Upscale any image to 4x resolution using Real-ESRGAN. AI-powered super resolution in 3.3 seconds for $0.003/image. Sharp, detailed output — not blurry interpolation.
import requests
with open("low_res.jpg", "rb") as f:
response = requests.post("https://api.pixelapi.dev/v1/upscale",
headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"},
files={"image": f}
)
with open("upscaled_4x.png", "wb") as f:
f.write(response.content)
print("Image upscaled to 4x resolution!")// JavaScript / Node.js
const fs = require("fs");
const FormData = require("form-data");
const form = new FormData();
form.append("image", fs.createReadStream("low_res.jpg"));
const response = await fetch("https://api.pixelapi.dev/v1/upscale", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY",
...form.getHeaders()
},
body: form
});
const buffer = Buffer.from(await response.arrayBuffer());
fs.writeFileSync("upscaled_4x.png", buffer);Real-ESRGAN generates new detail — sharp textures, clean edges, and realistic features. Not blurry bicubic stretching.
GPU-accelerated processing on dedicated NVIDIA RTX hardware. Fast enough for real-time workflows.
3 credits per upscale. Process 3,000 images for just $10. Dramatically cheaper than manual editing.
4x in each dimension means 16x total pixels. Turn thumbnails into print-quality images.
Generate with SDXL/FLUX → upscale 4x → face restore. Build pipelines with PixelAPI's model suite.
100 free credits on signup. Try it on your images before committing to a plan.
| Provider | Price / Upscale | Speed | Model | Max Scale |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PixelAPI | $0.003 | ~3.3s | Real-ESRGAN | 4x |
| Replicate | $0.01+ | ~5s | Real-ESRGAN | 4x |
| Let's Enhance | $0.20+ | ~10s | Proprietary | 16x |
| Topaz Gigapixel | $99 license | ~30s | Proprietary | 6x |
| Self-hosted | GPU rental | Variable | Any | Any |
4x upscaling increases image resolution by 4 times in each dimension. A 512×512 image becomes 2048×2048 (16x total pixels). Real-ESRGAN uses AI to add realistic detail rather than blurry interpolation.
PixelAPI charges 3 credits ($0.003) per upscale. You get 100 free credits on signup — 33 free upscales. Paid plans start at $10/month.
Real-ESRGAN is a state-of-the-art AI super-resolution model that upscales images while adding realistic detail. Unlike traditional bicubic upscaling, it generates sharp textures and edges using deep learning.
You can upload images of any size. The API outputs an image at 4x the input resolution. For very large inputs, processing may take slightly longer. Recommended input: up to 1024×1024.
Yes! A common workflow: generate with SDXL → upscale 4x with Real-ESRGAN → face restore with GFPGAN. Each step costs separate credits but gives publication-quality output.