remove.bg Is Shutting Down (Dec 1, 2026) — What Happens & How to Migrate

remove.bg's standalone website is shutting down. Per remove.bg's own announcement, the site will no longer be available from 1 December 2026 at 9:00am CET. Background removal continues only inside Canva — where the feature sits behind a Canva Pro subscription.

If you used remove.bg for product photos, IDs/passports, logos or thumbnails, here is what is changing, what to do before the deadline, and where to go afterwards.

What is happening, exactly

Canva (which acquired remove.bg) is retiring the standalone remove.bg website and app experience. After 1 December 2026:

• The removebg.com website stops serving — bookmarks and saved links stop working.
• Background removal lives inside Canva, and removing backgrounds there is gated behind Canva Pro.
• The old pay-as-you-go credit model is gone — Canva works on a monthly subscription, not one-off credit packs.

Timeline

| Date | What happens | |---|---| | Now | Standalone site still works — download what you need while you can | | 1 Dec 2026, 9:00 CET | Standalone website no longer available | | After | Background remover only inside Canva (Pro feature) |

What happens to your remove.bg credits?

This is the part remove.bg has not fully clarified — and the question being asked loudest on Reddit and Threads. remove.bg historically sold pay-as-you-go credit packs; what happens to unused credits after the migration (refund, conversion to Canva credits, or forfeiture) hasn't been spelled out publicly.

Practical advice: don't wait for an answer.

• Use remaining credits on the standalone site before 1 December.
• Download your removal history / past results while your account still works.
• Screenshot your subscription and billing details in case you need to dispute a charge later.

What to do before December 1

1. Spend or write off your credits — don't buy more on the old site.
2. Export your past cut-outs — download anything you might reuse.
3. Update bookmarks and team docs — point them at your new tool.
4. Pick a replacement now, not on December 2 — you have time to test quality on real images (hair, fur, product edges) instead of switching in a panic.

A replacement that keeps the pay-as-you-go model

What this migration takes away is exactly what NewRemoveBG keeps:

• Free preview on every image, no account needed — see the cut-out before paying anything.
• One-off credit packs, no subscription required — from $7.99 for 100 HD removals.
• Credits never expire — buy 300 today, use the last one next year.
• Transparent PNG and full-resolution HD output, no Canva Pro in sight.

Try it free — no signup →

Frequently asked questions

When exactly does remove.bg shut down?

The standalone website will no longer be available from 1 December 2026 at 9:00am CET, per remove.bg's own FAQ. After that, background removal is only available inside Canva.

Will remove.bg work inside Canva?

Yes — the feature continues inside Canva, but it is a Canva Pro feature. If you only need background removal (not the whole design suite), a one-off credit tool like NewRemoveBG is usually cheaper.

What happens to the credits I already bought?

remove.bg hasn't publicly clarified the fate of unused pay-as-you-go credits after the migration. Use them before 1 December 2026 and download your removal history while the site still works.

Is there a free alternative after the shutdown?

Yes — NewRemoveBG previews every image for free with no account, and full-resolution downloads come from one-off packs that start at $7.99 with credits that never expire.