Topaz Video AI Alternatives for Mac: Apple Silicon and Intel Options in 2026

The short answer

The right Topaz alternative for your Mac depends mostly on its chip. On an Apple Silicon Mac (M1 or later), most desktop enhancers will run, including KwaFlux. On an Intel Mac, the list shrinks to a few tools that still support Intel, because Topaz Video and several newer apps now require Apple Silicon.

• Topaz Video needs macOS 13 or later on an M-series Mac. It doesn't support Intel Macs.
• On an Intel Mac, your choices are the legacy Topaz Video AI (if you already own it), Aiarty, UniFab (on a Mac with a dedicated GPU), or DaVinci Resolve Studio.
• On Apple Silicon you have more options: KwaFlux, HitPaw VikPea, AVCLabs, Aiarty, UniFab, and Resolve Studio.
• Check whether one license covers both Mac and PC. HitPaw and VideoProc licenses work on one platform only. A KwaFlux license covers 2 devices in any mix of Mac and Windows.

In this guide, you'll learn how to check your Mac, which tools run on it, how their licenses handle a mix of Mac and PC, and how to test them before you buy.

Requirements and license terms come from each vendor's page, read on 24 October 2026 (see Sources). We didn't benchmark speed or quality. KwaFlux is our product and runs only on Apple Silicon, so on Intel Macs we point you to other tools.

Contents

1. What does Topaz Video need on a Mac?
2. Step 1: Check your Mac's chip and macOS
3. Mac alternatives at a glance
4. Options for Apple Silicon Macs
5. Options for Intel Macs
6. Mac and PC on one license
7. How to do it in KwaFlux on a Mac
8. Troubleshooting
9. FAQ

What does Topaz Video need on a Mac?

Topaz Video needs macOS 13 or later, an M-series chip, at least 16 GB of memory, and 45 GB of storage. Topaz recommends an M-series Pro, Max, or Ultra chip with 32 GB or more. Running Starlight Mini locally needs a Pro license plus macOS 15, an M-series Pro, Max, or Ultra chip, and 36 GB of memory.

Intel Macs aren't supported. The older Topaz Video AI did support Intel Macs with at least 4 GB of VRAM. It still works for people who own it, but it gets no more updates.

Step 1: Check your Mac's chip and macOS

1. Click the Apple menu and choose About This Mac.
2. Look at the Chip line. If it says Apple M1 or later, you have Apple Silicon. If you see a Processor line that says Intel, you have an Intel Mac.
3. Note the macOS version and the Memory amount.

Sidenote: On an Intel Mac, also check Graphics in the same window. Some tools need a dedicated AMD GPU and won't use integrated Intel graphics.

Mac alternatives at a glance

Options for Apple Silicon Macs

If your Mac has an M-series chip, choose on license terms and memory:

• 8 GB Macs: KwaFlux and HitPaw VikPea both list 8 GB as their minimum. Topaz and AVCLabs list 16 GB. On 8 GB, expect longer renders and stick to modest output sizes.
• Pay-once licenses: KwaFlux's Perpetual License, AVCLabs lifetime ($299.99), HitPaw perpetual ($437.99 list), Aiarty lifetime, and UniFab lifetime.
• Mac and PC, one price: KwaFlux's Perpetual License lists at $199.99 once and covers 2 devices in any mix, so a MacBook and a Windows desktop share one license. HitPaw's Mac yearly plan alone was $110.39 on sale, and its licenses don't carry over to Windows.
• More than upscaling: the same KwaFlux license includes AI Beauty, AI Color Grading, audio enhancement, and Converter, so one app covers restoration, retouching, and delivery.
• You edit in Final Cut Pro or Resolve: a separate app means exporting a clip, enhancing it, and importing it back. Resolve Studio's Super Scale works inside the Resolve timeline, so there's no round trip.

Options for Intel Macs

Intel Macs have fewer choices:

1. Keep Topaz Video AI 7 if you own it. It still runs on supported Intel Macs. It won't get new models, but nothing stops working. See what legacy owners can do.
2. Aiarty Video Enhancer. Its page lists macOS 13 or later on both Intel and Apple Silicon.
3. UniFab. Supports 2015-or-later Macs with a dedicated GPU.
4. Cloud tools. Your Mac only uploads and downloads, so the chip doesn't matter. The cost is uploads and per-minute pricing.
5. Free route. FFmpeg runs on Intel Macs and can upscale with standard filters such as Lanczos. That isn't AI reconstruction, but it does produce a cleaner resize. See free Topaz alternatives.

Pro tip: Intel Macs from 2018 to 2020 often have macOS 13 to 15 available. Updating macOS can open up a tool whose minimum is macOS 13. Check Apple's compatibility list before you update.

Mac and PC on one license

If you work on both a Mac and a Windows PC, check whether a license covers both:

• HitPaw says a Windows license can't be used on a Mac, and the other way around. Its Mac monthly and yearly plans also cost more than the Windows ones.
• VideoProc licenses are platform-specific.
• Topaz Video runs on one computer at a time.
• KwaFlux allows 2 devices per license, in any mix of Windows and Mac.

How to do it in KwaFlux on a Mac

1. Download the Mac installer from the download page. Choose the network installer (KwaFluxWebSetup) or the offline installer package, then drag KwaFlux into Applications.
2. Open KwaFlux. The first time, macOS asks whether to open it. Click Open.
3. Import a clip and go to Quality Enhancement. Pick AI Video Upscaler, or Quality Repair for compressed sources.
4. Preview 1, 3, or 5 seconds. You don't need an account.
5. Compare the preview with the same clip in your current tool.

[Screenshot: KwaFlux on macOS, Quality Enhancement with a preview of an upscaled clip]

For more about the Mac version, see KwaFlux on Mac.

Troubleshooting

Final thoughts

On Apple Silicon you have plenty of choices, so pick on license terms and memory. If you also work on a PC, a license that covers both, like KwaFlux's, saves buying twice. On an Intel Mac, keep your Topaz Video AI 7 license if you have one, or look at the few tools that still support Intel.

KwaFlux runs AI upscaling and repair on macOS 12 or newer on Apple Silicon, as well as Windows 10 (64-bit, version 1809 or later) and Windows 11. AI processing runs locally on your GPU, and media files are not uploaded for processing. Previews need no account: render a 1-, 3-, or 5-second preview on any clip. You only need to sign in with an active paid plan to export, convert, repair a file, or download a file from a link.

Download KwaFlux · See plans

Related reading: Topaz Video AI alternatives compared

Topaz Labs, Topaz Video, and Topaz Video AI are trademarks of Topaz Labs, LLC. Other product names belong to their respective owners. KwaFlux is an independent product and isn't affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed by any of them. Competitor information comes from the public pages listed above as of the access dates shown and may change.