Imaginode vs Topaz Labs: enlarging a file or creating one
An alternative to Topaz Labs subscriptions from $19 a month when you create rather than enlarge: Imaginode generates images and video by the cent.
Competitor data verified on August 20, 2026
Frank HoubreFounder of Imaginode
Recorded at Topaz Labs on August 20, 2026
- Photo : $39/month
- Video : $59/month
- Studio Pro : $75/month
Our pricing, same day
- Starter : $17/month900 credits/month
- Creator : $55/month3,100 credits/month
- Studio : $188/month10,500 credits/month
Topaz Labs does restoration and enlargement, not generation: denoise a photo, upscale old footage, rescue a damaged file. On that ground its models remain references.
The notable change is economic. Perpetual licences were dropped in September 2025: in 2026 everything is subscription, from $19 a month for a single app to $799 a year for the Studio Pro suite, with Gigapixel at $29, Photo at $39 and Video at $59 a month standalone.
Imaginode is built to create files first, even though Topaz upscaling is in the catalogue to enlarge an image or a video. To bring an old photo back to life, the restore an old photo page shows what generation can do, which is not the same as a faithful upscale.
Job
Topaz Labs
Denoising, upscaling, restoring existing files
Imaginode
Generating new images and videos
Price
Topaz Labs
Standalone: Gigapixel $29, Photo $39, Video $59/month; Studio suites from $399 to $799/year
Imaginode
$17 excl. tax per month (900 credits) or a top-up from $7 with no subscription
Perpetual licence
Topaz Labs
Discontinued in September 2025
Imaginode
Not applicable: pay per use
Fidelity to the source
Topaz Labs
The product's goal: enlarge without inventing
Imaginode
Generation reinvents: strong resemblance, not strict identity
Local processing
Topaz Labs
Desktop apps, compute on your machine
Imaginode
Browser, remote compute
Video
Topaz Labs
Upscaling and frame interpolation
Imaginode
Over twenty video generation models up to 4K
Failed processing
Topaz Labs
Machine time lost
Imaginode
Credits refunded automatically
Topaz Labs pricing checked on 20 August 2026 against consistent third-party records; standalone and Studio pricing differ between sources. Prices in US dollars, excluding tax.
When to choose Topaz Labs
- You must enlarge an existing file and stay faithful to the original: that is exactly their job.
- You process video archives and need frame interpolation.
- You prefer local processing on your machine, with no file uploads.
When to choose Imaginode
- You have no source file: the image has to be created.
- You do not want a monthly subscription for occasional use.
- You want to work in the browser, including from a phone.
- You want a modernised version rather than a faithful enlargement.
- You want a price shown before every job.
Frequently asked questions
Does Imaginode do upscaling?
Yes: Topaz upscalers are in the catalogue, for images as well as video, billed in credits with the price shown before the click. To process archives locally on your own machine, the Topaz desktop apps remain better suited.
Can I still buy Topaz outright?
No per the 20 August 2026 records: perpetual licences were discontinued in September 2025.
What about restoring an old photo?
The [restore an old photo page](/tools/restaurer-vieille-photo-ia) shows the generative approach, which recomposes rather than restores in the strict sense.
Is Imaginode a good alternative to Topaz Labs?
Yes for occasional use without a subscription, when you need an occasional upscale in the browser, or when the image has to be created rather than enlarged. If you process archives on your own machine, interpolate frames on video archives, or keep everything local, the Topaz subscription is the better tool.
Sources
More verified comparisons
Same rules: pricing grids recorded on a given date, source cited, updated as soon as a price changes.
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