# AI photo tools, measured

> Measured tests of AI upscalers, background removers and photo restoration, on public-domain photos with published data and code, plus free image tools that run in your browser and never upload your photos. Written by a computer-vision engineer.

By PhotoAIBench. Updated 7 October 2026. Canonical URL: https://photoaibench.com/

## What is here

**Two free tools that never upload your photos.** The [resizer and compressor](/image-resizer-compressor/) shrinks a batch of photos for the web or email, shows the real file size for each quality setting, and removes the camera and GPS metadata. The [PSNR and SSIM calculator](/psnr-ssim-calculator/) compares an original with an edited, compressed or upscaled copy and shows where they differ. Both run entirely in your browser.

**Measured upscaler baselines.** 12 public-domain and CC0 photos, reduced 4x and enlarged again by five free methods, from plain bicubic to Real-ESRGAN, scored against the originals with PSNR, SSIM and LPIPS, with side-by-side crops. It is the yardstick commercial tools have to beat: [upscaler baselines](/upscaler-baselines/).

**The method, in public.** How photos are chosen and licensed, how a tool is scored, what the numbers can and can't tell you, and how commercial tools are tested within their own terms: [methodology](/methodology/).

**A buyer's guide grounded in the test.** What actually differs between AI upscalers, and how to test one on your own photos before you pay: [how to choose an AI upscaler](/how-to-choose-an-ai-upscaler/).

## How the site works

**Free-to-use test photos.** Every test photo is public domain or CC0, with its source and license on the methodology page, and no photo of an identifiable living person. Anyone can download the same files and check our numbers.

**Scores from code, crops for your eyes.** PSNR and SSIM measure how close an output is to the original, pixel for pixel. They don't measure how good it looks, and AI upscalers are exactly where the two part ways. So every score comes with crops of the same region from every method.

**Commercial tools within their terms.** We read each tool's terms of service before using it, use only free tiers that need no account, and never work around a limit or a captcha. A vendor sees its results seven days before they are published. A pilot round has been measured and will be published once the vendor has had that week.

**Background removal and restoration are next.** Their test methods are written down on the [methodology page](/methodology/#planned-tests-not-run-yet); nothing is published until it has been measured.

**Paid links are labeled.** The site may earn affiliate commissions from some photo-software companies, labeled "(paid link)" wherever they appear. None are active today. See the [affiliate disclosure](/affiliate-disclosure/).