remove.bg is shutting down: what happens on 1 December 2026
Yes. remove.bg’s FAQ says its standalone website will no longer be available from 1 December 2026 at 9:00 CET. Background removal moves into Canva, the self-service API moves to Leonardo.Ai, and unused pay-as-you-go credits expire the same day. Existing Enterprise API contracts continue as normal.
Last checked against remove.bg’s FAQ on 11 November 2026. Read the FAQ
The short version
| What | What happens | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Website and accounts | What happens:Unavailable from 1 December 2026, 9:00 CET | Source:remove.bg FAQ |
| Pay-as-you-go credits | What happens:Unused credits expire on 1 December 2026 | Source:remove.bg FAQ |
| Monthly subscriptions | What happens:Keep working until 1 December, then end. A final renewal on or after 1 November is free. | Source:remove.bg FAQ |
| Annual subscriptions | What happens:End on 1 December with a pro-rata refund for unused time. No action needed. | Source:remove.bg FAQ |
| Self-service API | What happens:Stops accepting requests on 1 December. The API moves to Leonardo.Ai. | Source:remove.bg FAQLeonardo.Ai |
| Enterprise API contracts | What happens:Continue as normal | Source:remove.bg FAQ |
| Photoshop plugin | What happens:Not available after 1 December. remove.bg suggests Affinity, whose background removal needs Canva Pro. | Source:remove.bg FAQ |
| Other integrations and plugins | What happens:Discontinued on 1 December | Source:remove.bg FAQ |
| Invoices and usage reports | What happens:Export them before 1 December. They can’t be downloaded afterwards. | Source:remove.bg FAQ |
Why remove.bg is closing
remove.bg has been part of Canva since 2021. Its FAQ says Canva has built background removal into its own platform, so instead of running two separate products it is bringing everything into Canva’s tools. remove.bg hasn’t given any other reason, and we won’t guess.
If you used the website
remove.bg sends website users to Canva’s Background Remover, which its FAQ says uses the same technology, and to Canva’s bulk background removal for batches. You remove the background inside a Canva design.
If you would rather use something free that runs in your browser, there are options, including Cut Remove Done. Here is how it compares as a remove.bg alternative.
If you used the API
The self-service API stops accepting requests on 1 December 2026. remove.bg now points API users to Leonardo.Ai, which is also part of Canva. Enterprise API contracts are not affected.
- New account and key. Your remove.bg credentials don’t carry over.
- New endpoint. Leonardo lists parameter and response differences and covers them in its migration guide.
- Different billing. You buy API credit in US dollars up front, and the cost depends on the capability you call, instead of one credit per image.
- Lower standard rate limit. Leonardo lists 100 images a minute as standard, against up to 500 at remove.bg, with higher limits on request.
Some providers also offer APIs that copy remove.bg’s interface, so less of your code changes. Cut Remove Done is building one, planned to open before 1 December. It isn’t live yet. Our migration page shows the status and a checklist that helps whichever option you pick.
From Leonardo.Ai’s announcement of 28 August 2026, read on 11 November 2026. Leonardo.Ai post
If you used the Photoshop, Figma or other plugins
remove.bg says its Photoshop plugin won’t be available after 1 December 2026 and suggests Affinity, which is free to use but needs a Canva Pro subscription for background removal. All of remove.bg’s other integrations and plugins end the same day.
Cut Remove Done’s Photoshop, Figma and Chrome plugins are planned but not available yet. You can follow the Photoshop plugin here.
What to do before 1 December
- Use your remaining credits. Unused pay-as-you-go credits expire on 1 December.
- Export invoices and usage reports from your remove.bg Account page. You can’t download them afterwards.
- Download images you still need from anywhere that links to remove.bg.
- Find every place your code calls
api.remove.bg, including plugins, scripts, Zapier steps and cron jobs. - Pick a replacement and test it on your real images before the deadline.
For the longer version, read our checklist for moving off remove.bg.
FAQ
Is remove.bg shutting down?
Yes. According to its FAQ, the standalone website will no longer be available from 1 December 2026 at 9:00 CET.
What happens to my remove.bg credits?
Unused pay-as-you-go credits expire on 1 December 2026. remove.bg recommends using them before then. They don’t move to Canva or Leonardo.Ai.
Will I get a refund for my subscription?
Annual subscribers get a pro-rata refund for unused time after 1 December, with no action needed. Monthly subscriptions end automatically, and a final renewal on or after 1 November is free.
Does the remove.bg API still work after 1 December?
The self-service API stops accepting requests on 1 December 2026. Enterprise API contracts continue. remove.bg’s API is now offered through Leonardo.Ai.
Do my remove.bg API keys work on Leonardo.Ai?
No. Leonardo.Ai says you need a new account and a new API key, and the endpoint and parameters are different.
What happens to the Photoshop plugin?
remove.bg says it won’t be available after 1 December 2026. Its other integrations and plugins are discontinued on the same day.
Can I still download my invoices after the shutdown?
No. remove.bg says to export your credit usage report and invoices from your Account page before 1 December.
Is Cut Remove Done connected to remove.bg?
No. Cut Remove Done is an independent product by Vexoris Development Products and has no connection to remove.bg, Kaleido or Canva.
Updates to this post
- 11 November 2026: First published. Every remove.bg fact checked against its FAQ, and the API details against Leonardo.Ai’s post.