The drop-in remove.bg API alternative
Same request fields, same multipart/JSON shape, same image-bytes response. Change the URL and the auth header; keep everything else. Credits from $9 for 100 images, no subscription, never expire.
Change two lines
Your remove.bg request, before and after. The field names do not change.
# before
curl -H 'X-Api-Key: REMOVE_BG_KEY' \
-F '[email protected]' -F 'size=auto' \
https://api.remove.bg/v1.0/removebg -o no-bg.png
# after — same fields, new URL + header
curl -H 'Authorization: Bearer bgc_live_YOUR_KEY' \
-F '[email protected]' -F 'size=auto' \
https://www.bgclear.ai/api/v1/remove -o no-bg.pngField-by-field mapping
| Field | remove.bg | bgclear |
|---|---|---|
| Endpoint | POST https://api.remove.bg/v1.0/removebg | POST https://www.bgclear.ai/api/v1/remove |
| Auth | X-Api-Key: KEY | Authorization: Bearer bgc_live_KEY |
| image_file / image_url / image_file_b64 | multipart or JSON | identical — send exactly one |
| size | auto · preview · regular · full · hd · 4k · 50MP | auto · preview (free, ≤800 px) · full (1 credit) |
| format | png · jpg · webp · zip | png · jpg · webp (zip: use png/webp) |
| bg_color | hex | hex or transparent (default) |
| crop | true/false | true/false |
| type, roi, scale, position, add_shadow | supported | ignored — subject is auto-detected |
| Response | image bytes + X-Credits-Charged | image bytes + X-Credits-Charged/Remaining, or JSON with Accept: application/json |
| Errors | {"errors":[{title, code}]} | {"error":{code, message, docs}} — 400 / 402 / 429 |
What you pay after the switch
remove.bg (until 1 Dec 2026)
Subscription 40 credits/month ≈ $0.18 per image; pay-as-you-go from ≈ $0.79 per image. Credits expire at the shutdown. Listed on remove.bg/pricing, September 2026.
bgclear
$9 / 100 · $39 / 500 · $129 / 2,000 — $0.065–0.09 per image. No subscription. Credits never expire. Previews free. Failed jobs never charged. 10 free credits with your first key.
Leonardo.Ai (remove.bg's successor)
A different API and request shape, credit-priced across generative features (upscale, scenes, video). Right if you want that toolkit; a rewrite if you only need cutouts.
Migration in five steps
- 1.Grep for api.remove.bg and X-Api-Key; list every caller and the parameters it sends.
- 2.Create a key on the API dashboard (10 free full-resolution credits included).
- 3.Swap the URL and the auth header; drop type / roi / zip if you used them.
- 4.Run 20 real images at size=preview (free) and compare edges; then switch to auto or full.
- 5.Add an Idempotency-Key header and a low-balance alert on X-Credits-Remaining; buy a pack sized to a month.
Honest differences
No zip (colour + alpha) output — request png or webp for transparency. No type, roi, scale, position or add_shadow; the model detects the subject itself, and shadows belong in your compositing step. Synchronous requests at full size are capped at 4 MP so they finish in under 30 seconds — larger images go through async jobs (up to 50 MP). Rate limit is 60 requests a minute per key. We have not run a public edge-quality benchmark against remove.bg; the free previews exist so you can run your own.
FAQ
Is bgclear a drop-in replacement for the remove.bg API?
For the parameters almost every integration uses — image_file, image_url, image_file_b64, size, format, bg_color, crop — yes: same names, same meaning. You change the base URL and the auth header. Not supported: the zip output format and the type, roi, scale, position and add_shadow parameters.
What happens to my remove.bg credits?
remove.bg's pricing page states credits expire on 1 December 2026 at 9:00 CET, when the standalone site closes and background removal moves to Leonardo.Ai (Canva). Use them before then; nothing transfers.
How much does bgclear cost compared with remove.bg?
bgclear credit packs: $9 for 100 images, $39 for 500, $129 for 2,000 — $0.065–0.09 per image, no subscription, credits never expire, previews free. remove.bg's listed subscription is 40 credits a month (about $0.18 per image) and pay-as-you-go starts near $0.79 per image.
Can I test before I buy?
Yes. Preview-size results (up to 800 px) are free without limit, and your first API key includes 10 full-resolution credits. Run your own product images through preview mode and compare edges before switching traffic.
Do you support bulk and large images?
POST /api/v1/jobs processes images up to 50 MP asynchronously with an optional signed callback; POST /api/v1/jobs/batch takes 50 image URLs per call. Failed jobs are never charged; results stay downloadable for 24 hours.