Top 9 Waifu2x Alternatives in 2024 (Free & Paid)

Summary: This blog covers the top 9 Waifu2x alternatives to help you enlarge anime image without quality loss, including Fotor, Bigjpg, AI image enlarger, Gigapixel AI, VanceAI, etc.

If you are a fan of Japanese anime characters and need high-resolution anime pics for fan-made wallpapers, websites, or other fan projects. You must try Waifu2x, it can help to enlarge anime images while maintaining high quality and small details. Also, there are many other alternatives to Waifu2x that can help you get top-notch anime pics.

In this blog, we’ll explore the top 9 free & paid Waifu2x alternatives to help you enhance blurry anime pics with the best quality. Now, read this article and see how to get a clear and high-quality anime pic with ease.

What Is Waifu2x?

Waifu2x is an open-source image upscaling and noise reduction software tool that uses deep learning algorithms to enhance the quality of images. It was specially designed for improving the quality of anime-style artwork, but it can also be used for other types of images. "Waifu" is slang in anime and manga culture, referring to a fictional character (usually female) that someone has a strong affection for. 2x refers to two-times magnification.

9 Best Waifu2x Alternatives to Upscale Anime Images

1. Fotor

Fotor is a powerful photo editor and packed with an array of basic editing, design, and AI-driven tools. Powered by advanced AI technology, Fotor's AI image upscaler tool can turn your blurred anime pics into high-quality anime artwork with just one tap. Plus, Fotor provides a lot more AI tools and options, allowing you to perfect your anime pics to fit your liking and needs.

Pros:

• Free to Use: No credits needed, you can enlarge an image for free.

• AI upscale image: our AI will automatically detect your image and enhance its quality.

• Fast processing: Your blurry anime image can be converted to high-quality artwork just in seconds.

• Handle all types of images: Fotor can upscale the quality of any type of images, including landscapes, portraits, logos, anime, digital art, etc.

• High-quality result: Fotor allows you to convert small photos to HD, 4k, 8k, and higher resolution pics.

• Powerful AI-driven tools: Perfect your anime pic and create stunning designs with other AI tools.

• Upscale Image Online: No installing software, Just open any browser and enlarge images online.

Cons:

• A stable Internet connection is needed during the image upscaling process

Pricing: Freemium

Now, you can upgrade to Fotor's pro/pro+ members with 20% off!

Fotor Pro Monthly Plan: $7.19/month | Yearly Plan: $2.66/month

Fotor Pro+ Monthly Plan: $15.99/month | Yearly Plan: $5.99/month

2. Bigjpg

Bigjpg is a great alternative to Waifu2x if you need to enlarge anime pics and other regular images. It uses the latest Deep Convolutional Neural Networks and can intelligently reduce noise and serration in images. This allows the images to be enlarged without losing quality.

Pros:

• Advanced AI technology: enlarge your blurry anime pic with the best quality

• Supports two types of generating images: You can choose to convert your anime pic to artwork or regular photo.

• 4 image upscaling types: You can choose to 2x,4x,8x, and even 16x magnify your images.

• Noise reduction available to choose: It has 5 types of noise reduction: none, low, medium, high, and highest.

• Supports batch image upscaling

Cons:

• The free version only supports 2x and 4x image upscaling

• The processing time is too long in the free version

Pricing: Freemium

Basic: $6 for two months

Standard: $12 for 6 months

Premium: $22 for 12 months

3. AI Image Enlarger

AI Image Enlarger is also one of the best alternative to waifu2x. It uses the latest AI upscaling technology to help users produce high-quality anime wallpaper by upscaling small or low-quality pictures. And also it can enhance the details and texture of your images by optimizing the colors and lighting.

Pros:

• AI upscale image

• enlarge an image up to 800%

• supports batch image upscaling

Cons:

• You must sign up for a free account and verify it to use this feature

Pricing: Freemium

Starter plan: $4.9/ month

Premium plan: $9.9/ month

Advanced plan: $19/ month

4. Gigapixel AI

Gigapixel AI helps to increase image resolution in a natural way. Instead of just increasing pixels, it can also increase resolution on a wide variety of different types of images (portraits, wildlife, landscapes, architecture, etc).

Pros:

•Intuitive interface: You can adjust the noise reduction of your image by moving the slider

• Multiple image upscaling selection: it provides 0.5x, 2x, 4x, 6x and more options to enlarge an image

Cons:

• It has no web version, you must install it on your computer

• The trial version has a watermark on the image

Pricing: Paid

$99/year, but it also provides a free trial

5. AVClabs Photo Enhancer AI

AVClabs Photo Enhancer AI is a great alternative to Waifu2x. It Enhances and improves image quality with Artificial Intelligence, giving you access to all-in-one AI-powered photo tools like AI image enhancer, upscaler, denoiser, and colorizer to meet all your image editing needs.

Pros:

• Enlarge images up to 4x automatically

• Supports all types of images: anime, portrait, wildlife, product, and wedding.

• Provides rich image enhancement features

• Batch image processing is supported

Cons:

• Has no online version, you must download it on your computer to use this feature

• The watermark on the image is too large

Pricing: Paid

1-month Plan: $19.95

Perpetual Plan: $99.99

1-year Plan: $59.95

6. VanceAI

If you are looking for a Waifu2x alternative, VanceAI is a must-try. It allows you to upscale the image size while improving its quality. Ans it uses more complex algorithms provided by Waifu2x, allowing you to enlarge an anime pic up to 8x and even 16x.

Pros:

• Fast and automatic processing with AI

• Multiple anime-based tools to perfect your anime artwork

• Improve the image quality up to 4K

• It has an AI mode for anime pics

Cons:

• The free version can only process two images

• The web version doesn’t support batch processing

• The free version may take a longer time to enlarge an image

Pricing: Paid

100 Credits: starting at $4.95(1 image=1 credit)

200 credits: starting at $7.95

500 credits: starting at $12.95

1000 credits: starting at $17.95

7. Let’s Enhance

Let’s Enhance is another powerful image upscaling tool that can process all types of images, unlike Waifu2x, which can only handle anime pics. It uses Super Resolution technology based on Deep Convolutional Neural Networks along with other machine learning techs. It can scale up an image up to 16x with the best result.

Pros:

• Each customer can get 10 credits for free

• Customizable upscaling up to 16x

• Upscale images in bulk

• It offers a Smart Enhance option to enhance the image with the best quality

Cons:

• Only paid customers can choose 4x, 8x, and 16x upscaling the image

• The processing time is too long

• A big watermark in the free version

Pricing: Freemium

100 credits: $9/month

300 credits: $24.month

500 credits: $34/month

8. Upscalepics

Upscalepics is one of the best alternatives to Waifu2x. It can automatically increase resolution with AI image processing. Plus, it allows you to upscale, denoise, and compress an unlimited number of images.

Pros:

• Increase resolution by scaling up to 8x

• Remove JPEG compression artifacts with AI

• Customizable compress output quality

• Upscale image online

Cons:

• The free trial version can only upscale 5 single images

• Long processing time

Pricing: Paid

Monthly Plan: $5/month

Annually Plan: $3/month

9. Smart Upscaler

Smart Upscaler is an ideal Waifu2x alternative. It upscales image automatically with AI and without losing quality. And it works for batches of images, helping you save time and energy.

Pros:

• Process up to 500 images at once

• Convenient Service: process images online

• Other advanced AI-driven tools

Cons:

• Free customers can only upscale 2 images

• Annoying watermark in the free version

Pricing: Freemium

Prepaid package: $0.2 per image

Limited subscription: $9/month

Unlimited subscription: $99/month

Final Words

In the content above, we listed the top 9 Waifu2x alternatives along with their pros, cons, and pricing. If you happen to have some low-resolution images, illustrations, or anime images that need to upscale and enhance. You can read this article and choose the one that best fits your needs.

Also, a wide range of powerful AI tools can help to perfect your anime artwork. Look no further, give the blurry anime pics a newly fresh makeover now!