1
Create a key
Start a Business trial and generate an API key from your account. Keep it server-side and send it with the x-api-key header.
Production Cutouts
The Background Removal API built for developers.
Production-ready cutouts at scale. Simple REST interface, pixel-faithful results, and controls to match your brand’s look.
New: 7-day free trial · first 1,000 API calls on us →Trusted by teams at
- API uptime
- 99.98%
- Images processed monthly
- 50M+
- Median response time
- <500ms
Industry workflows
Explore a few of the workflows we're built for
Start with the workflow that looks closest to yours, then jump into the dedicated industry page for the deeper story, examples, and implementation guidance.
Input
→
Output
Marketplaces
Seller uploads, standardized outputs, and catalog consistency at scale.
Input
→
Output
Fashion & apparel
Flat lays, on-model shots, and clean merch-ready assets for collections.
Input
→
Output
AI pipelines
Stable preprocessing, queue-safe automation, and predictable outputs.
Integration
Integrate the API in minutes, then tune it like production.
BackgroundErase is a small HTTP surface with practical controls for real image pipelines. Start with one request, then add the exact output flags your app needs.
2
Send an image
Upload multipart files, pass an image URL, or send base64 from the systems already moving your product photos around.
3
Tune the output
Use the same flags exposed in the Playground for format, channels, crop, size, despill, and background color.
POST /v2
curl -H "x-api-key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
-f https://api.backgrounderase.com/v2 \
-F "image_file=@/path/to/image.jpg" \
-o output.png
Same contract from prototype to production
formatchannelssizecropdespillbg_color
Use your API key in the x-api-key header. Responses return a transparent PNG unless you request a different
output.
Live request builder
Try the production API live
Upload an image, choose the same flags available in the API, and inspect the response before you wire BackgroundErase into your app.
Every flag
Test format, channels, size, crop, despill, and bg_color before wiring production traffic.
Real payloads
The Playground builds the same multipart or JSON request shape your integration will send.
Inspect results
Compare input/output metadata, preview transparency, download results, and copy request examples.
Production confidence
Built for real API traffic
The practical controls teams look for before moving background removal into customer-facing products, batch pipelines, and high-volume catalog workflows.
Privacy
Read policy No training by default
Customer uploads are not used to train or improve our models unless you explicitly opt in.
Retention
View retention Short retention window
Uploaded images are stored for a short operational safety window and then automatically deleted.
Scale
Open docs Batch and live workflows
Use the same HTTP contract behind upload flows, queue workers, catalog jobs, and internal tools.
Enterprise
See options Enterprise controls
For stricter needs, Enterprise can cover security reviews, SLAs, private infrastructure, and rollout support.
Languages
Browse GitHub 30+ integration examples
Browse working examples across Node, Python, Go, Java, Swift, Kotlin, PHP, C#, Rust, and more.
Deployments
Read Docker guide Docker and private paths
Use the same API contract in Docker workflows, private environments, and stricter infrastructure rollouts.
Backends
Plan backend flow Workers, queues, and serverless
Drop the plain HTTP endpoint into queue processors, serverless functions, admin tools, and scheduled image pipelines.
Inputs
Open request docs Files, URLs, and base64
Send multipart uploads from apps, fetch remote image URLs, or pass base64 when an upstream platform already stores encoded images.
Built for your stack
Integrate from code, queues, or deployment paths
BackgroundErase is a plain HTTP API with examples across more than 30 languages, plus guidance for backend workers, Docker workflows, and flexible image inputs.
Live API demo
API pricing that just makes sense
Designed for developers and businesses building at scale. Choose the self-serve Business plan to start instantly, or talk to our team for an enterprise solution.
Business
7-day free trial · first 1,000 API calls on usEverything you need to deploy BackgroundErase in production.
$20 /month
Start free trial+ $0.01 / image
- API and web app access
- Usage dashboard & API analytics
- Email support (24h)
How many images your monthly budget buys
- BackgroundErase 18,000
- Photoroom 10,000
- Clipdrop 6,666
- pixelcut 4,000
- cutout.pro 3,448
- removal.ai 2,000
- remove.bg 1,269
* Public list prices as of Mar 2026; your costs may vary. BackgroundErase Business: $20/mo + $0.01/image.
Enterprise
Tailored infrastructure and SLAs for teams at scale.
Custom
Talk to salesAs low as $0.0025 / image
- Everything in Business
- Dedicated support & onboarding
- Security reviews & enterprise SLAs
FAQ
API questions, answered directly
The practical details developers and product teams usually need before moving background removal into a live workflow.
Need a custom deployment path?
Enterprise can cover private infrastructure, higher limits, procurement, security reviews, and dedicated rollout support.
Looking for a model license?
Licensing can cover custom agreements for model access, deployment rights, usage scope, and support terms when the standard API is not the right fit.
Want to test Enterprise at scale?
We can provide a no-cost, short-lived Enterprise API key so your team can run thousands of images on our Enterprise platform before committing.
API & integration
How quickly can my team ship a first API integration?
Most teams can get a first server-side request running in minutes: create an API key, send a multipart image_file request to
https://api.backgrounderase.com/v2, and store the returned image bytes. The docs and Playground cover the same request shape.Can I test production API flags before I write code?
Yes. The Playground exposes the core API flags, including format, channels, size, crop, despill, and bg_color. You can upload an image or use a sample, run the request, inspect the result, and copy the generated request example.
What input types does the API support?
You can send multipart file uploads, image URLs, or base64 image data. Multipart is usually best for backend services and batch workers; URL or base64 can be useful for upstream systems where the image is already remote or encoded.
What does the API return?
By default, the API returns image bytes for a transparent foreground cutout. You can also request JPG or WebP output, flatten against a bg_color, or ask for an alpha mask when your own renderer handles compositing.
Is this built for batch jobs as well as interactive products?
Yes. The API works well behind upload flows, admin tools, queue workers, catalog normalization jobs, and scheduled pipelines. If you expect very high concurrency or bursty workloads, Enterprise can provision dedicated capacity and rollout support.
Do you support high-resolution or unusual production images?
The API is designed for common production image formats and high-resolution commercial workflows. For extremely large files, atypical assets, or strict output requirements, Enterprise can review limits and tune the workflow with you.
Do I need an SDK?
No. BackgroundErase is a plain HTTP API, so it works from Node, Python, Go, Java, PHP, C#, Swift, Kotlin, Rust, queue workers, shell scripts, and anything else that can send a POST request.
Which output format should I choose?
Use PNG when you need transparency, JPG when you want a flattened image with broad compatibility, and WebP when you want smaller files with modern format support. The detailed guide is API output formats.
What can I do about rough edges, halos, or color spill?
Start with a sharp, well-framed source image and use the API flags that fit the problem. For green-screen style color bleed, try despill; for general edge quality, review Fixing rough edges and halos and Despill.
Privacy, ownership & content
How private are uploaded images?
BackgroundErase is built for commercial image workflows where customer and product data matter. Images are retained only as needed to operate and troubleshoot the service, and Enterprise customers can discuss stricter handling, security reviews, and private deployment options.
Do you train on my uploaded images?
No, not by default. Uploads are not used to train or improve our models unless you explicitly opt in from your account. Read the detailed policy in Are my uploads used to train your models?.
How long are uploaded images stored?
Uploaded images are stored for a short 24-hour safety window and then automatically deleted, unless a separate opt-in, legal requirement, or enterprise agreement changes that handling. See How long are uploaded images stored? for the full explanation.
Do I keep ownership of my input images?
Yes. Uploading an image to BackgroundErase does not transfer ownership to us, and processing a background removal does not make the original or resulting asset ours. The longer version is in Do I keep ownership of my images?.
Can I use BackgroundErase for commercial work?
Yes. You can use Studio or the API for commercial workflows such as ecommerce images, client work, marketplace listings, ads, catalogs, SaaS features, and internal tools. Details are covered in Can I use BackgroundErase for commercial work?.
What content is allowed?
Normal product photography, portraits, inventory images, creative work, and other legitimate image-processing workflows are allowed. Harmful, exploitative, sexually explicit, abusive, dangerous, or illegal content is prohibited; see What content am I allowed to upload?.
Pricing, plans & enterprise
How does pricing work for developers?
The self-serve Business plan includes API access for a monthly platform fee plus per-image usage. Enterprise pricing is available for higher volume, custom deployment needs, procurement requirements, or usage as low as $0.0025 per image.
Which plans include API access?
API keys are available on Business and Enterprise plans. Starter is designed for Studio use rather than automated API workflows. For plan-by-plan detail, see API access: which plans include it?.
How should I manage API keys safely?
Treat API keys like passwords: keep them server-side, do not commit them to GitHub, and rotate or revoke keys when access changes. The account workflow is covered in Manage API keys.
Can Enterprise support stricter privacy or compliance needs?
Yes. Enterprise can support stricter data handling conversations, including zero-retention options, dedicated infrastructure, DPAs, procurement review, and security documentation. Start with Enterprise privacy and data handling.
What support is available when this becomes production-critical?
Business includes email support. Enterprise can add onboarding, security review help, priority channels, custom SLAs, and deployment guidance for teams depending on background removal in live product workflows.
Ready to build?
Start testing BackgroundErase with your own images.
Create a key, run the same request shape shown above, and move from a playground test to a production integration without changing APIs.
7-day trial
Start with the Business API plan.
1,000 API calls
Included for initial testing.
Enterprise test key
Available for larger evaluations.