Best AI image upscalers for game art and textures (2026)
Picks based only on what each vendor's own pricing and terms pages say (checked 2026-10-15): can you ship it, what it costs, and whether your agent can call it. We don't rank by output quality.
Free and open source
Upscayl's desktop app is free under AGPL-3.0, which governs the app, not your images. Runs locally on Windows, macOS and Linux. The bundled AI models carry their own licences, which we did not review.
Desktop upscaler with commercial limits
Topaz Gigapixel is $29/mo; Topaz Studio (all apps) $69/mo. Both list 'Limited commercial use' for organizations under $1M annual revenue.
Upscaler inside a full AI suite
Magnific's paid plans (Premium $20/mo, $14.50 billed annually) list a 'Commercial AI license'. Its Terms exclude AI-generated content from the stock-content IP indemnity.
All tracked options
| Tool | Free tier | Paid price (as shown) | Commercial licence | API / MCP | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Upscayl 2D, pixel art & sprites | Desktop app is free and open source (AGPL-3.0); runs locally | Free (desktop); Upscayl Cloud is a separate paid service (prices not verified) | Free: App licence is GNU AGPL v3.0, which covers the software, not your images; it places no restriction on using images you upscale Paid: n/a (desktop app has no paid tier) | unverified | 2026-10-15 price: verified licence: partial |
| Topaz Gigapixel 2D, pixel art & sprites | not stated | Gigapixel Personal $29/mo; Topaz Studio (all apps) $69/mo | Free: n/a (no free tier listed) Paid: Pricing page: 'Limited commercial use*: Personal and commercial use for orgs under $1M USD annual revenue' | API listed in site footer | 2026-10-15 price: verified licence: partial |
| Magnific 2D, pixel art & sprites | not stated | Premium $20/mo ($14.50/mo billed annually, 240K credits/yr); Premium+ $45/mo ($33.75 annually, 600K credits/yr); Pro Starter $110/mo ($82.50 annually, 1.5M credits/yr) | Free: n/a (no free tier listed) Paid: Pricing page: 'Commercial AI license' on paid plans ('Commercial AI license + music rights' from Premium+). Terms of Use (June 2026): AI-generated content is governed by separate AI Products Terms, which we did not review | API access with credit-based usage; Magnific MCP & plugins | 2026-10-15 price: verified licence: partial |
Compare cost per asset in the calculator · Commercial-use answers · Ship with no attribution
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