HitPaw FotorPea vs SoftOrbits Photo Retoucher

HitPaw FotorPea is an AI photo tool for image enhancement, background removal, and editing. It lists nine AI models, including General, Denoise, Face, and Colorize, and can upscale pictures to HD, 2K, 4K, 8K, and 16K resolution. Other capabilities include AI image generation, object removal, photo editing, batch enhancement, scratch repair, and a Photoshop plugin for enhancement and restoration. The plugin has subscriptions and credits separate from the main software. Listed inputs include PNG, JPG, JPEG, WebP, TIF, TGA, BMP, JFIF, NEF, and RAW; outputs include PNG, JPG, JPEG, WebP, TIF, TGA, BMP, and JFIF. HitPaw says its desktop product processes photos on the device without uploading them. Desktop requirements are Windows 11/10 64-bit or macOS 10.15 or later, at least 8 GB RAM, and 2 GB free disk space. Listed prices include $21.99 a month, $22.39 a month for the multi-platform plan, $89.99 a year, and $129.99, paid once; taxes are excluded. Windows and Mac licenses are not interchangeable.

SoftOrbits Photo Retoucher uses AI tools to restore old and damaged photos, addressing imperfections, noise, and blur while colorizing black-and-white images. It can detect scratches, dust, and print damage; the maker says the process preserves film grain. A face-restoration model is intended for blurry, scratched, or low-resolution pictures, and the product page says images can be enlarged up to 800%. Generative AI removes unwanted objects and restores backgrounds, while brushes and cleanup layers support localized manual corrections. Batch processing can handle multiple pictures or a whole folder. Desktop restoration runs locally without an internet connection, and the maker says photos are not uploaded to a server. The browser tool supports PNG, JPEG, JPG, WebP, and HEIC. Severe damage or missing areas may need manual touch-ups; the maker says it has tested images up to 25 megapixels. The software does not control a scanner, but scanned photos can be opened for restoration. A free trial is available, and the online tool can restore a photo or two at no cost. The product is paid, with no free plan.