Img.Upscaler vs Luminar Neo

Img.Upscaler enlarges and sharpens images in the browser using AI super-resolution. Upload a JPG, PNG, or WebP file, pick 2x or 4x scaling, and download a higher-resolution version with cleaner edges and textures. It handles photos, anime art, product shots, portraits, and scanned old pictures without desktop editing software.

Most upscalers either resize pixels (which blurs detail) or lock batch work behind expensive subscriptions. Img.Upscaler keeps a free tier at 50 credits per month for single-image upscaling, enhancement, and its Reimagine tool, then adds batch processing at $9.90 per month. Uploaded files and results are deleted within 24 hours, which matters when you are working with client or product imagery you do not want sitting on a server.

Creators, ecommerce sellers, marketers, and photo restorers use Img.Upscaler for web assets, marketplace listings, social posts, and print prep. The site also sells a separate desktop app called Upscal on Microsoft Store and Mac App Store for offline batch work, but web subscriptions and app licenses do not cross over.

Luminar Neo is a desktop photo editor for macOS and Windows that combines one-click AI adjustments with layer-based manual control. Sky replacement, portrait retouching, generative erase and expand, HDR merge, and noise reduction all live in one app, with optional Lightroom Classic and Photoshop plug-in support.

Where subscription editors lock you into monthly fees, Skylum sells Luminar as a perpetual license with 2 device activations. Generative AI tools and the asset library renew annually, but the core app stays yours after a single purchase, which suits photographers who edit in bursts rather than every day.

Landscape shooters, portrait photographers, and hobbyists use Luminar Neo for batch presets, RAW support across 1000+ cameras, and cross-device handoff from mobile to desktop on higher tiers. An AI Assistant suggests edits in 16 languages and opens the right tool when you ask how-to questions.