Upsampler (our product) publishes an image upscaling API on all plans. As listed on 14 Nov 2026: pay as you go at $0.04 per credit, or Pro at $15 a month with 1,000 credits; image upscales cost 0.25–1 credit per output megapixel; paid tools accept inputs up to 100 MP. Confirm current figures on the vendor page before you integrate.
When an API is the right tool
- A catalogue, a print pipeline or a user-upload feature has to enlarge many files with the same settings.
- You need a programmable choice between a faithful model (product shots, documents, portraits) and a creative one (concept art).
- You have already tested those settings on real images, ideally blind, for example with the A/B tool.
If you are still exploring, use a free no-sign-up upscaler and, if you need cleanup first, a browser image editor. Automate only once the output looks right.
What to check before you integrate
- Which models are exposed. A single “enhance” endpoint is less useful than named faithful and creative models you can pin in production.
- How billing is metered. Per image, per megapixel, or per credit — and whether input or output size is the unit. Upsampler’s public figures (0.25–1 credit per output megapixel) make cost predictable once you know the target size.
- Input and output limits. A 100 MP cap, for example, is enough for most editorial work and will still bite a huge scan. Read the limit before you promise a client a poster file.
- Colour and format. Whether the API returns sRGB PNG/JPEG only, or can preserve a wider pipeline. For print, you may still need a local colour-managed step afterwards; see the print guide.
- Idempotency and retries. Upscaling is slow compared with a typical JSON API. Plan for job-style requests, not a tight synchronous loop, unless the vendor documents otherwise.
- Privacy. Images leave your network. Check retention, region, and whether you can process sensitive files at all. If you cannot, a local open-source model (Upscayl, or a self-hosted ESRGAN variant) may be the better API to wrap.
The model families behind those endpoints are covered in ESRGAN vs diffusion upscalers. Dated product prices, including Magnific’s public list, sit on the pricing page.
FAQ
Do I need a special plan for an upscaling API?
Not always. Upsampler (our product) documents a public API on all plans, including pay as you go at $0.04 per credit and Pro at $15 a month. Other vendors sometimes reserve the API for higher tiers. Read the vendor’s API page rather than assuming the consumer plan includes it.
Is an API a substitute for a free browser upscaler?
No. The browser tool is for trying a model on one image. An API is for repeating a known setting on many images, or folding the step into an app. Test the look first, then automate.
What should I send the API?
The finished image: cropped, cleaned, already relit if you are relighting. Sending a raw camera file and hoping the API will also do editorial work usually wastes credits and produces inconsistent catalogues.