Practical guide

Video upscaling tools: Local Video Upscaler, Topaz, and Video2X

By David Balderston · Updated October 24, 2026

For a short, low-resolution personal clip on a compatible Apple device, Local Video Upscaler is a $9.99 one-time purchase that processes video on device. For a desktop restoration workflow with more models and temporal tools, consider Topaz Video. For a free, open-source workflow on a suitable computer, consider Video2X.

Written by David Balderston, Local Video Upscaler’s developer. This compares documented capabilities and setup requirements, not independently measured output quality or processing speed. Capabilities were checked on October 10, 2026. Local Video Upscaler purchase terms were rechecked on November 10, 2026 and the displayed Topaz annual price on October 24, 2026; these are different billing views, not equivalent offers.

Three workflows compared

Sources: Local Video Upscaler on Apple, Topaz Video, Topaz pricing, and the Video2X project repository. These are different products with different controls. This guide does not claim the same output or speed from each.

Mac availability: Available for iPhone with iOS 26.0 or later, iPad with iPadOS 26.0 or later, and Mac with macOS 26.0 or later. Universal purchase includes the approved iPhone, iPad, and Mac versions with one purchase. Runtime performance and output equivalence across platforms have not been independently verified.

Choose Local Video Upscaler for a focused Apple-device workflow

Select a clip, choose Natural or Clean, select 2× or 4×, and save an enlarged copy. Output is capped at 4K and uses HEVC, with the source frame rate and synchronized audio retained. The original is preserved. Natural and Clean offer different processing choices; inspect the same short section before committing to a long job.

It is aimed at low-resolution source clips. Inputs already at 4K are skipped. HDR input is exported as SDR, so it is not the right choice when preserving an HDR delivery workflow is essential. Heavy motion blur, out-of-focus footage, and missing detail can remain poor. It does not provide frame interpolation, stabilization, a video editor, or a cloud render queue. Read the full product facts and 2× versus 4× guide.

Choose Topaz when you need desktop restoration controls

Topaz Video advertises several jobs beyond enlargement: denoising, frame interpolation, stabilization, and model choices. Those controls matter when the problem is more than a small frame size. A desktop workflow also allows you to choose a computer and GPU for the job.

Check the current hardware requirements, plan terms, and export controls against your actual source. Local rendering and cloud credits are different options. This comparison does not establish that every model will work well on every kind of archive footage.

Choose Video2X when you want an open-source setup

Video2X is a Vulkan-based video-processing project with upscaling and frame-interpolation support. It is a computer workflow with installation, model, driver, and GPU considerations. Its repository is the right place to check supported packages and current instructions; it is not an iPhone app.

Free software can still cost time to configure and computer time to process. It may fit a technical user who wants control and is comfortable testing settings. It is less convenient when the goal is simply to improve a clip already in an iPhone photo library.

A fair test starts with the same source

1. Retain the highest-quality original you have. Avoid downloading a compressed social-media copy if an original exists.
2. Choose a short section with movement, faces, fine texture, and any text that matters.
3. Use the same output dimensions and frame rate where each tool permits them. Record any difference.
4. Compare playback as well as paused frames. Look for flicker, halos, waxy faces, and changing detail across adjacent frames.
5. Check audio synchronization, duration, orientation, and color. HDR-to-SDR conversion is a material difference.
6. Record the app version, device, settings, input/output dimensions, and elapsed processing time. Do not compare a phone’s timing with a desktop’s without naming the hardware.

The old-video guide shows the selection and comparison workflow. Its still-image example is explicitly labeled as a synthetic illustration; it is not a measured video or competitor benchmark.

Does 4K output mean the clip contains real 4K detail?

No. It means the output has those pixel dimensions. Upscaling can make an old clip more pleasing on a larger screen, but it does not recreate a missing camera original or prove that generated detail is historically accurate. For family archives, retain and label both the original and enhanced copy.

Should you use a photo upscaler instead?

A photo enhancer works on individual images. Video also has motion, timing, audio, and consistency across frames. Choose a video workflow for a playable clip, and a photo enhancer for an individual photograph or extracted still.

View Local Video Upscaler on the App StoreScan with your iPhone

For a disclosed example of actual app output, watch the licensed 360p film comparison. It was processed in desktop Simulator and is not a competitor benchmark. The offline Mac workflow explains how to test your own source.

Download the source and raw export; read recorded test results