Topaz Labs is a long-standing AI photo enhancement company, historically known for three industry-leading standalone tools: DeNoise AI (noise reduction), Sharpen AI (blur/shake correction), and Gigapixel AI (intelligent upscaling). In 2022, these were merged into a single application called Topaz Photo AI, and by late 2025 the company transitioned entirely to subscription pricing while dropping "AI" from the product name. The current Topaz Photo (2026) is a plugin-compatible enhancement tool for Lightroom, Photoshop, Capture One, and Apple Photos, built around three core functions — noise reduction, sharpening, and upscaling — plus additional tools for object removal, face recovery, dust/scratch repair, lighting adjustment, and color balance. Pricing as of mid-2026 is subscription-only, with perpetual licenses discontinued in October 2025. Topaz Photo costs $199/year when paid annually ($17/month) or $468/year when paid month-to-month ($39/month). A higher-tier Topaz Studio bundle at $69/month adds Topaz Video and other applications. The 2026 version introduces NeuroStream VRAM optimization (reducing GPU memory requirements by up to 95%), new AI models including Wonder, Standard MAX, and Starlight Sharp, and a cloud rendering service for computationally expensive operations like Super Focus and dust repair at variable token costs (6–12 cents per token). A 30-day money-back guarantee replaces the previous trial period. User feedback presents a mixed picture. Professional photographers and reviewers consistently praise Topaz Photo's upscaling capabilities as genuinely best-in-class — enlarging images 2x–4x while maintaining natural detail is a standout feature, particularly for AI-generated images that start at low resolution. The dust/scratch removal and face recovery tools also earn positive marks. However, the noise reduction and sharpening tools have fallen behind competitors, with multiple independent reviews (including from long-time Topaz advocates) now recommending DxO PureRAW as superior for noise reduction at a lower one-time price ($139 vs. $199–468/year). The aggressive default processing values frequently produce oversharpened, "plasticky" results, and preview rebuilds take 5–10 seconds per adjustment. The forced subscription model has generated significant user backlash, with many photographers feeling the annual cost no longer reflects the current performance leadership.