10 Best Topaz Video AI Alternatives in 2026 (Free, Paid & No Watermark)

Topaz Video AI is undoubtedly a beast in the video upscaling and restoration world. But let's be honest: its $299/year subscription model and heavy hardware demands aren't for everyone.

If you are looking for an AI Video Enhancer tool that offers similar (or better) restoration quality without renting software forever, or if you simply need a free tool for a quick fix, you're in the right place. I've tested 20+ tools in 2026 to find the best alternatives that save your wallet and your GPU.

Quick Verdict — What to Use Instead of Topaz Video AI?

If you’re short on time, here’s a high-level recommendation based on real user needs:

Best for Budget/Lifetime License

• UniFab All-In-One — Cinema-grade enhancement quality, lifetime license, 30-day no-watermark trial.
• AIarty Video Enhancer — Also offers a one-time purchase model, but lower quality than Topaz/UniFab. 

I conducted upscaling tests on UniFab, AIarty, and Topaz using the same creatives, and the test results are shown below.

Best Free/Open-Source Alternative

• Video2X — Excellent for anime/2D upscaling, steep learning curve

Best Cloud-Based Alternative

• TensorPix — No installation, easy browser use.

Why Look for a Topaz Video AI Alternative?

I get many questions like:

“Is there a free alternative with no watermark?”
“Which tool gives fast results on a low-end PC?”
"Is there an alternative that offers lifetime access and has similar quality to Topaz?"

The answer depends on what you value most: cost, quality, speed, or ease of use. Here are the most common reasons I see users search for alternatives:

• High Subscription Costs: Topaz's $299/year pricing feels steep for casual creators or small businesses.
• Watermarked Trials: Topaz's trial outputs have watermarks, meaning you can't truly judge the results without paying.
• Hardware Needs: A strong GPU is often required for smooth performance.
• Steep Learning Curve and Complex Workflow: With many AI models and fine-grained parameters, the interface and process aren’t very intuitive for beginners, often requiring time to learn and tweak settings.

This guide addresses all these audiences — not just one. Let's take a look at the following article.

My Top Picks: Best Topaz AI Alternatives in 2026

I reviewed discussions across Reddit and several popular video-editing forums and found that UniFab, HitPaw, and AVCLabs are consistently the three most recommended Topaz Video AI alternatives. Based on this insight, I conducted in-depth tests using the same videos and evaluation criteria for all three tools. Below is the real performance data and a structured comparison summary.

Comparison Table of Topaz Video Enhance AI Alternatives

Quick Verdict: Based on the comparison dimensions outlined in the table above, UniFab clearly emerges as the best alternative to Topaz Video AI. 

Performance Comparison: Topaz Video Enhance AI Alternatives

When choosing a video enhancement tool, actual performance remains one of the most important factors for users. Different software varies in noise reduction, detail preservation, resolution upscaling, and color restoration. 

The following comparison across multiple real-world scenarios helps you clearly understand the performance differences between UniFab, AVCLabs, Hitpaw, and Topaz Video AI, enabling you to find the solution that best fits your needs.

UniFab vs HitPaw vs AVCLabs in Noise Reduction

UniFab vs Topaz vs HitPaw in SDR to HDR Conversion

• UniFab: Delivers realistic colors with well-balanced highlights and deep shadows, maintaining the full depth and detail of true HDR.
• Topaz: Produces a bright and vibrant image but tends to wash out highlights and shadows, reducing overall HDR authenticity.
• HitPaw: Colors appear overly saturated with high contrast, and highlight detail is often lost—making the result feel closer to SDR than HDR.

UniFab vs Hitpaw in Upscaling Film Videos from 720p to 4K

UniFab vs AVCLabs in Upscaling Animal Videos from 720p to 4K

Verdict: UniFab emerges as the best overall Topaz Video Enhance AI alternative based on combined Reddit recommendations and performance testing. In side-by-side comparisons, UniFab delivered the most accurate video enhancement, and more natural color and texture reconstruction than HitPaw or AVCLabs. It also outperformed Topaz in highlight/shadow balance and fine-detail recovery, especially in hair, fabric, and fur textures. All in all, UniFab offers the best balance of quality, speed, and value, making it the most practical replacement for Topaz Video Enhance AI for most users.

If these three Topaz Video Enhance AI alternatives cannot fully meet your needs, the following section provides a detailed breakdown of 10 top-rated Topaz alternatives, including paid options, free open-source tools, and online cloud-based solutions.

Popular Desktop Topaz Video AI Alternatives

Explore these Topaz Video AI alternatives known for their advanced AI-driven video enhancement capabilities. From upscaling resolution and improving video quality to removing noise and enhancing frame rates, these tools cater to diverse editing needs, offering robust features and user-friendly interfaces for professional and personal projects.

UniFab All-In-One — Best All-Around Alternative

If you want Topaz-level quality without an ongoing subscription, UniFab is the first tool I recommend.

UniFab All-In-One is the top AI-powered alternative to Topaz Video Enhance AI, offering a $319.99 lifetime license — a one-time payment, compared to Topaz’s $299 annual subscription. Powered by deep learning, UniFab includes 17+ AI tools for video and audio enhancement, editing, and conversion. It covers a wider range of features, including upscaling, noise reduction, frame interpolation, subtitle generation, audio enhancement, and more, while Topaz mainly focuses on upscaling and enhancement. UniFab also delivers faster processing speeds and superior quality in certain areas, making it a more efficient, cost-effective choice for both professionals and enthusiasts.

• Supported Platforms: macOS and Windows
• Free Trial: 30-day free trial for full features, without watermark.
• Perpetual plan: US$319.99

This video provides a comprehensive review of UniFab vs Topaz:

Why I Recommend It

• Lifetime License — Own it forever for a one-time cost.
• Topaz-level enhancement quality.
• 30-day watermark-free trial lets you export real results before you buy.
• Covers everything from upscaling & HDR conversion to denoising & deinterlacing.
• Optimized for mid-range hardware.

The Real Cost of Video AI: 3-Year Breakdown

Verdict: By choosing UniFab, you save over $500 in just three years.

My Final Verdict After Testing UniFab

UniFab All-In-One is the best all-around Topaz Video Enhance AI alternative because it delivers Topaz-level quality with a far simpler, faster, and more user-friendly workflow. Compared with Topaz and other alternatives, UniFab offers more consistent detail preservation and sharper upscaling, especially in hair texture, fabrics, and landscapes. It also includes a full-feature 30-day trial with no watermarks and an affordable lifetime license, making it one of the most cost-effective professional tools in this category.
In short, UniFab provides the best balance of quality, speed, ease of use, and value, making it the most practical and future-proof replacement for Topaz Video Enhance AI for the majority of users.

AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI

AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI is another Topaz Video AI alternative. It features multiple AI tools for efficient video upscaling to HD, 4K, and 8K resolutions. It includes facial detail recovery and maintains clarity and sharpness without watermarks, enhancing visibility in industrial settings. With automated deep-learning technology, AVCLabs Video Enhancer AI revitalizes old videos by adding color, sharpness, and clarity, significantly improving overall video quality while correcting pixelation and blurriness.

Supported Platforms: Windows PC and macOS

Price: A free trial is available. Perpetual plan: US$299.90

My Final Verdict After Testing AVCLabs

AVCLabs is a feature-focused desktop Topaz alternative aimed at users who want advanced AI controls and don't mind higher hardware and licensing costs. It is best suited to editors who need powerful AI upscaling and restoration tools for demanding projects and are willing to invest in a dedicated enhancement engine separate from their main NLE. For more details, please check out this article: AVCLabs vs Topaz.

Adobe Premiere Pro

Adobe Premiere Pro stands as a formidable Topaz Video AI alternative, boasting an AI-powered text-based editing tool through Adobe's Sensei AI. It automatically transcribes clips for easy text insertion across the timeline. The color tone mapping tool facilitates consistent color application, and auto-reframing adjusts aspect ratios effortlessly. 

Supported Platforms: Windows 10 (64-bit) V22H2 or later or Windows 11, and macOS Monterey (version 12) or later

Price: A free trial is available. Starts at US$37.99/month and Annual plan: US$455.88 per license

My Final Verdict After Testing Adobe

Adobe serves as a professional-grade Topaz alternative for users who want AI enhancement built directly into a full editing suite. Instead of acting as a standalone upscaler like Topaz, Premiere combines Adobe Sensei AI tools—noise reduction, color matching, auto reframing, and transcript-based editing—with robust timeline editing, making it ideal for filmmakers and editors who prefer to keep enhancement, trimming, and finishing all inside one ecosystem.

VideoProc Converter AI

VideoProc Converter AI stands out as a Topaz Video Enhance AI alternative by offering rapid upscale capabilities (200%, 300%, 400%) with its Super Resolution tool, trained extensively on reality and anime data. 

Designed for user-friendly navigation, it suits novices and seasoned editors, optimizing GPU memory dynamically. It enhances video quality significantly, reducing grain and enhancing definition, which is particularly noticeable in textures and edges, without common upscaling issues like blurring or artifacts. It is ideal for restoring or repurposing older or lower-quality videos.

Supported Platforms: Windows PC 7, 8/8.1, 10, 11 or later (32-bit and 64-bit). AI features for Mac are coming soon.

Price: A free trial is available. Premium 365 plan: US$25.95, Lifetime license plan: US$45.95, and Family license plan: US$57.95

My Final Verdict After Testing VideoProc

VideoProc is an affordable, performance-oriented Topaz alternative that blends AI upscaling with video conversion and basic editing. It targets individual creators and small studios that need reliable 200–400% upscaling, denoising, and stabilization without the heavier system demands or premium pricing of Topaz, making it a strong choice when budget and ease of use matter as much as raw enhancement quality.

HitPaw Video Enhancer AI

HitPaw Video Enhancer is another great AI-powered Topaz AI alternative that effortlessly enhances video quality by up to 8K resolution. It supports various AI models like Denoise, Animation, Face, and Colorize for specific enhancements. It features batch processing, GPU acceleration, and a user-friendly interface, catering to beginners and professionals looking for high-quality video enhancements.

Supported Platforms: macOS 10.15 and above and Windows 11/10 (64-bit)

Price: Free trial available. 1-Month plan: US$43.19, a 1-Year plan: US$99.99, and a Perpetual plan: US$350.39

My Final Verdict After Testing Hitpaw

HitPaw is a professional Topaz alternative with a beginner-friendly interface and a rich catalog of AI models for denoising, animation, face enhancement, and colorization. It is best for users who want a wide variety of “one-click” AI looks and are comfortable with ongoing subscription fees instead of a single lifetime purchase, trading some fine-tuning power for simplicity and flexibility. For more details, check out this article: HitPaw vs Topaz.

Free & Open-Source Topaz AI Alternative

Video2x

Video2X is a free, open-source Topaz Video Enhance AI alternative that helps enhance videos up to 4K with advanced algorithms. It supports AI models like waifu2x and Anime4K for diverse upscaling needs. While flexible and adaptable with a Python-based framework, its GUI is less user-friendly initially. It's available on GitHub and Google Colab, offering a softer focus on upscaling, with slower performance on real-life videos but faster performance on anime-style content.

Compared with Topaz Video AI, Video2X is better suited to users who prioritize zero cost and anime-style content over convenience:

• Cost: Video2X is completely free and open-source, while Topaz Video AI requires a paid license after its limited trial.
• Content focus: Video2X excels on anime and line-art footage with waifu2x/Anime4K, whereas Topaz targets a wider range of real-world videos with ready-made AI models.
• Ease of use: Topaz provides a guided interface and presets; Video2X often requires more manual setup and familiarity with scripts or community GUIs.
• Hardware and performance: Topaz leverages modern GPUs for faster processing on high-resolution footage, while Video2X can run on modest hardware but may process complex, real-life clips more slowly.

Supported Platforms: Windows, macOS, and Linux

Price: Free software

My Final Verdict After Testing Video2X

Video2X is a free, open-source Topaz Video Enhance AI alternative designed for users who prioritize zero cost and community-driven development over polished UX. It is especially attractive to anime and illustration fans, thanks to its support for AI models like waifu2x and Anime4K, but it can also serve as a workable option for general upscaling if you are comfortable with a more technical, less streamlined interface than Topaz or UniFab.

Web-Based & Cloud Topaz Video Enhance AI Alternatives

TensorPix

TensorPix is another web-based Topaz Video AI alternative that can upscale videos to 4K quality without installation. It utilizes GPU-accelerated cloud servers for fast processing, enhancing video details, and fixing blur with options for 60 FPS conversion and slow-mo creation. However, processing speeds are slower without hardware support compared to desktop software options.

Supported Platforms: Web-based solution. Works on all devices.

Price: Pay As You Go: US$0/month, Standard: US$12/month, Premium: US$27/month, Elite: US$66/month, and Enterprise: Custom price

My Final Verdict After Testing TensorPix

TensorPix is a cloud-based Topaz Video Enhance AI alternative ideal for users with low-spec or non-Windows machines who still need 4K upscaling and 60 FPS conversion. Because all processing runs on GPU-accelerated cloud servers, it works well for occasional projects and remote workflows where you would rather pay per job or subscription tier than invest in a powerful local GPU like Topaz typically requires.

PixOp

PixOp is a cloud-based AI video enhancer and Topaz AI alternative that offers robust video enhancement capabilities without requiring heavy software installation. Using machine learning for smoother video playback, it excels in noise reduction, automatic color grading, and frame rate conversion. Supporting a wide range of formats like AVI, FLV, MKV, and MP4, PixOp is versatile for enhancing videos from various sources. Future updates include Face Forward to improve facial details and lighting uniformity.

Supported Platforms: Cloud-based platform 

Price: PixOp charges users based on gigapixel usage, starting at US$0.001 per gigapixel, without subscription fees.

My Final Verdict After Testing PixOp

PixOp is a pay-per-use, cloud-native Topaz alternative tailored to professional and enterprise-level workflows. Its gigapixel-based pricing and advanced AI filters like Deep Restoration and Denoiser make it a better fit for studios and post-production houses handling large volumes of content, complex restoration tasks, or frequent frame-rate conversions, especially when they prefer flexible, job-based cloud billing instead of a traditional desktop license like Topaz.

Veed.IO

Veed is another versatile web-based platform and Topaz AI alternative known for screen recording and AI video editing. It offers tools to generate and enhance videos with effects, overlays, and animations through a user-friendly interface. AI enhances video quality with filters, color grading, and transitions. Users can adjust brightness, contrast, and saturation, modify frame rates, replace audio, create VoiceOvers, and clean audio by removing background noise efficiently.

Supported Platforms: Web-based solution. Works on all devices.

Price: A free version is available. Lite plan: US$13/month. Pro plan: US$29/month, and Enterprise: Custom pricing

My Final Verdict After Testing Veed.IO

Veed.IO is a beginner-friendly Topaz alternative for creators who care more about fast, social-media-ready edits than about deep, frame-level AI control. It merges browser-based enhancement—filters, color tweaks, noise cleanup—with screen recording, subtitles, and timeline editing, making it a smart option for marketers, influencers, and educators who want an all-in-one online editor rather than a pure AI upscaling engine like Topaz Video AI.

Remini AI

Remini Video Enhancer stands out as a powerful Topaz Video Enhance AI alternative. It specializes in video enhancement by removing blur, noise, and pixelation with up to two times upscaling. It also enhances photos with AI-based improvements and generates headshots. Developers benefit from its API integration for application embedding. Its web-based platform caters to users without powerful GPUs, ensuring swift enhancements.

Supported Platforms: Web-based solution. Works on all devices. 

Price: A free trial is available. Remini Lite Weekly: US$4.99 per week, Remini Pro Weekly: US$9.99 per week, and a monthly subscription at US$4.99 per month

My Final Verdict After Testing Remini

Remini AI is a face-focused Topaz alternative specializing in restoring and beautifying people in low-quality videos. With its emphasis on deblurring, denoising, and facial detail reconstruction, it is best used when your primary goal is to improve portraits, selfies, and personal clips rather than to perform large-scale 4K/8K upscaling or professional color workflows. In that niche, Remini can outperform Topaz in perceived facial quality, especially for quick, one-click enhancements on mobile or web.

How to Choose the Right Topaz AI Alternative

Here is a quick summary of 10 Topaz Video Enhance AI Alternatives

• UniFab – The best all-around Topaz alternative with fast 4K/8K/16K AI upscaling and an easier workflow.
• AVCLabs – A powerful paid option with advanced AI models for pro-level enhancement.
• Adobe Premiere Pro – A pro-grade editor with AI features via Adobe Sensei.
• VideoProc – A GPU-accelerated enhancer offering good speed-to-quality performance.
• HitPaw – Beginner-friendly AI upscaler for fast, automated enhancement.
• Video2X – The best free, open-source upscaling tool powered by waifu2x and Anime4K AI models.
• TensorPix – A cloud-based AI video upscaler with pay-as-you-go pricing.
• Pixop – A professional cloud service for large-scale upscaling and deblurring.
• Veed – A user-friendly option offering simple AI enhancement on iOS/Android.
• Remini – A face-focused AI enhancer specialized in repairing blur, noise, and low-resolution faces in mobile or web-based clips.

Use-Case Recommendation Table

Why UniFab Is the Best Topaz Video AI Alternative for Most Users

UniFab All-In-One stands out as the best alternative to Topaz Video AI by addressing common pain points and offering more practical value:

• Lifetime license for just $319.99, a one-time payment, compared to Topaz's $299 annual subscription — making it more cost-effective in the long run.
• 30-day full-feature free trial without watermark, allowing you to fully test and evaluate the quality before committing.
• AI Autopilot workflow, which automatically selects the best model for your clip, simplifying the process for users of all skill levels.
• Full GPU acceleration for faster rendering speeds, ensuring smooth performance on mainstream NVIDIA/AMD GPUs.
• A broader enhancement suite, covering features like SDR-to-HDR conversion, denoise, smoother, deinterlacing, face enhancement, and colorization, providing far more versatility than Topaz’s focus on just upscaling and enhancement.

For creators looking for a future-proof, comprehensive Topaz alternative, UniFab offers the best balance of quality, speed, ease of use, and affordability. It’s the ideal choice for both professionals and enthusiasts who want high performance without the recurring cost.

FAQs about Topaz Video AI Alternative

Is there a free version of Topaz Video AI?

Topaz Video AI does not offer a permanently free, full version. Instead, it provides a time-limited trial that watermarks exported videos. If you are specifically looking for Topaz-level enhancement without paying upfront, you can consider UniFab, which offers a 30-day full-featured trial that exports videos without watermarks so you can fully evaluate real-world results before buying.

Is Topaz video AI worth it?

Topaz Video AI is worth it if you need high-quality video upscaling and enhancement with advanced AI features. However, it comes with a steep learning curve, high cost, and demanding hardware requirements. If these factors are not a barrier for you, Topaz Video AI offers excellent value. Otherwise, you might want to explore more affordable or user-friendly alternatives. Topaz Video AI Review provides a detailed review of Topaz video AI tutorials, features, performance, pros and cons.

What is the best Topaz Video Enhance AI Alternative?

Among all the listed AI options, UniFab All-In-One distinguishes itself with its comprehensive AI-powered capabilities that extend beyond simple enhancement. It offers robust video processing tools, including upscaling video up to 16K, noise removal, frame rate boosting, and extensive format conversion. It is a versatile choice for professional-grade video editing and enhancement tasks.

Do free Topaz Video AI alternative as well as paid ones?

Free AI upscalers can deliver acceptable results but often lack the advanced models, customization options, and processing power available in paid solutions. For a selection of quality free alternatives to Topaz Video AI, see this article: best free video upscaler.

What free Topaz AI alternatives can I try with no watermark?

There is no permanently free, full version of Topaz Video AI, but you can still test Topaz-like enhancement without watermarks through several alternatives. Options generally fall into three categories:

• Time-limited, watermark-free trials – Some commercial alternatives, such as UniFab All-In-One, offer a 30-day trial that lets you export enhanced videos without watermarks so you can thoroughly test AI upscaling, denoising, and HDR conversion before deciding whether to buy.
• Open-source tools – Video2X is a free, community-driven upscaler that uses waifu2x and Anime4K models, making it a good choice if you want a zero-cost alternative and are comfortable with a less polished interface.
• Free editions of professional editors – The free version of DaVinci Resolve includes Super Scale upscaling and advanced noise reduction, giving you powerful enhancement tools without a license fee, though it has a steeper learning curve.

What's the difference between Topaz Video Enhance AI and its alternatives?

Pricing: Alternatives like UniFab offer a watermark-free full-featured trial, reducing upfront risk.
Easy of Use: UniFab's workflow is beginner-friendly compared to Topaz's more complex interface.
Function: UniFab supports upscaling up to 16K, batch processing, and AI features beyond Topaz's core suite.

What to use instead of Topaz?

Instead of Topaz, you can use UniFab, which offers faster processing speeds, excellent AI-powered video enhancement, and a more affordable pricing model. UniFab stands out with its user-friendly interface and strong support for batch processing, making it ideal for both beginners and professionals.

What is better than Topaz Labs?

Compared to Topaz Labs, UniFab provides superior video denoising and HDR upscaling quality, along with optimized performance on NVIDIA AI GPUs. Its cost-effective solutions deliver cinema-grade results, faster workflow, and easy installation, making it a better choice for high-quality video enhancement.