Why it’s great for clean re-imagining, why it’s not a real upscaler (yet), and how it fits next to Topaz Labs Bloom & Magnific AI
1 Why another upscaler post?
My earlier Topaz- and Magnific-reviews bring steady Google traffic and affiliate income, but I’m also permanently hunting for tools that streamline my own workflow—currently a mix of Leonardo.ai for generation, Magnific AI for creative enlargements, and Topaz Gigapixel for faithful upscales.
When I discovered that Imagine.art had launched a Creative Upscaler (with free trial credits), I had to try it. Spoiler: it turns out to be more of a creative re-imagine engine than a pixel-doubler—but that can still be useful (and cheap).
Free test link (referal for 500 free credits): https://www.imagine.art/invite/9331fb10
2 What the tool actually does
- Upload any image → tweak four sliders → get a fresh, creative version at the same resolution.
- Sliders: Creativity, Resemblance, HDR and of course a prompt to describe your creative vision for the image.
- Commercial use on every tier.
2 bis Wait—no resolution boost?
Correct. I first thought “detail harvesting” would double the pixels, but the file stayed exactly 1024 px wide. Imagine is currently a creative enhancer, not a super-resolution engine. You’ll still need Gigapixel, Bloom or free Upscayl afterwards if you want large prints.
3 Hands-on settings & results
| Slider | My “clean detail” pass | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Creativity | 0.98 | Adds texture without chaos |
| Resemblance | 0.48 | Keeps anatomy, allows new accents |
| HDR | 0.61 | Micro-contrast; higher looks plastic |
The output is surgically clean—great for UI assets, logos, stylised posters. If you want gritty or painterly, Magnific and Bloom still win.
4 Pricing (June 2025)
| Tier | €/mo (yearly) | Max res | Visibility | Commercial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | Free credits | 3 000 px | Public feed | Yes |
| Standard | € 10 | 8 000 px | Public feed | Yes |
| Professional | € 39 | 8 000 px* | Private | Yes |
* Higher limits are available also but are out my my personal use case. At € 39 the Pro tier costs the same as Magnific Pro—only worth it if you prefer clean results.
5 How it stacks up (short version)
- Imagine – ultra-clean, but no upscale.
- Topaz Bloom – one creativity slider, painterly, 64 MP (100 MP beta).
- Magnific AI – full control & true 100 MP upscales; can go gritty.
6 When does Imagine make sense?
- You’re on a budget: € 10 tier already allows commercial use.
- You love clean, “vector-like” detail.
- You’d like a built-in image generator—Imagine’s text-to-image tool is included, so you might save a Midjourney or Leonardo subscription.
You’ll still need a real upscaler afterwards if print size matters.
7 Verdict
Imagine Art Creative Upscaler = Almost Magnific-style control + Bloom-grade cleanliness, but still 1× resolution.
Great for quick re-imagining and social media assets; not (yet) a Gigapixel replacement.
8 Try it & get 25 % off my assets
- Free credits: https://www.imagine.art/invite/9331fb10
- Need high-res paper textures? All premium packs on Gumroad are 25 % off with code ARJEN25 (min. € 10).
The free credits can be used for personal projects only, not for commercial use. You need a paid tier for commercial usage.
Happy experimenting—let me know how it fits your workflow!
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