Overall Winner
Crystal Upscaler
beats Waifu2x by 3 points
Waifu2x 39/100
Crystal Upscaler 🏆 42/100
Waifu2x
Free
VS
Crystal Upscaler
From $2/mo
The verdict
Crystal Upscaler scores 42/100 against Waifu2x's 39/100. Compare the full breakdown of scores, features, pricing, and user reviews below.
Score breakdown
Dimension
Waifu2x
Crystal Upscaler
Price & Value
★★★★★
★★★★★
Features
★★☆☆☆
★★★★☆ wins
Ease of Use
★★★☆☆
★★★☆☆
Reviews
★★☆☆☆
★★☆☆☆
Each dimension rated 1–5. Higher is better across all four.
What users say
Waifu2x
"Free open-source upscaler that works, but technology has moved on"
Pros
Completely free and open source Good for anime-style images Simple to use
Crystal Upscaler
"Cheapest specialist upscaler with standout text rendering"
Pros
Cheapest specialist upscaler at $2/mo Exceptional text rendering Portrait and face specialist
Pricing & value
| Metric | Waifu2x | Crystal Upscaler | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Free tier | Yes | Yes | Tie |
| Starting price | Free | From $2/mo | Waifu2x |
Our pick