remove.bg closes 1 December 2026

A drop-in replacement for the remove.bg API

Same request, same fields, same headers. Change one URL and your key — your code keeps working.

✓ Quick answer

How do I replace the remove.bg API?

Create a free account, copy an API key from the dashboard, and change https://api.remove.bg/v1.0/ to https://www.removingbackground.io/v1.0/. The endpoint accepts the same X-Api-Key header and form fields as remove.bg, and every account includes 50 free preview calls a month for testing.

Before and after

cURL · remove.bg

curl -H "X-Api-Key: REMOVE_BG_KEY" \
  -F "image_file=@photo.jpg" -F "size=auto" \
  -f https://api.remove.bg/v1.0/removebg -o out.png

cURL · RemovingBackground.io

curl -H "X-Api-Key: YOUR_RBG_KEY" \
  -F "image_file=@photo.jpg" -F "size=auto" \
  -f https://www.removingbackground.io/v1.0/removebg -o out.png

Python · remove.bg

requests.post("https://api.remove.bg/v1.0/removebg",
    files={"image_file": open("photo.jpg", "rb")},
    data={"size": "auto"},
    headers={"X-Api-Key": "REMOVE_BG_KEY"})

Python · RemovingBackground.io

requests.post("https://www.removingbackground.io/v1.0/removebg",
    files={"image_file": open("photo.jpg", "rb")},
    data={"size": "auto"},
    headers={"X-Api-Key": "YOUR_RBG_KEY"})

Node.js · remove.bg

fetch("https://api.remove.bg/v1.0/removebg", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": "REMOVE_BG_KEY" },
  body: form,
})

Node.js · RemovingBackground.io

fetch("https://www.removingbackground.io/v1.0/removebg", {
  method: "POST",
  headers: { "X-Api-Key": "YOUR_RBG_KEY" },
  body: form,
})

Compatibility

X-Api-Key header	Supported — use a key from your dashboard
image_file / image_file_b64 / image_url	Supported
size	preview, small, regular → free 800px preview · auto → HD if you have credits · medium, hd, full, 4k, 50MP → HD (1 credit)
type	auto, person, product, car… — accepted (our model handles all subjects)
format	auto, png, jpg, webp (zip is returned as png)
bg_color	Hex (81d4fa, #81d4fa) or colour names (white, red…)
crop, crop_margin	Supported
Accept: application/json	Returns { data: { result_b64, width, height, … } }
Response headers	X-Width, X-Height, X-Credits-Charged
GET /v1.0/account	Returns credits in the remove.bg format

Migration checklist

Create a free account and generate an API key under Dashboard → API keys.
Replace https://api.remove.bg/v1.0/ with https://www.removingbackground.io/v1.0/ in your code or plugin settings.
Swap the API key. Test with size=preview — 50 calls a month are free.
Buy a credit pack or plan for full-resolution calls. Credits never expire on packs.

remove.bg is a trademark of its owner; we are not affiliated. Compatibility covers the documented v1.0 removebg and account endpoints.

Frequently asked questions

Still have questions? Contact us

Is the remove.bg API shutting down?

remove.bg's standalone service closes on 1 December 2026 and reports say the self-serve API is being retired, with enterprise contracts handled separately. Check remove.bg's API documentation for your account.

Do I need to rewrite my integration?

Usually not. Our /v1.0/removebg endpoint accepts the same multipart request as api.remove.bg/v1.0/removebg. Change the base URL and the API key, then test with free preview calls.

How much does the API cost?

Every account gets 50 free preview calls a month. Full-resolution calls use 1 credit — from $0.005 per image on the Business plan. Credits are shared with the website.

Are images sent to the API stored?

No. API images are processed in memory and discarded after the response; they're never used for training.

Is there an upscaling API too?

Yes — POST /v1/upscale with scale=2 or 4, using the same key and credits.