Real-ESRGAN - AI Model API and Pricing

Good rescue jobs for this upscaler

Think of it as a resolution fix, not a redraw. It takes an existing image and returns a version four times larger with cleaner edges. Ugesi runs it at a fixed 4x scale. One typical win is an old product shot that looks soft on a retina screen. Others are a thumbnail you need as a hero banner and a screenshot that must survive printing. Last, it lets you inspect a generated draft at a larger size before paying for a final render.

The model has an optional face enhance for people who appear small in the frame. Ugesi does not switch it on, so small faces can stay soft after enlarging. For group photos and event shots where faces matter, follow up with the Face Restore tool.

Where the result can disappoint

The listed limit is that Topaz holds fine texture better. In practice you see it on fabric weave, skin pores, foliage and grain. Real-ESRGAN tends to smooth these into flat, slightly painted areas. Logos, flat graphics, text on clean backgrounds and cartoons come through well because there is little texture to lose.

Ugesi always enlarges 4x, and a jump that big means more invented detail and more of that waxy smoothing. If the source is heavily compressed, expect the blocks to be cleaned up rather than turned into real detail.

Cost per image and per batch

One image costs 10 credits, about $0.11 at the best pack. Ten images run one at a time cost 100 credits, about $1.06. It sits at rank 27 from the cheapest among 41 models priced per image. The range runs from 1 to 38 credits. The model is not attached to a Ugesi tool preset at the moment. You work with it directly rather than through a preset.

Neighboring models and when they fit better

The listed alternatives do different jobs, so choose by the problem rather than the price. ControlNet at 18 credits rebuilds an image from a pose or edge map. That is what you want when the layout is right but the image itself is unusable. InstantID at 4 credits generates new scenes that keep one face. IP-Adapter at 2 credits copies the style of a reference into a new picture. If the original is simply too small, none of these replaces an upscaler; Real-ESRGAN stays the direct answer.

Real-ESRGAN API

curl -X POST https://ugesi.com/api/generate \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "model": "real-esrgan",
    "prompt": "a product shot on white marble"
  }'

<?php
$ch = curl_init('https://ugesi.com/api/generate');
curl_setopt_array($ch, [
    CURLOPT_POST => true,
    CURLOPT_RETURNTRANSFER => true,
    CURLOPT_HTTPHEADER => [
        'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY',
        'Content-Type: application/json',
    ],
    CURLOPT_POSTFIELDS => json_encode([
        'model' => 'real-esrgan',
        'prompt' => 'a product shot on white marble',
    ]),
]);
$response = json_decode(curl_exec($ch), true);
curl_close($ch);
print_r($response);

type GenerateRequest = {
  model: string;
  prompt: string;
};
type GenerateResponse = {
  job_id: number;
  job_token: string;
  credits_held: number;
  status: "queued" | "succeeded";
  output_text?: string;
};

const body: GenerateRequest = {
  model: "real-esrgan",
  prompt: "a product shot on white marble",
};

const resp = await fetch("https://ugesi.com/api/generate", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: {
    "Authorization": `Bearer ${process.env.UGESI_API_KEY}`,
    "Content-Type": "application/json",
  },
  body: JSON.stringify(body),
});
if (!resp.ok) throw new Error(`HTTP ${resp.status}`);
const job = (await resp.json()) as GenerateResponse;
console.log(job.job_id, job.status);

import requests

resp = requests.post(
    "https://ugesi.com/api/generate",
    headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"},
    json={
        "model": "real-esrgan",
        "prompt": "a product shot on white marble",
    },
    timeout=60,
)
resp.raise_for_status()
print(resp.json())

{
  "model": "real-esrgan",
  "prompt": "a product shot on white marble"
}

The API comes with every credit pack, from Lite to Enterprise, and uses the same balance as the website. API documentation and access →

License and terms of use

Real-ESRGAN is released under the BSD 3-Clause License, a permissive license that allows commercial use. The full rules are in our Terms of service.

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