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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 | Upscale.media | Pixlr | Switch / compare |
|---|---|---|---|
| Background removal | Not tested in topic | 68/100 2048 × 2048 · PNG | Compare in task topic → |
| Image upscaling | 89/100 1024×1024 (PNG · 2.0x Super Resolution) · Historical description; output not attached | 88/100 2048×2048 (PNG · 4.0x Super Scale) · Historical description; output not attached | Active task |
| Object removal | Not tested in topic | 90/100 2048×2048 (Native Full-Res No Watermark PNG/JPG/WebP) · Historical description; output not attached | Compare in task topic → |
| Image generation | Not tested in topic | 92/100 1024×1024 (Unwatermarked PNG, 1.38MB) · Historical description; output not attached | Compare in task topic → |
| Photo restoration | Not tested in topic | 69/100 JPEG · Output attached | Compare in task topic → |
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Browse this task →| Criterion | Upscale.media (by PixelBin) Image upscaling 89/100 Seven-aspect task score Free 2× watermark-free downloads are smooth with clear paid tiers and good detail; 4× and 8× cost extra, alongside ads and product promotions. Tested export 1024×1024 (PNG · 2.0x Super Resolution) · Historical description; output not attached Historical test · 2026-10-16 | Pixlr Express (Super Scale AI) Image upscaling 88/100 Seven-aspect task score 4× watermark-free export is fast with clear per-use credits, but free saves are limited to three per day and multiple video ads occupy the workspace. Tested export 2048×2048 (PNG · 4.0x Super Scale) · Historical description; output not attached Historical test · 2026-10-16 |
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| Pricing & rules | ||
| Pricing plans | Upscale.media free, monthly, annual, one-time credit packs, and enterprise plans; USD · 2026-10-21 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Free Plan2026-10-21 ↗ Free Free Free 3 free credits and 3 free downloads per month (1 credit per upscale conversion). Monthly 200 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ USD 11.99/month — Monthly 200 credits/month (1 credit per conversion; unused monthly credits expire at month-end). Monthly 600 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ USD 17.99/month — Monthly 600 credits/month (1 credit per conversion; unused monthly credits expire at month-end). Monthly 1,000 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ USD 23.99/month — Monthly 1,000 credits/month (1 credit per conversion; unused monthly credits expire at month-end). Monthly 2,500 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ USD 34.99/month — Monthly 2,500 credits/month (1 credit per conversion; unused monthly credits expire at month-end). Annual 3,000 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 49.99/year Annual 3,000 credits/year (billed annually at USD 49.99/year). Annual 7,500 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 69.99/year Annual 7,500 credits/year (billed annually at USD 69.99/year). Annual 15,000 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 99.99/year Annual 15,000 credits/year (billed annually at USD 99.99/year). Annual 30,000 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ — USD 119.99/year Annual 30,000 credits/year (billed annually at USD 119.99/year). One-Time 60 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ USD 7.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 60 credits (1 credit per conversion). Rules [1] One-Time 125 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ USD 11.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 125 credits (1 credit per conversion). Rules [1] One-Time 500 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ USD 29.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 500 credits (1 credit per conversion). Rules [1] One-Time 1,200 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ USD 54.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 1,200 credits (1 credit per conversion). Rules [1] One-Time 2,500 Credits2026-10-21 ↗ USD 84.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 2,500 credits (1 credit per conversion). Rules [1] Enterprise2026-10-21 ↗ Contact sales Quoted Quoted Custom volume and API solutions via sales@pixelbin.io. 15 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. The official pricing page lists the Free plan (3 free credits and 3 free downloads per month; 1 conversion = 1 credit), four monthly subscriptions (200 / 600 / 1,000 / 2,500 credits/month), four annual subscriptions (3,000 / 7,500 / 15,000 / 30,000 credits/year), and five one-time credit packs valid for 1 year (60 / 125 / 500 / 1,200 / 2,500 credits). Cancellation, sources & verification recordSubscriptions auto-renew and can be cancelled anytime; the pricing page explicitly states that refunds are not provided due to AI compute costs, and one-time credit packs are valid for 1 year and non-refundable. Upscale.media official annual, monthly, and one-time credit pack pricing page ↗ · 2026-10-21 Capture 1 ↗ · Capture 2 ↗ | All web monthly/annual tiers and five credit top-up packs · 2026-10-20 Plan · source date Monthly / one-time Annual bill / period Quota & limits Plus2026-10-20 ↗ USD 2.49/month USD 23.88/year Monthly 80 AI credits/month; not a dedicated removal count Rules [1] Annual 960 general AI credits/year, valid for one year Rules [2] Premium2026-10-20 ↗ USD 9.99/month USD 95.88/year Monthly 1,000 AI credits/month; not a dedicated removal count Rules [1] Annual 12,000 general AI credits/year, valid for one year Rules [2] Ultra regular2026-10-20 ↗ USD 24.99/month USD 239.9/year Monthly 5,000 AI credits/month; not a dedicated removal count Rules [1] Annual 60,000 general AI credits/year, valid for one year Rules [2] Ultra MAX2026-10-20 ↗ USD 49.99/month USD 479.9/year Monthly 10,000 AI credits/month; not a dedicated removal count Rules [1] Annual 120,000 general AI credits/year, valid for one year Rules [2] 200 AI credits2026-10-20 ↗ USD 3.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 200 general AI credits; pack expiry not separately verified 500 AI credits2026-10-20 ↗ USD 6.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 500 general AI credits; pack expiry not separately verified 1,000 AI credits2026-10-20 ↗ USD 9.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 1,000 general AI credits; pack expiry not separately verified 2,000 AI credits2026-10-20 ↗ USD 16.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 2,000 general AI credits; pack expiry not separately verified 5,000 AI credits2026-10-20 ↗ USD 30.99 · one-time payment Usage / one-time Usage / one-time 5,000 general AI credits; pack expiry not separately verified 13 plan / billing-period records, all listed; — means that period is not recorded. All four annual charges were confirmed at checkout. Ultra $239.90/year and Ultra MAX $479.90/year differ from rounded monthly equivalents multiplied by 12. The feature FAQ advertises free removal and batch ZIP export without quantifying free counts/limits. Removal credit conversion and top-up expiry are not separately stated in reviewed pages. Tax depends on billing address. Verification has gaps; unknown prices and quotas are not inferred. Cancellation, sources & verification recordPage states cancellation is available anytime; refund details unverified. Official plans and usage terms ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ · Capture 2 ↗ · Capture 3 ↗ Official annual checkout summaries for all four plans ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ · Capture 2 ↗ · Capture 3 ↗ · Capture 4 ↗ Official free removal and batch explanation ↗ · 2026-10-20 Capture 1 ↗ |
| Free & trial allowance on the test date | 3 free no-login 2x (1024×1024) unwatermarked upscales; 4x and 8x display a Crown icon requiring a PixelBin subscription | 50 free initial AI credits upon signup; Super Scale (2x/4x/8x) costs only 1 credit per upscale, with 3 free daily saves |
| Cancellation & refunds | Subscriptions auto-renew and can be cancelled anytime; the pricing page explicitly states that refunds are not provided due to AI compute costs, and one-time credit packs are valid for 1 year and non-refundable. | Page states cancellation is available anytime; refund details unverified. |
| Disclosure of costs & limits | Crown icons on 4x/8x buttons clearly indicate paid tiers upfront | Super Scale panel clearly labels 'Scale up (1c)' and 25MP (5000×5000) max limit; right sidebar displays video ads |
| Task quality | ||
| Measured fixture results | Tested scale: 2× | Tested scale: 4× |
| Fixture findings | The tested 2× output was watermark-free with some edge recovery, at 1024px. | The tested 4× output was watermark-free with clear main lettering; inspect small text and other images separately. |
| Original historical observation | PSNR=27.57dB · SSIM=0.8918 (2x 1024×1024 unwatermarked PNG); ranks #1 in PSNR and SSIM among all 2x free upscalers with edge_corr=0.6496, hf_ratio=0.5289, and a blazing 1.74s Network-observed server wait. | PSNR=26.95dB · SSIM=0.8846 (native 4x 2048×2048 unwatermarked PNG export); Edge gradient correlation edge_corr=0.6141 (+4.85% over Bicubic); high-frequency recovery hf_ratio=0.4636; Calibration plate PSNR=15.56dB: clean 'REALTEST 2026' wood sign and smooth natural brass surface rendering. |
| Suitable uses · historical assessment | Everyday office and e-commerce users seeking instant 1.7s no-login 2x lossless super-resolution | Users needing 4x/8x high-resolution upscaling (up to 5000×5000px) combined with multi-layer canvas editing |
| 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 | 1024×1024 (PNG · 2.0x Super Resolution) · Historical description; output not attached · Check watermark record No native output is attached; check the evidence for specification and watermark claims. | 2048×2048 (PNG · 4.0x Super Scale) · 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 | 1024×1024 (2.0x · Free without login; 4x/8x require PixelBin paid plan) | 2048×2048 (PNG · 4.0x Super Scale) |
| Watermark observation | 100% Watermark-Free | No watermark |
| Batch & API | Bulk transformation, real-time URL super-resolution, and REST API via PixelBin.io | Supports chained 2x/4x/8x upscaling up to 5000×5000px (25MP) and multi-layer editing |
| Recorded free-tier dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Attached file dimensions | Not verified | Not verified |
| Speed & reliability | ||
| Timing observation | Network-observed server wait: 1.74s · End-to-end reference: 3.54s | Network-observed server wait: 3.4s · End-to-end reference: 3.85s |
| 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 for 2x; optional sign-in via console.pixelbin.io | Free login via Google, Apple, Facebook, or Email |
| Manual adjustment | Not verified | Not verified |
| Interaction observations | Smooth no-login 2x workflow; displays standard banner ads and a PixelBin promotion bar without obstructing the download button. | Displays third-party video ads along the right sidebar on the free tier and caps free local saves at 3 per day. |
| Background & reputation | ||
| Service lifecycle notice | Not verified | Not verified |
| Operator | PixelBin.io / Shopsense Retail Technologies Ltd. (Reliance Retail) | Pixlr Pte. Ltd. (Inmagine Group / 123RF) |
| Recorded origin | Mumbai, India | Singapore |
| Domain history record | 2021–Present | 2008–Present |
| Background & reputation assessment | Operated by Shopsense Retail Technologies Ltd. (PixelBin.io / Reliance Retail subsidiary, Mumbai, India—the same enterprise cloud behind Erase.bg), holding SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR certifications. | 18-year veteran photo suite operated by Singapore's Inmagine Group (123RF), with Plus plans starting at $1.99/mo. |
| 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 | Backed by PixelBin's `delivery.pixelbin.io/predictions/outputs/1d/sr/upscaleRestricted/` edge pipeline with an explicit 24-hour (`1d`) auto-expiring storage bucket. | 4x (2048×2048) upscale completed in ~3.40s and exported a 3.1MB lossless PNG (also supports JPG, WebP, PDF, PXZ). |
| Retention statement | Claims deletion within 24 hours; deletion not independently verified | Explicit retention period unconfirmed; inspect policy record |
| Evaluation basis | ||
| Pricing transparency | 31 / 35 Anonymous guests uploading an image on the landing page (Screenshot ①) receive a 2x (1024×1024) super-resolution output in 1.74s and can directly download a 100% watermark-free PNG (Screenshot ②); 4x and 8x buttons clearly display a Crown icon indicating a paid upgrade (Screenshot ③). | 29 / 35 Exceptionally fair credit pricing: whether you choose 2x (1024px), 4x (2048px), or 8x (4096px), Super Scale costs just 1 AI credit ('Scale up 1c') out of 50 free signup credits. |
| Interaction restraint | 24 / 30 Smooth no-login 2x workflow; displays standard banner ads and a PixelBin promotion bar without obstructing the download button. | 22 / 30 Displays third-party video ads along the right sidebar on the free tier and caps free local saves at 3 per day. |
| Background & reputation | 17 / 20 Operated by Shopsense Retail Technologies Ltd. (PixelBin.io / Reliance Retail subsidiary, Mumbai, India—the same enterprise cloud behind Erase.bg), holding SOC 2, ISO 27001, and GDPR certifications. | 18 / 20 18-year veteran photo suite operated by Singapore's Inmagine Group (123RF), with Plus plans starting at $1.99/mo. |
| Engineering & privacy | 14 / 15 Backed by PixelBin's `delivery.pixelbin.io/predictions/outputs/1d/sr/upscaleRestricted/` edge pipeline with an explicit 24-hour (`1d`) auto-expiring storage bucket. | 14 / 15 4x (2048×2048) upscale completed in ~3.40s and exported a 3.1MB lossless PNG (also supports JPG, WebP, PDF, PXZ). |
| Task quality | 57.5 / 65 PSNR vs 2048px GT: 27.57 dB · SSIM: 0.8918 · Edge Gradient Correlation: 0.6496 · High-Freq Sharpness Ratio: 0.5289 · Calibration Plate PSNR: 15.96 dB | 56.5 / 65 PSNR vs 2048px GT: 26.95 dB · SSIM: 0.8846 · Edge Gradient Correlation: 0.6141 · High-Freq Sharpness Ratio: 0.4636 · Calibration Plate PSNR: 15.56 dB |
| Deliverable specifications | 18 / 20 No free unwatermarked export (0/8); Free scale factor: 2x (1024×1024 (2.0x · Free without login; 4x/8x require PixelBin paid plan)) | 20 / 20 Clean unwatermarked export (8/8); Free scale factor: 4x (2048×2048 (PNG · 4.0x Super Scale)) |
| Processing speed | 14.5 / 15 Network-observed server wait: 1.74s (API mode: sync_post; end-to-end 3.54s shown for reference only, never penalized) | 14 / 15 Network-observed server wait: 3.4s (API mode: sync_post; end-to-end 3.85s shown for reference only, never penalized) |
