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Test scope & comparison notes
These are recorded facts, not a unified ranking. Tested tiers and scope are not consistently recorded. Read pricing with its date and timing with its conditions. Privacy observations reflect visible flows and statements, not a security audit.
Cross-task capability coverage across selected products
Each product is scored independently per task edge; switch tasks below while keeping shared products selected| Task edge | ImgUpscaler | Krea | Switch / compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background removal | Not tested in topic | 84/100 2048 × 2048 · PNG | Compare in task topic → |
| Image upscaling | 85/100 2048×2048 (PNG · 400% / 4.0x AI Upscale) · Historical description; output not attached | 71/100 1024×1024 (PNG · 2.0x Generative Enhance) · Historical description; output not attached | Active task |
| Object removal | Not tested in topic | 91/100 2048×2048 (Native full-resolution watermark-free PNG) · Historical description; output not attached | Compare in task topic → |
| Image generation | Not tested in topic | 93/100 2048 × 2048 · PNG | Compare in task topic → |
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Browse this task →| Criterion | ImgUpscaler (AI Image Upscaler) Image upscaling 85/100 Seven-aspect task score Free login-free 4× output retains detail well; a fullscreen ad can interrupt initial use, and this run took about 22 seconds. Tested export 2048×2048 (PNG · 400% / 4.0x AI Upscale) · Historical description; output not attached Historical test · 2026-10-16 | Krea AI (Krea Enhance) Image upscaling 71/100 Seven-aspect task score Free compute can enhance textures, but login, repeated onboarding promotions and a long queue add friction; rewritten small text limits fidelity-sensitive work. Tested export 1024×1024 (PNG · 2.0x Generative Enhance) · Historical description; output not attached Historical test · 2026-10-16 |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing & rules | ||
| Pricing plans | ImgUpscaler personal and business plans (Free / Premium / Business); USD · 2026-10-21 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Free2026-10-21 ↗ Free Free Free 50 credits/month; single-image AI upscaling, enhancement, and Reimagine (includes ads; guest single-image 4x upscaling available). Premium Monthly2026-10-21 ↗ USD 9.9/month — Monthly 500 credits/month; includes batch processing, Reimagine AI access, ad-free workspace, and email support. Premium Yearly2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 49/year Annual Billed yearly at USD 49/year (USD 4.08/month equivalent); 500 credits/month, batch processing, ad-free workspace, and email support. Business Monthly2026-10-21 ↗ USD 19.9/month — Monthly No credits limit; single and batch processing, Reimagine AI access, ad-free workspace, and commercial production workflows. Business Yearly2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 69/year Annual Billed yearly at USD 69/year (USD 5.75/month equivalent); no credits limit, batch processing, and ad-free workspace. 5 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. The official pricing page lists Free (USD 0, 50 credits/month, single-image processing, includes ads), Premium (USD 9.90/month or USD 49/year, equivalent to USD 4.08/month, with 500 credits/month, batch processing, and no ads), and Business (USD 19.90/month or USD 69/year, equivalent to USD 5.75/month, with no credit limit, batch processing, and no ads). Cancellation, sources & verification recordCancel or change plans anytime from the account billing page; both free and paid results may be used for personal or commercial projects subject to source-image rights. ImgUpscaler official monthly/yearly pricing and FAQ ↗ · 2026-10-21 Capture 1 ↗ · Capture 2 ↗ | Individual web plans and default Business 80k volume; excludes API and other business volumes · 2026-10-20 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Basic2026-10-20 ↗ USD 9/month USD 63/year Monthly 5,000 general compute units/month; not removal counts Annual 5,000 general compute units/month Observed first-year promotion USD 63; then USD 84/year until cancelled Rules [1]Pro2026-10-20 ↗ USD 35/month USD 252/year Monthly 20,000 general compute units/month; not removal counts Annual 20,000 general compute units/month Observed first-year promotion USD 252; then USD 336/year until cancelled Rules [1]Max 60k2026-10-20 ↗ USD 105/month USD 756/year Monthly 60,000 general compute units/month; not removal counts Annual 60,000 general compute units/month Observed first-year promotion USD 756; then USD 1008/year until cancelled Rules [1]Business 80k2026-10-20 ↗ USD 200/month USD 1,920/year Monthly 80,000 general compute units/month; not removal counts Annual 80,000 general compute units/month Max 40k2026-10-20 ↗ USD 70/month USD 504/year Annual 40,000 general compute units/month Observed first-year promotion USD 504; then USD 672/year until cancelled Rules [1]Monthly 40,000 general compute units/month Max 80k2026-10-20 ↗ USD 135/month USD 972/year Annual 80,000 general compute units/month Observed first-year promotion USD 972; then USD 1296/year until cancelled Rules [1]Monthly 80,000 general compute units/month Max 100k2026-10-20 ↗ USD 165/month USD 1,188/year Annual 100,000 general compute units/month Observed first-year promotion USD 1188; then USD 1584/year until cancelled Rules [1]Monthly 100,000 general compute units/month Enterprise2026-10-20 ↗ Contact sales Quoted Quoted Custom enterprise support, security and administration 16 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. All 10 previously missing amounts are confirmed in USD checkout summaries. Individual annual offers separate first-year and renewal charges; Business 80k is $1,920/year. Max monthly purchase paths show additional annual offers whose checkout totals were not independently confirmed; these are not merged with the default annual offer. Per-removal compute cost and extra top-up pricing are not separately specified in the verified plans/checkouts. Other Business volumes are outside scope. Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred. Cancellation, sources & verification recordSelf-serve cancellation in account settings Official plans and usage terms ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ USD checkout summaries reached from official pricing ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ · Capture 2 ↗ · Capture 3 ↗ · Capture 4 ↗ · Capture 5 ↗ · Capture 6 ↗ · Capture 7 ↗ · Capture 8 ↗ · Capture 9 ↗ · Capture 10 ↗ Additional annual offers on monthly purchase paths ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ · Capture 2 ↗ · Capture 3 ↗ |
| Free & trial allowance on the test date | Free single-image 200% (2x) and 400% (4x) unwatermarked upscaling without login; batch upload requires a paid plan | 50 free daily compute credits (~6–7 free 2x enhancements/day); free tier is capped at 1 concurrent job with queue wait, and 8x/16x require a paid subscription |
| Cancellation & refunds | Cancel or change plans anytime from the account billing page; both free and paid results may be used for personal or commercial projects subject to source-image rights. | Self-serve cancellation in account settings |
| Disclosure of costs & limits | No paywall traps; supported by standard and vignette Google AdSense ads | Prompts signup upon clicking Generate and clearly marks 8x/16x as 'For paid users only' inside the workspace |
| Task quality | ||
| Measured fixture results | Tested scale: 4× | Tested scale: 2× |
| Fixture findings | This guest run produced a watermark-free 4× image with structure retained; findings cover this fixture only. | Enhanced texture but rewrote small text in this fixture; take care when exact lettering matters. |
| Original historical observation | PSNR=27.50dB · SSIM=0.8900 (4x 2048×2048 unwatermarked PNG); edge_corr=0.6685, hf_ratio=0.4995, plate_psnr=16.22dB—one of the very few tools offering genuine 400% watermark-free exports to anonymous guests. | PSNR=23.64dB · SSIM=0.7771 (2x 1024×1024 unwatermarked PNG); high hf_ratio=0.6486 makes the 'REALTEST 2026' wooden sign and brass robot look ultra-detailed, but because Krea uses a generative diffusion model (realisticv51, denoising=0.4), the small bottom-right calibration plate text 'REALTEST 2048px GT' is hallucinated into 'AFAL I SOT 20110pss OT' (plate_psnr=14.30dB). |
| Suitable uses · historical assessment | Users who want true 4x (2048×2048) watermark-free faithful super-resolution without creating an account | Creators seeking 'Generative Upscaling' to hallucinate rich surface textures on AI art or portraits—not suitable for document or micro-text fidelity |
| Result & output evidence | No native output obtained; the preview does not establish final export quality. | No native output obtained; the preview does not establish final export quality. |
| Delivery capabilities | ||
| Recorded export specifications | 2048×2048 (PNG · 400% / 4.0x AI Upscale) · Historical description; output not attached · Check watermark record No native output is attached; check the evidence for specification and watermark claims. | 1024×1024 (PNG · 2.0x Generative Enhance) · Historical description; output not attached · Check watermark record No native output is attached; check the evidence for specification and watermark claims. |
| Historical specification note · not an official maximum | 2048×2048 (4.0x / 400% · Free without login) | 1024×1024 (2.0x · Free tier unlocks 2x/4x; 8x/16x require paid plan) |
| Watermark observation | 100% Watermark-Free | 100% Watermark-Free |
| Batch & API | Batch web upload on paid plans; offline batch processing via desktop app Upscal.app | Paid plans unlock multi-job concurrency and up to 16x upscaling; free tier is limited to 1 concurrent job |
| Recorded free-tier dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Attached file dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Speed & reliability | ||
| Timing observation | Network-observed server wait: 20.68s · End-to-end reference: 22.22s | Network-observed server wait: 8.61s · End-to-end reference: 87.81s |
| Date & fixture | 2026-10-16 · anchor_upscale_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) | 2026-10-16 · anchor_upscale_v1 · US-West (California, AS2914) |
| Repeated tests & reliability | No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded. | No standardized repetition count, success rate or variability range is recorded. |
| Interaction experience | ||
| Account requirements | No login in this test | Account required in this test |
| Sign-in methods | No login required; optional email/Google login for paid plans | Clicking Generate on the landing page requires Google / Apple / Email sign-in |
| Manual adjustment | Not verified | Not verified |
| Interaction observations | Zero login walls or bait-and-switch paywalls, though the free web page runs Google AdSense including a full-screen interstitial vignette (`#google_vignette`, Screenshot ④) that may require dismissing. | Post-signup `/onboarding` triggers two consecutive discount retention modals when clicking 'Skip': first a 1-hour countdown modal ('Take Pro at 40% off instead... Offer ends in 0h:59m:57s'), followed by a 'Final chance — Are you sure you don't want this offer?' modal when dismissing the bottom bar (Screenshot ④); once inside `/enhancer`, the workspace is clean. |
| Background & reputation | ||
| Service lifecycle notice | Not verified | Not verified |
| Operator | ImgUpscaler / Upscal.app Team | Krea AI Inc. (San Francisco, CA, USA) |
| Recorded origin | Independent Cross-Platform Utility Team (Web + macOS/Windows App Store) | San Francisco, USA |
| Domain history record | 2020–Present | 2022–Present |
| Background & reputation assessment | Operated by the independent team behind Upscal.app (available on the Mac App Store and Microsoft Store). | Developed by Krea AI Inc. (San Francisco, CA, founded by Victor Perez & Diego Rodriguez, backed by Andreessen Horowitz & Bain Capital Ventures). |
| External reputation record | Not verified | Not verified |
| Engineering & privacy | ||
| Processing location | Uploaded for cloud processing | Uploaded for cloud processing |
| Third-party tracking record | Not verified | Not verified |
| Engineering & privacy assessment | Uses `/api/legacy/upload` and `/api/legacy/status` async polling; FAQ #10 explicitly states all uploaded and processed images are permanently deleted within 24 hours. | Uses an async GPU job queue (`/api/job-status` reports exact `time_in_gen_server: 8.61s` and `t_inference: 4.57s`) with encrypted CDN delivery (`gen.krea.ai`). |
| Retention statement | Claims deletion within 24 hours; deletion not independently verified | Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record |
| Evaluation basis | ||
| Pricing transparency | 32 / 35 Anonymous guests can select `400%` (4x) or `200%` (2x) directly on the home page, click 'Upload & Start', and download a 100% watermark-free 2048×2048 (4x) PNG without signing up or entering a card (Screenshots ②③). | 24 / 35 Landing page `/apps/enhance` (Screenshot ①) provides an upload box and 1x/2x/4x/8x buttons, prompting 'Sign up for 50 free credits daily' when clicking Generate; after free Google sign-in, Krea grants daily free compute credits and exports 100% watermark-free 1024×1024 (2x) PNGs (8x and 16x are clearly labeled 'For paid users only'). |
| Interaction restraint | 21 / 30 Zero login walls or bait-and-switch paywalls, though the free web page runs Google AdSense including a full-screen interstitial vignette (`#google_vignette`, Screenshot ④) that may require dismissing. | 18 / 30 Post-signup `/onboarding` triggers two consecutive discount retention modals when clicking 'Skip': first a 1-hour countdown modal ('Take Pro at 40% off instead... Offer ends in 0h:59m:57s'), followed by a 'Final chance — Are you sure you don't want this offer?' modal when dismissing the bottom bar (Screenshot ④); once inside `/enhancer`, the workspace is clean. |
| Background & reputation | 15 / 20 Operated by the independent team behind Upscal.app (available on the Mac App Store and Microsoft Store). | 19 / 20 Developed by Krea AI Inc. (San Francisco, CA, founded by Victor Perez & Diego Rodriguez, backed by Andreessen Horowitz & Bain Capital Ventures). |
| Engineering & privacy | 12 / 15 Uses `/api/legacy/upload` and `/api/legacy/status` async polling; FAQ #10 explicitly states all uploaded and processed images are permanently deleted within 24 hours. | 13 / 15 Uses an async GPU job queue (`/api/job-status` reports exact `time_in_gen_server: 8.61s` and `t_inference: 4.57s`) with encrypted CDN delivery (`gen.krea.ai`). |
| Task quality | 58.5 / 65 PSNR vs 2048px GT: 27.5 dB · SSIM: 0.89 · Edge Gradient Correlation: 0.6685 · High-Freq Sharpness Ratio: 0.4995 · Calibration Plate PSNR: 16.22 dB | 45 / 65 PSNR vs 2048px GT: 23.64 dB · SSIM: 0.7771 · Edge Gradient Correlation: 0.4812 · High-Freq Sharpness Ratio: 0.6486 · Calibration Plate PSNR: 14.3 dB |
| Deliverable specifications | 20 / 20 No free unwatermarked export (0/8); Free scale factor: 4x (2048×2048 (4.0x / 400% · Free without login)) | 15 / 20 No free unwatermarked export (0/8); Free scale factor: 2x (1024×1024 (2.0x · Free tier unlocks 2x/4x; 8x/16x require paid plan)) |
| Processing speed | 8 / 15 Network-observed server wait: 20.68s (API mode: async_poll; end-to-end 22.22s shown for reference only, never penalized) | 9.5 / 15 Network-observed server wait: 8.61s (API mode: async_poll; end-to-end 87.81s shown for reference only, never penalized) |
