Remacri
- Skin, foliage, fabric and fine texture
- Portrait
UPSCAYL MODEL COMPARISON GUIDE
How to Choose the Best Upscayl Model for Your Image
The best model depends on what is inside the image—not which preview looks sharpest.
A natural photograph, anime illustration, product image and old family photo contain different edges and textures. Use controlled testing to choose a believable result.
Model names, availability and licences can change. Verify the current release and model terms before production or commercial use.
SAME SOURCE, DIFFERENT PRIORITIES
Compare model starting points visually
Switch between representative image types. These examples explain what to inspect; they are not benchmark claims.
PHOTO STARTING POINT
High Fidelity or Standard
Inspect skin, hair, foliage, fabric and repeated background texture before approving the result.
VIDEO TUTORIAL
See a controlled model comparison
Use one source, identical scale and export settings, then compare matched crops and reject outputs with inaccurate detail.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
The Short Answer: Start with the Image Type
Use this table when you need a quick starting point.
- Image type
- Suggested starting model
- Alternative to test
- Inspect carefully
- Natural photograph
- High Fidelity or Standard
High Fidelity
- Standard or Remacri
- Eyes, teeth, hair and facial identity
- Landscape
High Fidelity
- Remacri or Ultramix Balanced
- Trees, grass, rocks and distant detail
- Old photograph
- Remacri or High Fidelity
- Standard
- Faces, film grain and damaged areas
- Ecommerce product
- Standard or High Fidelity
Remacri
- Logos, labels, seams and straight edges
- Anime image
Digital Art
- A compatible illustration model
- Line weight, eyes and flat-color borders
- Digital illustration
Digital Art
High Fidelity
- Gradients, outlines and intentional texture
- AI-generated artwork
- Digital Art or High Fidelity
Remacri
- Repeated patterns, hands and fine decoration
- Screenshot
- Standard with conservative scaling
High Fidelity
- Text, icons and one-pixel lines
- Compressed JPEG
Remacri
- Standard
- Blocking, halos and invented texture
- Architecture
High Fidelity
Ultrasharp
- Windows, railings, brick and straight lines
- Social media image
- Standard
- Lite
- Faces, text overlays and compression artifacts
These are starting points, not guaranteed winners. Test at least two models on important images.
If the result must be used commercially, verify the current license attached to the selected model. Do not assume that every model bundled with an open-source application has identical commercial-use terms.
View Side-by-Side Examples →MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
What Is an Upscayl Model?
An Upscayl model is a trained image-processing system that estimates how a larger version of a low-resolution image could look.
Each model has learned different visual patterns. That affects how it interprets:
Edges
- Fine textures
- Skin
- Hair
- Foliage
- Illustration lines
- Noise
- Compression artifacts
- Repeated patterns
- Small objects
The model does not retrieve a hidden high-resolution original. It predicts plausible additional pixels from the information available in the source.
That distinction matters. A visually impressive result can contain details that were not present in the original scene.
Model choice affects appearance—not only resolution
Two models can produce files with identical pixel dimensions but visibly different results.
One may:
- Preserve smooth skin
- Produce restrained edges
- Keep photographic grain
- Avoid false texture
Another may:
- Add stronger microcontrast
- Sharpen boundaries
- Simplify noise
- Create more dramatic surface detail
Neither is automatically better. The correct choice depends on whether the result remains useful and believable at its final display size.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
Upscayl Model Comparison at a Glance
The following guidance describes practical starting uses. Exact model availability and labels may change between Upscayl releases.
- Model
- Sensible starting use
- General visual tendency
- Main risk to inspect
- License note
Upscayl Standard
- Mixed everyday images
- General-purpose balance
- May not be ideal for specialized artwork
- Check current app
Upscayl Lite
- Faster preliminary tests
- Lighter general processing
- May preserve less fine detail
- Check current app
High Fidelity
- Natural photos and realistic imagery
- Realistic detail with smoother texture
- Faces and repeated texture can still be estimated incorrectly
- Check current app
Remacri
- Photos, old images and compressed sources
- Balanced cleanup and definition
- Fine texture may change
- Check current source
Ultramix Balanced
- Natural images needing detail and sharpness
- Balance between texture and edge definition
- Can make some surfaces look processed
- Currently presented as noncommercial in the model list
Ultrasharp
- Architecture and edge-heavy images
- Stronger edge definition
- Halos, brittle texture and oversharpening
- Currently presented as noncommercial in the model list
Digital Art
- Anime, illustration and digital artwork
- Cleaner lines and graphic shapes
- Can make photography look painted
- Check current app
Do not publish these tendencies as benchmark results. Add real, controlled examples from the current application version before making performance claims.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
How Each Upscayl Model Handles Images
Upscayl Standard
Upscayl Standard is a practical first test for mixed images when no specialized model is an obvious fit.
It can be useful for:
- General web images
- Social media graphics
- Everyday photographs
- Simple product images
- Presentation assets
- Images containing both photographic and graphic elements
Use Standard as a baseline. Process the source with Standard first, then compare it with one specialized model.
- What to inspect
Check whether:
- Skin remains natural
- Text retains its shape
- Fine lines remain continuous
- Texture has not become waxy
- JPEG artifacts have been exaggerated
Standard may be the best option when a specialized model produces a more dramatic but less believable result.
Upscayl Lite
Upscayl Lite can be treated as a lighter starting option for preliminary tests or images that do not require aggressive reconstruction.
It may suit:
- Early workflow previews
- Moderate enlargements
- Simple web graphics
- Images that already contain acceptable detail
- Larger batches where a restrained result is sufficient
A model named “Lite” should not be assumed to be inferior. A lighter treatment can preserve an image more naturally when stronger reconstruction is unnecessary.
- What to inspect
Compare Lite with Standard for:
- Processing time
- Edge definition
- Small texture
- Compression artifacts
- Final file usefulness
Record actual processing time on your own hardware rather than publishing a universal speed claim.
High Fidelity
High Fidelity is a strong starting candidate for natural photography and other realistic imagery. Upscayl identifies HFA2k as the model included under this name.
Consider it for:
- Portraits
- Landscapes
- Travel photography
- Product photographs
- Animals
- Realistic AI-generated images
- Images where smooth texture matters
The name does not mean that every generated detail is historically or photographically accurate. It remains an AI reconstruction.
- What to inspect
Pay particular attention to:
- Eyes and eyelashes
- Teeth
- Hair strands
- Skin pores
- Grass and leaves
- Fur
- Fabric weave
- Repeated background objects
If the output looks cleaner but subtly changes facial identity or material texture, compare it with Standard or Remacri.
Remacri
Remacri is a useful comparison model for photographs, old images, and sources containing compression or mixed texture.
Consider testing it for:
- Scanned photographs
- Older digital camera images
- Compressed JPEG files
- Product photography
- Landscapes
- Images with moderate noise
Remacri may produce a balanced result where an edge-focused model looks too sharp.
- What to inspect
Check:
- Whether natural grain has been removed
- Whether skin has become too smooth
- Whether foliage has developed repeating patterns
- Whether JPEG blocks have turned into false texture
- Whether small facial features remain consistent
For old photos, remember that upscaling is only one part of restoration. Scratches, stains, tears, fading, and missing regions may require separate manual work.
Ultramix Balanced
Ultramix Balanced is intended to balance detail and sharpness in natural imagery.
Potential uses include:
- Landscapes
- Architecture
- Detailed objects
- Textured clothing
- Nature photography
- Realistic artwork
Its stronger definition may help an image feel clearer at a larger size. It can also make certain textures appear more processed.
- What to inspect
Review:
- Grass and tree branches
- Brick and stone
- Hair
- Fabric
- Fine repeating patterns
- High-contrast edges
- Halos around objects
The current Upscayl model list identifies Ultramix as noncommercial. Verify its current license before using it in paid work, client projects, advertising, ecommerce, or other commercial contexts.
Ultrasharp
Ultrasharp emphasizes edge definition and visible sharpness.
It may be useful for:
- Architecture
- Vehicles
- Machinery
- Hard-surface objects
- Graphic compositions
- Images with strong geometric boundaries
It is not automatically the best model for soft portraits, delicate film photographs, or images with heavy existing sharpening.
- What to inspect
Look for:
- White or dark edge halos
- Overdefined skin
- Brittle hair
- Crunchy foliage
- Jagged diagonals
- Artificial outlines
- Exaggerated JPEG ringing
Evaluate the image at its actual delivery size. An output that looks impressive at 200% zoom may look unnatural in a website layout or print.
The current model list identifies Ultrasharp as noncommercial. Confirm the applicable license before commercial use.
Digital Art
Digital Art is the logical starting point for images built from illustration lines, flat colors, and synthetic shapes.
Use it for:
- Anime artwork
- Manga-style images
- Digital illustrations
- Character art
- Game assets
- Clean concept art
- Graphic posters without critical small text
- Some AI-generated artwork
It may preserve graphic boundaries more effectively than a photography-oriented model.
- What to inspect
Check:
- Line thickness
- Eye and facial outlines
- Flat-color borders
- Gradient banding
- Screen tones
- Decorative patterns
- Small text
- Transparent or semi-transparent edges
Do not use Digital Art automatically for every AI-generated image. Photorealistic AI artwork may respond better to High Fidelity, Standard, or Remacri.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
Best Upscayl Model by Image Type
For natural photography
Start with High Fidelity and compare it with Standard or Remacri.
Natural photography contains irregular, subtle texture. The goal is usually to improve usable resolution without turning skin, foliage, stone, or clouds into synthetic patterns.
- Recommended test areas
- A face
- Hair against the background
- Fine fabric
- Distant foliage
- A high-contrast edge
- A shadow containing noise
For portraits
Begin with High Fidelity, then compare Standard or Remacri.
Choose the result that preserves identity—not the result with the strongest skin texture.
Inspect both eyes independently. AI systems can create small differences between them, especially when the original face occupies few pixels.
If face enhancement is available, compare:
- Upscaling without face enhancement
- Upscaling with face enhancement
- The original at the same display size
Do not assume the enhanced face is more accurate.
For old photographs
Start with Remacri or High Fidelity.
Old photographs may contain grain, fading, scratches, dust, blur, or scanning artifacts. A model can interpret those defects as texture.
Use a conservative sequence:
Scan the original at a suitable resolution.
Preserve an untouched master.
Correct basic exposure and color carefully.
Test two upscaling models.
Inspect faces and clothing.
Complete manual restoration separately.
For ecommerce product images
Start with Standard or High Fidelity. Compare Remacri when the source has compression artifacts.
Product accuracy is more important than dramatic detail.
Inspect:
- Logos
- Labels
- Serial numbers
- Seams
- Surface finishes
- Product colors
- Package edges
- Included accessories
Do not publish an output that invents texture or changes a material’s appearance.
For anime and illustration
Start with Digital Art.
Compare another model only when the artwork contains painted texture, realistic lighting, or photographic elements.
Inspect:
- Line continuity
- Character eyes
- Hair outlines
- Flat-color edges
- Screen tones
- Gradient transitions
- Small accessories
- Transparent boundaries
For AI-generated artwork
Choose the starting model based on the visual style:
Digital Art for graphic or illustrated images.
High Fidelity for realistic imagery.
Remacri for mixed or compressed outputs.
Standard when the image combines several styles.
Upscaling can strengthen existing AI defects. Inspect hands, eyes, jewelry, typography, and repeated decoration before approving the result.
For architecture
Begin with High Fidelity or Standard. Test Ultrasharp only when stronger edge definition is useful and the intended use complies with its license.
Inspect:
- Window grids
- Railings
- Brick
- Roof tiles
- Repeating columns
- Signs
- Power lines
- Diagonal edges
Architecture makes small geometric distortions easier to notice than organic photography.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
How to Run a Fair Upscayl Model Comparison
A useful Upscayl model comparison changes only one variable: the model.
Step 1: Select one representative source
Use an image containing the details that matter for your intended workflow.
A photography test might include:
- A face
- Fabric
- Hair
- Foliage
- Architecture
- Small text
An illustration test might include:
- Thin and thick lines
- Flat colors
Gradients
- Eyes
- Decorative patterns
- Transparent edges
Step 2: Record the source information
Document:
- Source filename
- Original dimensions
- File format
- File size
- Whether the image was previously compressed
- Source or creator
- Permission to publish the image
Step 3: Keep all settings identical
Use the same:
- Source file
- Upscayl version
- Computer and GPU
- Scale
- Output format
- Compression setting
- tile setting
- post-processing
- comparison crop
Change only the model.
Step 4: Process every relevant model
Do not process every available model when the image type makes some choices irrelevant.
For example:
Compare High Fidelity, Standard, and Remacri for a portrait.
Compare Digital Art and one realistic model for an illustration.
Compare Standard, High Fidelity, and an edge-focused model for architecture.
Step 5: Compare matched crops
Create identical crops from every output.
Useful crops include:
- Face
- Texture
- Edge
- Text
- Difficult background
- Area containing an existing defect
Show the original beside every crop.
Step 6: Review at working size
Inspect at:
- Matched display size
- 100% output zoom
- Intended web dimensions
- Intended print dimensions
Pixel-level sharpness is only one part of quality. The image must remain believable at its final size.
Step 7: Record both strengths and weaknesses
Use a test table like this:
- Model
- Best characteristic
- Visible weakness
- Processing time
Suitable for final use?
- Standard
- Add tested observation
- Add tested limitation
- Add measurement
- Yes/No
High Fidelity
- Add tested observation
- Add tested limitation
- Add measurement
- Yes/No
Remacri
- Add tested observation
- Add tested limitation
- Add measurement
- Yes/No
Do not fill this table with estimated data. Publish results only after testing the named version and hardware.
View Model Examples →MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
What to Inspect in Every Output
Faces
Look for changed identity, uneven eyes, unnatural teeth, plastic skin, altered glasses, or duplicated facial details.
Fine texture
Review hair, fur, fabric, grass, stone, and wood. Watch for repeated patterns and texture that appears painted onto the surface.
Edges
Inspect high-contrast boundaries for halos, jagged contours, doubled edges, and artificial outlines.
Text and logos
AI upscaling is not a dependable method for reconstructing unreadable text. Verify every letter, number, product label, and logo manually.
Gradients
Check skies, shadows, illustrations, and studio backgrounds for banding or abrupt color changes.
Existing defects
A model may magnify compression, noise, blur, dust, and previous sharpening. Compare every suspicious area with the source.
Color
Check product colors, skin tones, neutral grays, and saturated areas. A sharper result is not acceptable if it changes important colors.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
Model Choice vs. Upscaling Scale
The model and enlargement scale solve different parts of the task.
The model affects how new pixels are estimated.
The scale determines the output dimensions.
The export settings affect compression and file size.
The source limits the reliable detail available.
A 4× model does not mean every image should be delivered at four times its original width and height.
Start with the smallest output that meets the final requirement.
When 2× may be enough
Use a moderate enlargement for:
- Website images
- Presentation slides
- Small prints
- Social media
- Moderate cropping
When 4× may be useful
A larger enlargement can help with:
- Larger prints
- Detailed digital artwork
- Significant cropping
- High-resolution display assets
Be careful with Double Upscayl
Running a second enlargement creates a much larger file and another reconstruction pass. It may strengthen both useful detail and unwanted artifacts.
Compare:
- A single upscale
- A repeated upscale
- The final image reduced to its delivery dimensions
Choose the simplest workflow that produces a usable result.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
Built-In Upscayl Models vs. Custom Models
Upscayl supports additional compatible models, but custom models should be treated as an advanced option.
Consider one when:
Built-in models consistently fail on a recurring image type.
You have a specialized anime, texture, restoration, or photography workflow.
The model format is compatible with Upscayl’s backend.
Its license permits your intended use.
You can test the model on representative files.
Before installing a custom model, verify:
- Model source
- Creator
- Version
- License
- Commercial-use permission
- Required scale
- Architecture
- Upscayl compatibility
- Known limitations
- File integrity
Do not download model files from an unknown source simply because an example looks impressive.
Custom model quality should be tested independently
A custom model can produce stronger results on one curated example and worse results on everyday images.
Test it using:
- Several image types
- Difficult details
- Weak source images
- Known faces
- Accurate product colors
Text and logos
- Large files
- Batch processing
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
Desktop Models vs. Cloud Models
Upscayl Desktop and Upscayl Cloud are separate workflows.
- Requirement
- Desktop
- Cloud
- Processing location
- Local computer
- Cloud infrastructure
- Installation
- Required
- Browser-based
- Hardware dependence
- Requires compatible local graphics environment
- Processing is handled remotely
- Built-in model set
- Models included with the installed release
- Current Cloud model catalog
- Custom models
- Compatible custom models may be added
- Depends on current Cloud features
- Offline use
- Available after setup
- No
- Privacy approach
- Source can remain on the local computer
- Image must be uploaded
- Pricing
- Desktop application is free and open source
- Current Cloud pricing and credits apply
- Best use
- Local, repeatable processing
- Browser access and remote processing
Cloud currently advertises additional models and higher-scale options, but model availability can change. Check the live interface before naming a Cloud model in permanent page copy.
Compare Desktop and Cloud →MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
Common Model-Selection Mistakes
Choosing the sharpest output automatically
Strong sharpness can hide halos, false texture, and changed facial features.
Choose the most useful and believable result.
Testing different settings at the same time
If the model, scale, compression, and sharpening all change, you cannot tell which setting caused the difference.
Change one variable at a time.
Comparing different image crops
Every model must be evaluated using the same area at the same display size.
Testing only a clean example
Include difficult images with faces, foliage, text, compression, and fine lines.
Assuming one model works for an entire mixed folder
Separate photographs, illustrations, screenshots, and products before batch processing.
Ignoring model licensing
Open-source software can bundle or support models with different licenses. Verify each model’s terms before commercial use.
Treating invented detail as recovered detail
AI-generated texture can look convincing without being accurate.
This is especially important for:
- Archival photographs
Faces
- Medical or scientific imagery
- Evidence
- Product listings
- Documents
- Historical records
Publishing only successful examples
A useful comparison should include at least one weak output and explain why it was rejected.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
Why Use Upscayl for Model Comparison?
Upscayl makes it possible to process the same source with several model types using a consistent desktop workflow.
Its main advantages include:
- Free, open-source desktop software
- Local image processing
- Windows, macOS, and Linux support
- Multiple built-in models
- Compatible custom models
- Batch processing
- Repeatable output settings
- A separate Cloud option
The model selector is valuable because there is no universal model for every image. The best result comes from controlled testing and careful review.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best Upscayl model?
There is no universal best Upscayl model. High Fidelity is a sensible starting point for realistic images, Digital Art for illustrations, and Standard or Remacri for general and mixed photographic sources. Test at least two relevant models.
What is the best Upscayl model for photos?
Start with High Fidelity. Compare it with Standard or Remacri, particularly when the source contains compression, older photographic texture, or mixed detail.
What is the best model for portraits?
High Fidelity is a reasonable first test, but the winning output should be the one that best preserves identity. Inspect eyes, teeth, hair, skin, glasses, and facial contours.
What is the best model for anime?
Start with Digital Art. It is designed for illustration-like content and clean graphic boundaries. Compare it with another compatible art model if the image contains painted texture.
Which model should I use for old photos?
Test Remacri and High Fidelity. Old photographs vary greatly, so review facial identity, film grain, clothing, and damaged areas closely.
Is Ultrasharp always the clearest model?
It may produce stronger edge definition, but stronger sharpness can introduce halos and artificial texture. It is not automatically the best choice for portraits or soft photography.
Can I use Ultrasharp commercially?
The current Upscayl model list presents Ultrasharp as noncommercial. Verify the current license and model information before using it for client, ecommerce, advertising, or other commercial work.
Can I use Ultramix Balanced commercially?
The current model list also presents Ultramix as noncommercial. Confirm the terms applying to the exact model version before commercial use.
Does Upscayl recover real missing detail?
No model can guarantee recovery of detail that was absent from the source. Upscayl’s documentation explains that its models estimate what additional details could look like.
Can an Upscayl model fix an out-of-focus image?
Upscayl states that it is not intended to perform focus adjustment or fully deblur severely blurred images. A model may improve the appearance of some edges without correcting the underlying focus problem.
Why do two models produce different colors or textures?
Models are trained on different image characteristics and may reconstruct surfaces differently. Export settings and source color information can also affect the result.
Should I use PNG or JPEG for model testing?
Use the same output format and compression setting for every comparison. A high-quality or lossless format can make model differences easier to evaluate.
Should I use 2× or 4× for model testing?
Use the same scale for every model. Start with the smallest enlargement that meets your goal. Excessive scaling can make model artifacts more visible.
Can I install custom models in Upscayl?
Upscayl supports compatible custom models. Confirm the required architecture, files, scale, application compatibility, and license before installation.
Do Upscayl Desktop and Cloud have the same models?
Not necessarily. Desktop models are included with the installed application release, while Cloud maintains its own model catalog and features.
Does the fastest model produce lower quality?
Not automatically. Speed and visual suitability are separate questions. Measure processing time and inspect output quality using the same source and hardware.
MODEL SELECTION GUIDE
Compare the Models on Your Own Image
Start with one representative image and two models suited to its content.
Keep the scale, output format, hardware, and source file unchanged. Compare the same face, texture, edge, and text crop before choosing the final output.
The right model is not the one with the most dramatic preview. It is the one that creates the most useful result without introducing distracting or inaccurate detail.
View Model Examples →Download Upscayl Desktop →Learn How to Upscale an Image →TEST TWO RELEVANT MODELS
Compare the models on your own image
Keep the source, scale, format and hardware unchanged. Select the model that produces the most useful and believable output—not the most dramatic preview.