Recraft Crisp Upscale Pricing & Cost
Recraft Crisp Upscale is the budget-friendly AI image upscaler on AetherWave. 8 credits at 2x is competitive against Topaz's 10 credits. Best when cost matters and Topaz-level fidelity isn't required.
This page breaks down the credit cost for Recraft Crisp Upscale when called via the AetherWave MCP server from Claude Code, Cursor, Continue, or any MCP-aware agent. Credits map to USD at a fixed rate, so the cost is predictable.
Full cost breakdown
Tiered pricing by upscale factor. 8 credits at 2x, 16 at 4x. The budget-friendly alternative to Topaz.
Cost scenarios in USD
Here is what common workflows cost in USD at Recraft Crisp Upscale's rate:
| Workflow | Credits | USD |
|---|---|---|
| 1 use | 5 cr | $0.03 |
| 10 uses | 50 cr | $0.25 |
| 100 uses | 500 cr | $2.50 |
| Studio sub fits | 340 uses/mo (1,700 cr) | - |
How Recraft Crisp Upscale compares
vs topaz-upscale at 10 cr to 2K: Recraft at 8 cr is 20% cheaper for 2x. Topaz has more factor options (up to 8x) and slightly better fidelity. Pick Recraft for budget; Topaz for quality.
8 cr at 2x, 16 cr at 4x
Best for: budget image upscaling
topaz-upscale at 10 cr to 2K
See the comparison above for when each one wins.
Run aetherwave_list_image_models from Claude Code to see the full live pricing across all models in one call. The MCP rubrics in each tool's description also route the agent automatically when a budget hint is in the prompt.
Where credits come from
You can fund your AetherWave account three ways:
- Free: Starter credits on signup plus up to 80 credits from one-time community quests (Discord, social shares, follow channels)
- Studio subscription: $9.99/mo for 1,700 credits monthly. Cancel any time.
- One-time bundles: starting at $4.99 for 500 credits, up to $79.99 for 9,000 credits. Bundle credits never expire.
Quick install
To run Recraft Crisp Upscale from Claude Code, install the AetherWave MCP server with one command:
Get your free API key at your Profile page (Developer tab). The MCP exposes 31 tools total; aetherwave_upscale_image is the one that gives the agent access to Recraft Crisp Upscale.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Recraft Crisp Upscale cost per generation?
Tiered pricing by upscale factor. 8 credits at 2x, 16 at 4x. The budget-friendly alternative to Topaz.
How do AetherWave credits convert to USD?
Credits map to USD at a fixed rate, so Recraft Crisp Upscale's 8 cr at 2x, 16 cr at 4x translates to the per-generation figures in the scenario table above. Credits come from a Studio subscription, one-time bundles, or starter credits + community quests on the free tier.
Is Recraft Crisp Upscale worth the cost vs cheaper alternatives?
vs topaz-upscale at 10 cr to 2K: Recraft at 8 cr is 20% cheaper for 2x. Topaz has more factor options (up to 8x) and slightly better fidelity. Pick Recraft for budget; Topaz for quality. The right call depends on what matters most for your workflow: variation count, deterministic output, latency, or absolute quality ceiling.
Start running Recraft Crisp Upscale
Free API key plus starter credits. One MCP install. First Recraft Crisp Upscale generation in under five minutes.
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