kitio.aiReal-ESRGAN vs GFPGAN
A side-by-side look at pricing plans, free tiers, features, pros and cons, updated for 2026. Real-ESRGAN starts at Free and GFPGAN starts at Free. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
At a glance
Best for
Pricing model
Starting price
Free plan
Made by
Based in
Rating
Key features
- Photo upscaling models
- Anime upscaling models
- Portable executables
- Python API
- Artifact removal
- Face restoration
- Background upscaling
- Python scripts
- Pretrained models
- Batch processing
| Feature | Real-ESRGAN | GFPGAN |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Open-source AI model for upscaling and restoring real-world images | Open-source model for restoring blurry and old faces in photos |
| Category | Image | Image |
| Pricing model | Free | Free |
| Starting price | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes, fully free | Yes, fully free |
| Made by | Xintao Wang | Tencent ARC Lab |
| Based in | – | China |
| Rating | No ratings yet | No ratings yet |
| Key features |
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Pricing compared
Real-ESRGAN starts at Free and GFPGAN starts at Free. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Free plan
Cheapest paid plan
Top plan
Free trial
Prices in USD, checked Oct 28, 2026 or later. Plans change often, so confirm on each tool's site before you buy.
Pros and cons
Real-ESRGAN
- Free and widely used
- Runs on most GPUs
- Good on compressed images
- Command-line for most uses
- Can look over-smooth
- Not actively developed
GFPGAN
- Strong face repair
- Free and open source
- Widely integrated
- Faces can look too smooth
- May change identity slightly
- Needs Python setup
Which one should you choose?
Choose Real-ESRGAN if you want:
- Free and widely used
- Runs on most GPUs
- Good on compressed images
Watch out: command-line for most uses.
Choose GFPGAN if you want:
- Strong face repair
- Free and open source
- Widely integrated
Watch out: faces can look too smooth.
Real-ESRGAN vs GFPGAN FAQ
What is the difference between Real-ESRGAN and GFPGAN?
Real-ESRGAN: Open-source AI model for upscaling and restoring real-world images. GFPGAN: Open-source model for restoring blurry and old faces in photos. Both are image tools.
Is Real-ESRGAN or GFPGAN cheaper?
Real-ESRGAN starts at Free and GFPGAN starts at Free. Check both pricing pages for current plans.
Do Real-ESRGAN and GFPGAN have free plans?
Real-ESRGAN: Yes, fully free. GFPGAN: Yes, fully free.
Who makes Real-ESRGAN?
Real-ESRGAN is made by Xintao Wang.
Who makes GFPGAN?
GFPGAN is made by Tencent ARC Lab, based in China.
Which should I choose, Real-ESRGAN or GFPGAN?
Choose Real-ESRGAN if you value free and widely used and runs on most gpus. Choose GFPGAN if you value strong face repair and free and open source.