on the home page are real, full-size output | Your first 3 images, with no card needed |
Upscayl figures as listed on its site on 1 October 2026. Prices change; check theirs before buying.
Where Upscayl is better
- Price. The desktop app is free, forever, with no per-image cost.
- Privacy. Your photos never leave your computer.
- Output size and control. Up to 16×, a choice of models, and batch folders, with no 16-megapixel ceiling.
- Open source. Anyone can read what it does.
Where Resly AI is better
- Nothing to install. It runs in the browser, including on a phone, and doesn't need a graphics card.
- Reshaping. Enter 8×10, 4×6 or 1080×1350 and the scene is extended to fit instead of cropped.
- One step. Sharpening, upscaling and reframing happen in a single pass, delivered at the size you asked for.
Doing this every week? There’s Resly Studio
If Upscayl is out because you're on a work computer you can't install software on, and the images keep coming, Resly Studio is the account version: credits bought ahead at a lower price per image, a job history, and files delivered ready to print.
Credits start at $0.50 an image, as one-off packs from $10 or monthly plans from $15. Every job is kept for 7 days, and your first 3 images are free with no card needed.
See Resly StudioTry Resly AI on your photo
Upload it and pick a size. You see the price before you pay, and nothing is charged until you do.
Drop images, or click to browseTap to choose photos
JPG, PNG, HEIC, WEBP (up to 50MB each) · up to 5 at once
From $1.99 · no account · nothing uploaded until you continue
Each extra image $1.99 $0.99 · up to 5 per order
Upscayl vs Resly AI: questions
Is Upscayl really free?
The desktop app is free and open source. Upscayl also sells Upscayl Cloud, a browser version with a monthly plan, which is separate from the free app.
Why would I pay for Resly if Upscayl is free?
Only if you need what Upscayl doesn't do: working without an install, on a phone or a computer without a capable graphics card, or turning a photo into a different shape, like a 4×6 into an 8×10, without cropping it. If neither applies, Upscayl is the better choice.
Does Upscayl work on a phone?
The free app is a desktop app for Windows, Mac and Linux. Resly works in any phone browser, with nothing to install.