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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 | Leonardo.Ai | Switch / compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background removal | Not tested in topic | 86/100 2048 × 2048 · PNG | Compare in task topic → |
| Image upscaling | 85/100 2048×2048 (PNG · 400% / 4.0x AI Upscale) · Historical description; output not attached | 78/100 1024×1024 (2.0x · Unwatermarked high-quality JPG · 271.9 KB) · Historical description; output not attached | Active task |
| Object removal | Not tested in topic | 88/100 2048×2048 (Native full-resolution watermark-free PNG) · Historical description; output not attached | Compare in task topic → |
| Image generation | Not tested in topic | 88/100 1024×1024 (Unwatermarked JPEG, 147.5KB, 100% pixel retention) · Historical description; output not attached | 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 | Leonardo.Ai (Universal Upscaler · Pro Precise) Image upscaling 78/100 Seven-aspect task score Credit costs and sizes are shown upfront with clear comparison controls; free output is 2× and images are public by default, with private mode paid. Tested export 1024×1024 (2.0x · Unwatermarked high-quality JPG · 271.9 KB) · 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 ↗ | Web individual and default three-seat team plans; excludes API · 2026-10-20 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Essential2026-10-20 ↗ 2026-10-20 ↗ USD 12/month USD 120/year Monthly 8,500 Fast Tokens/month; token bank 25,500 Annual 8,500 Fast Tokens/month Rules [1] Premium2026-10-20 ↗ 2026-10-20 ↗ USD 30/month USD 288/year Monthly 25,000 Fast Tokens/month; token bank 75,000 Annual 25,000 Fast Tokens/month Rules [1] Ultimate2026-10-20 ↗ 2026-10-20 ↗ USD 60/month USD 576/year Monthly 60,000 Fast Tokens/month; token bank 180,000 Annual 60,000 Fast Tokens/month Rules [1] 10 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. The app payment panel confirms personal annual prices of $120/$288/$576, differing from earlier rounded monthly equivalents on the marketing site. Public plans permit paid users to buy top-ups without quoting pack prices or per-removal token cost. Unlimited relaxed generation does not establish unlimited removal. 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 ↗ · Capture 2 ↗ Official app annual payment selection ↗ · 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 | Free accounts receive 150 daily resetting Fast Tokens; Universal Upscaler (Pro · Precise · 2x) costs 5 Tokens per image (~30 free upscales per day) |
| 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 | Displays 'Upscale 🪙 5' and target output '1024 × 1024px 1 MP' upfront before clicking Upscale (Screenshot ②) |
| 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. | Added detail while retaining overall structure; check newly generated texture against the input. |
| 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=25.77 dB · SSIM=0.9605 · edge_corr=0.6507 · hf_ratio=0.7040: unlike diffusive enhancers that heavily alter lighting and geometry, Leonardo's Aurora Precise mode injects rich high-frequency detail while preserving 0.9605 SSIM structural consistency. |
| Suitable uses · historical assessment | Users who want true 4x (2048×2048) watermark-free faithful super-resolution without creating an account | Designers and AI artists who want the best balance between generative micro-texture sharpening (`hf_ratio=0.7040`) and structural fidelity (`SSIM=0.9605`), with ~30 free upscales per day |
| 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 (2.0x · Unwatermarked high-quality JPG · 271.9 KB) · 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 · Costs 5 Free Fast Tokens · Unwatermarked JPG) |
| Watermark observation | 100% Watermark-Free | None (Completely unwatermarked) |
| Batch & API | Batch web upload on paid plans; offline batch processing via desktop app Upscal.app | Supports Legacy / Ultra / Pro modes, Precise / Creative styles, and production REST API |
| 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: 14.2s · End-to-end reference: 16.8s |
| 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 | Requires Google / Apple / Microsoft / Email login |
| 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. | Clean `/universal-upscaler` studio workspace with zero credit-card trial popups or countdown banners, offering Compare, Side-by-side, and Single inspection views. |
| Background & reputation | ||
| Service lifecycle notice | Not verified | Not verified |
| Operator | ImgUpscaler / Upscal.app Team | Leonardo Interactive Pty Ltd (Canva) |
| Recorded origin | Independent Cross-Platform Utility Team (Web + macOS/Windows App Store) | Sydney, Australia |
| 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 Leonardo Interactive Pty Ltd (Sydney, Australia; acquired by Canva in 2024), powered by its proprietary Aurora Precise / Creative super-resolution models. |
| 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. | Free plan creations and upscales are public by default; private mode requires upgrading to Essential ($10/mo). |
| 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). | 29 / 35 Transparent token pricing and deliverable specs: the right-hand panel clearly displays 'Output: 1024 × 1024px (1 MP)' and 'Upscale 🪙 5' (consuming only 5 of the 150 daily free Fast Tokens, see Screenshot ②), and exports a completely unwatermarked 1024×1024 image. |
| 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. | 24 / 30 Clean `/universal-upscaler` studio workspace with zero credit-card trial popups or countdown banners, offering Compare, Side-by-side, and Single inspection views. |
| Background & reputation | 15 / 20 Operated by the independent team behind Upscal.app (available on the Mac App Store and Microsoft Store). | 18 / 20 Developed by Leonardo Interactive Pty Ltd (Sydney, Australia; acquired by Canva in 2024), powered by its proprietary Aurora Precise / Creative super-resolution models. |
| 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. | 10 / 15 Free plan creations and upscales are public by default; private mode requires upgrading to Essential ($10/mo). |
| 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 | 52.8 / 65 PSNR vs 2048px GT: 25.77 dB · SSIM: 0.9605 · Edge Gradient Correlation: 0.6507 · High-Freq Sharpness Ratio: 0.704 · Calibration Plate PSNR: 14.57 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 Clean unwatermarked export (8/8); Free scale factor: 2x (1024×1024 (2.0x · Costs 5 Free Fast Tokens · Unwatermarked JPG)) |
| 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) | 8.5 / 15 Network-observed server wait: 14.2s (API mode: async_poll; end-to-end 16.8s shown for reference only, never penalized) |
