Remove backgrounds from any image in 3 seconds using BiRefNet. Transparent PNG output, $0.002/image. The cheapest Remove.bg alternative for developers.
import requests
# Upload an image and get transparent PNG back
with open("photo.jpg", "rb") as f:
response = requests.post("https://api.pixelapi.dev/v1/background-removal",
headers={"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY"},
files={"image": f}
)
with open("no_background.png", "wb") as f:
f.write(response.content)
print("Background removed! Transparent PNG saved.")// JavaScript / Node.js
const fs = require("fs");
const FormData = require("form-data");
const form = new FormData();
form.append("image", fs.createReadStream("photo.jpg"));
const response = await fetch("https://api.pixelapi.dev/v1/background-removal", {
method: "POST",
headers: {
"Authorization": "Bearer YOUR_API_KEY",
...form.getHeaders()
},
body: form
});
const buffer = Buffer.from(await response.arrayBuffer());
fs.writeFileSync("no_background.png", buffer);$0.002/image vs Remove.bg's $0.20–1.00. Process 1,000 images for $2 instead of $200+.
State-of-the-art bilateral reference network. Handles hair, fur, transparent objects, and complex edges with precision.
Each image processed in ~3 seconds on dedicated NVIDIA RTX GPUs. No cold starts, no queuing.
Product photos, catalog images, marketplace listings — automate background removal at scale.
Upload an image, get a transparent PNG back. No callbacks, no webhooks. Synchronous response.
100 free credits = 50 free background removals. Test quality on your images before committing.
| Provider | Price / Image | Speed | Model | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PixelAPI | $0.002 | ~3s | BiRefNet | 50 images free |
| Remove.bg | $0.20–1.00 | ~3s | Proprietary | 1 free/month (preview) |
| Photoroom API | $0.10+ | ~2s | Proprietary | Limited |
| Cloudinary | $0.04+ | ~5s | Proprietary | 25 credits/month |
| Replicate (BiRefNet) | $0.01+ | ~5s | BiRefNet | Limited |
Clean white backgrounds for Amazon, Shopify, and marketplace listings. Process entire catalogs automatically.
Remove backgrounds from headshots for ID cards, social media avatars, and professional profiles.
Extract subjects for compositing, collages, and design automation pipelines.
PixelAPI charges 2 credits ($0.002) per background removal. Compare to Remove.bg at $0.20–1.00/image. You get 100 free credits on signup — 50 free background removals.
PixelAPI uses BiRefNet, a state-of-the-art bilateral reference network that handles hair detail, semi-transparent objects, and complex edges. Comparable to or better than Remove.bg for most use cases.
Send any common image format (JPEG, PNG, WebP). The API always returns a transparent PNG with the background removed.
Yes. The API processes each image independently in ~3 seconds. Send multiple requests concurrently for batch processing. Rate limits depend on your plan.
PixelAPI is 100x cheaper ($0.002 vs $0.20+/image) with comparable quality using BiRefNet. Remove.bg offers a web UI and Photoshop plugin; PixelAPI is API-first for developers.