# Topaz Video AI Alternatives 2027: 11 Paid, Free & Open-Source

Source: https://zekaiwork.com/alternatives/topaz-video-ai/
Prices checked: 2026-11-13 (Zekai Price Ledger)

The best Topaz Video AI alternatives in 2027 are HitPaw Video Enhancer (VikPea) (best overall, $124.99/yr), TensorPix (best free plan) and QualityScaler (best open source, MIT). Topaz Video AI itself starts at $299/yr. Zekai checked these prices on vendor pages on 13 Nov 2026; 8 more are compared below, including 3 with a free plan and 2 open source.

| Tool | Type | Starting price | Free plan limit | Licence | Best for | Price checked | Links |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Topaz Video AI (the tool being replaced) | — | $299/yr | No | — | — | 2026-11-13 | [pricing](https://www.topazlabs.com/pricing) |
| HitPaw Video Enhancer (VikPea) | Free plan + paid | $124.99/yr | Free licence previews only; exporting needs a paid plan or credits | — | Editors wanting 8K upscale with perpetual option | 2026-11-13 | [site](https://www.hitpaw.com/video-enhancer.html) [pricing](https://www.hitpaw.com/purchase/buy-hitpaw-vikpea.html) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/hitpaw-video-enhancer/) |
| UniFab | Free | $129.99 one-time | 30-day free trial, full access, no watermark | — | Lifetime-licence 4K to 16K upscaling | 2026-11-13 | [site](https://unifab.ai/video-upscaler-ai.htm) [pricing](https://unifab.ai/video-upscaler-ai.htm) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/unifab/) |
| TensorPix | Free plan + paid | $5.5/mo billed yearly | Free forever: weekly login credits, 720p input, 1 GB storage, files deleted after 30 days | — | Browser video enhancing on a free tier | 2026-11-13 | [site](https://tensorpix.ai) [pricing](https://tensorpix.ai/pricing) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/tensorpix/) |
| VideoProc Converter AI | Free | $89.95 one-time | Free trial download; trial limits not stated on store page | — | Upscaler plus converter in one licence | 2026-11-13 | [site](https://www.videoproc.com/ai-video-enhancer/) [pricing](https://www.videoproc.com/store.htm) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/videoproc-converter-ai/) |
| AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI | Paid | $39.95/mo | No free plan | — | Upscaling with object removal and colour fixes | 2026-11-13 | [site](https://www.avclabs.com/video-enhancer-ai/) [pricing](https://www.avclabs.com/purchase.html) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/avclabs-video-enhancer-ai/) |
| Aiarty Video Enhancer | Paid | $99/yr | No free plan | — | Local upscaling with lifetime licence | 2026-11-13 | [site](https://www.aiarty.com/ai-video-enhancer/) [pricing](https://www.aiarty.com/ai-video-enhancer/buy.htm) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/aiarty-video-enhancer/) |
| DaVinci Resolve Studio | Free | $236 one-time | Free version edits up to 60 fps; Super Scale is Studio-only | — | Editing suite with built-in Super Scale | 2026-11-13 | [site](https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve) [pricing](https://www.blackmagicdesign.com/products/davinciresolve) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/davinci-resolve/) |
| Pixop | Paid | Not checked | No free plan | — | Broadcast-scale managed video enhancement | 2026-11-13 | [site](https://www.pixop.com/) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/pixop/) |
| QualityScaler | Open source | Free (self-hosted) | No limit (self-hosted) | MIT | Free offline Windows video upscaling |  | [code](https://github.com/Djdefrag/QualityScaler) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/ai-tools/qualityscaler/) |
| Video2X | Open source | Free (self-hosted) | No limit (self-hosted) | AGPL-3.0 | Scriptable open-source video upscaling |  | [code](https://github.com/k4yt3x/video2x) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/video2x/) |
| REAL Video Enhancer | Open source | Free (self-hosted) | No limit (self-hosted) | AGPL-3.0 | Open-source upscale and interpolation GUI |  | [code](https://github.com/TNTwise/REAL-Video-Enhancer) [Zekai page](https://zekaiwork.com/free-open-source/real-video-enhancer/) |

## How each alternative compares with Topaz Video AI

- **HitPaw Video Enhancer (VikPea)** (Free plan + paid, $124.99/yr, checked 2026-11-13): VikPea upscales to 8K with 10+ models, adds Seedance 2.5, Kling and VEO 3 video generation, and sells a $437.99 perpetual licence; Topaz Video is subscription-only. Switch if you want a one-off perpetual licence plus colourisation and generative models, and accept credit-based exports. Stay with Topaz Video AI if your pipeline relies on Topaz plugins inside After Effects or DaVinci Resolve and unlimited local rendering of Starlight models.
- **UniFab** (Free, $129.99 one-time, checked 2026-11-13): UniFab upscales to 4K, 8K and 16K with four models (Equinox, Kairo, Vellum, Titanus) on a lifetime licence, plus a FabCloud version for PCs without an RTX GPU. Switch if you would rather pay once for a lifetime licence and need anime or movie-specific upscaling models up to 16K. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you want a mainstream editor plugin workflow and Mac-first support with yearly model updates from a single vendor.
- **TensorPix** (Free plan + paid, $5.5/mo billed yearly, checked 2026-11-13): TensorPix runs in the browser on cloud credits, accepts inputs up to 720p on the free plan and 4K on paid, and offers API access from Premium; Topaz renders locally without credits. Switch if you enhance a few short clips a month, have no GPU, and want to start free in a browser. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you process long footage or batches where unlimited local rendering beats paying per credit.
- **VideoProc Converter AI** (Free, $89.95 one-time, checked 2026-11-13): VideoProc bundles Super Resolution, frame interpolation and stabilisation with a converter, compressor, downloader and screen recorder under one lifetime licence; Topaz Video only enhances. Switch if you also convert, compress and record video and want one lifetime licence instead of a yearly enhancement subscription. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you need Topaz's Starlight and Precision models or its After Effects and DaVinci Resolve plugins for finished-quality restorations.
- **AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI** (Paid, $39.95/mo, checked 2026-11-13): AVCLabs combines upscaling with object removal and colour enhancement and sells a separate $9.95-a-month cloud edition; Topaz Video cloud rendering draws on monthly credits. Switch if you need a month-to-month licence that adds object removal and colour enhancement, with an optional low-cost cloud edition. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you want a flat $299 yearly licence rather than $39.95 every month, and Topaz's plugin integrations.
- **Aiarty Video Enhancer** (Paid, $99/yr, checked 2026-11-13): Aiarty raises video to 4K and up to 120 fps, adds HDR edits, and sells a lifetime licence with free updates on 3 PCs; Topaz stopped selling perpetual licences in September 2025. Switch if you want a lifetime licence covering three PCs with local, private processing and frame-rate boosting to 120 fps. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you want Topaz's larger model library and plugin support in After Effects and DaVinci Resolve.
- **DaVinci Resolve Studio** (Free, $236 one-time, checked 2026-11-13): Resolve Studio includes Super Scale upscaling to 4K and 8K from HD inside a full editor, colour and audio suite for one payment; Topaz Video is an enhancement app that plugs into editors. Switch if you already cut and grade in Resolve and only need occasional HD-to-4K upscaling without another subscription. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you need dedicated denoise, deinterlace, stabilisation and slow-motion models on archival or heavily degraded footage.
- **Pixop** (Paid, Not checked): Pixop FILE is a managed SaaS with a REST API and Pixop Prime is a licensed pipeline with about 600 ms real-time latency, aimed at broadcasters; Topaz is a single-user desktop app. Switch if you run a broadcast or archive library and need API-driven or real-time enhancement under a negotiated contract. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you are an individual or small studio buying a self-serve licence with a published price.
- **QualityScaler** (Open source, Free (self-hosted)): QualityScaler is a Windows-only MIT-licensed app that upscales video and photos offline and auto-selects NVENC, AMF or QSV encoding; Topaz Video also runs on Mac. Switch if you are on Windows, want a free MIT-licensed tool, and can accept fewer models and no editor plugins. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you use a Mac or need Topaz's Starlight models, frame interpolation and plugin support.
- **Video2X** (Open source, Free (self-hosted)): Video2X version 6.4.0 offers a Qt6 GUI with task queue plus command-line batch processing, and bundles RIFE frame-interpolation models; it is AGPL-3.0 where Topaz is closed source. Switch if you want scriptable batch upscaling you can inspect and modify under AGPL-3.0, with no licence fee. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you want a polished model set with denoise, stabilisation and a support team behind it.
- **REAL Video Enhancer** (Open source, Free (self-hosted)): REAL Video Enhancer is an AGPL-3.0 desktop GUI for upscaling and frame interpolation with Flatpak packaging on Linux, and its macOS build is labelled very limited support. Switch if you run Linux, prefer a free open-source GUI for upscaling and interpolation, and can troubleshoot GPU backends yourself. Stay with Topaz Video AI if you need dependable Mac support and vendor-backed models for client work.

## Open-source options in detail

- **QualityScaler** (https://github.com/Djdefrag/QualityScaler): Licence: MIT; Last release: 2026-08-26
- **Video2X** (https://github.com/k4yt3x/video2x): Licence: AGPL-3.0; Last release: 2025-01-24
- **REAL Video Enhancer** (https://github.com/TNTwise/REAL-Video-Enhancer): Licence: AGPL-3.0; Last release: 2026-01-02

## Questions

### What is the best alternative to Topaz Video AI in 2027?
HitPaw Video Enhancer (VikPea) is the best overall Topaz Video AI alternative on this page ($124.99/yr). For no cost, TensorPix has a free plan (Free forever: weekly login credits, 720p input, 1 GB storage, files deleted after 30 days). To self-host, QualityScaler is open source (MIT).

### Is there a free version of Topaz Video AI?
No. Topaz Video AI has no free plan; paid plans start at $299/yr, checked on 13 Nov 2026.

### Is there a 100% free alternative to Topaz Video AI?
Yes. QualityScaler, Video2X, REAL Video Enhancer are open source and free to self-host. HitPaw Video Enhancer (VikPea), UniFab, TensorPix, VideoProc Converter AI, DaVinci Resolve Studio have a free plan with limits, shown in the table.

### What is cheaper than Topaz Video AI?
UniFab starts at $129.99 one-time, against $299/yr for Topaz Video AI, as listed on each vendor's pricing page on 13 Nov 2026.

### How much do Topaz Video AI alternatives cost for a team of 5?
If each of 5 people buys the entry paid plan, at the prices Zekai checked on 13 Nov 2026, the monthly cost is TensorPix $27.50/mo, Aiarty Video Enhancer $41.25/mo, HitPaw Video Enhancer (VikPea) $52.10/mo, against Topaz Video AI $124.60/mo for Topaz Video AI. Team and business plans can cost more per seat. The Zekai Cost Finder on this page recalculates for any team size.

### Which is better, HitPaw Video Enhancer (VikPea) or Topaz Video AI?
VikPea upscales to 8K with 10+ models, adds Seedance 2.5, Kling and VEO 3 video generation, and sells a $437.99 perpetual licence; Topaz Video is subscription-only. Choose HitPaw Video Enhancer (VikPea) if you want a one-off perpetual licence plus colourisation and generative models, and accept credit-based exports. Stay with Topaz Video AI if your pipeline relies on Topaz plugins inside After Effects or DaVinci Resolve and unlimited local rendering of Starlight models.

### Why are people leaving Topaz Video AI?
The documented reasons are: Topaz CEO announced Topaz Studio on 17 September 2025 and stated that perpetual licences would no longer be available for its products, moving new buyers to subscriptions (17 Sep 2025); Topaz's pricing page says Personal licences cover personal use and commercial use for organisations under $1M annual revenue; larger organisations need Topaz Video Pro at $699 a year (13 Nov 2026). Each is sourced in the section above.

## Related on Zekai

- [VideoProc Converter AI alternatives](https://zekaiwork.com/alternatives/videoproc-converter-ai/)
- [Let's Enhance alternatives](https://zekaiwork.com/alternatives/lets-enhance/)
- [Magnific alternatives](https://zekaiwork.com/alternatives/magnific/)
- [Remini alternatives](https://zekaiwork.com/alternatives/remini/)
- [Upscayl alternatives](https://zekaiwork.com/alternatives/upscayl/)
- [AI for Video Editing & Production](https://zekaiwork.com/professions/ai-video-editing-production-tools/)

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Live table, team cost finder and price alerts: https://zekaiwork.com/alternatives/topaz-video-ai/