Photo editing

StableSR

One of the first Stable Diffusion-based photo upscalers: restores realistic details. Non-commercial license.

The last open version came out in May 2023. The family has not been updated for a long time: the model still works, but do not expect fixes or new sizes.

Developer
S-Lab, Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
First release
May 2023
Latest release
May 2023
Sizes
based on SD 2.1
License
Non-commercial onlyNTU S-Lab License 1.0 (non-commercial)
Running
On your own serverNeeds a GPU
Industries
Media and production, Science and research
Deploy on your server Hugging Face GitHub

What it does

  • Upscaling photos with detail reconstruction
  • Research restoration pilots
  • Comparison with classic upscalers

Where it is used

Media and archivesPhoto studiosEducation

Hardware requirements

LaptopLaptop or regular PC, up to 8 GB of VRAM — smaller versions
no versions
1 GPUOne GPU with 16–80 GB — mid-size versions
fits
ClusterServer with several GPUs — flagship versions
no versions

Versions

  1. StableSR

How to run it

On your own serverWeights are downloaded from Hugging Face and served with vLLM (load and API) or llama.cpp (modest hardware). The model then runs in a closed network with no per-request fees.Hugging Face
How much hardware you needCalculate the VRAM for the model size, context length and number of concurrent requests.Open the hardware calculator

I can set this up end to end: pick the model size, deploy it on your server and connect it to your systems.

Frequently asked questions

Can StableSR be used in a commercial project?

No. License: NTU S-Lab License 1.0 (non-commercial). A commercial product needs a different model or a separate agreement with the rights holder.

What hardware does StableSR need?

At minimum: One GPU with 16–80 GB — mid-size versions. Without a GPU the model is not practical. You can calculate the exact VRAM for your model size and context in the hardware calculator.

Does StableSR support Russian?

Language does not matter for this model: it does not work with text.

Where can I download StableSR and what does it cost?

The StableSR weights are open and free to download. You only pay for the hardware it runs on and for the setup. Source links are at the bottom of this page.

How I deploy it for clients

  1. SelectionI pick the model size for your task and hardware and test it on your examples.
  2. DeploymentI deploy it on your server or in a closed network and provide an API.
  3. Fine-tuningI fine-tune it on your data (LoRA) or connect a knowledge base — whichever is cheaper for the task.
  4. IntegrationI connect it to your CRM, ERP, bot, website or team chat and set up monitoring.

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Details

Source: github.com/IceClear/StableSR. Data checked against the model card on 22 Sep 2026. Have a lawyer review the license before commercial launch.