What changes on 1 December 2026
remove.bg's help centre says its background removal "is moving to Canva" and that the standalone website "will no longer be available from 1 December 2026 at 9:00am CET". If you use the remove.bg API, desktop app or prepaid credits, check remove.bg's FAQ for what happens to them, and use up or export anything you have paid for before that date.
How the two compare
| This tool | remove.bg website (free use, until 1 Dec 2026) | |
|---|---|---|
| Free resolution | Your original size (up to about 16 MP) | Up to 0.25 megapixels |
| Account needed | No | No for previews; yes for full size |
| Where the photo is processed | On your device. Nothing is uploaded | On remove.bg's servers |
| Works offline | Yes, after the first image | No |
| Batch | 5 at a time free; hundreds with a pass | Paid plans and desktop app |
| Commercial use of results | Yes | Paid plans |
| API for developers | Joining the waitlist | Yes, paid |
remove.bg figures are from its help centre on 13 October 2026. Where a cell says "paid", see remove.bg's own pricing for details.
Is it as good?
For people, products and pets on a reasonably clear background, the results are close. remove.bg's server models are strong on very fine hair and difficult edges. On a computer with a recent browser, choose Best edges to use our larger model, which handles hair and fur much better than the fast default. Try your own hardest photo; it costs nothing.
How to switch in two minutes
- Bookmark this page (Ctrl+D or ⌘+D), or install it from your browser's menu so it opens like an app.
- Download anything you still need from your remove.bg account before 1 December.
- Drop your next image on the background remover. The first one downloads the model; after that it is instant.
- Processing lots of product photos? A week pass lifts the batch limit and adds one-click ZIP and marketplace presets.
Developers using the remove.bg API
We are opening a paid background-removal API at a flat per-image price, with a free sandbox. Join the API waitlist and tell us your monthly volume; we will email you once, when it is ready.