Developer docs

Background Removal API for Product Photos and Batch Jobs

Use CalculatorApp.me for practical no-watermark workflows: single uploads, seller presets, CSV jobs, and automation handoffs for ecommerce teams.

Open ToolOpenAPI JSON

API Endpoints

Authentication & access

The metered /api/v1/bg-removal/remove endpoint is authenticated with an X-API-Key header and requires thebg-removal:write scope, granted on the Pro and Enterprise plans. Rate limits and monthly quotas are enforced per key (returned inX-RateLimit-* headers). Create and manage keys in your developer dashboard.

Single Image — Authenticated API (metered, recommended)

# Requires an API key with the "bg-removal:write" scope (Pro/Enterprise plans).
# Get a key at https://calculatorapp.me/developers/dashboard
curl -X POST https://calculatorapp.me/api/v1/bg-removal/remove \
  -H "X-API-Key: cak_your_key_here" \
  -F "file=@product.jpg" \
  -F "qualityMode=balanced" \
  --output product-no-bg.png

# Responses include X-RateLimit-* headers and x-provider / x-quality-tier.
# 401 = missing/invalid key · 403 = key lacks the bg-removal:write scope (upgrade to Pro)
# 429 = rate or monthly quota exceeded

Single Image — Unmetered (web tool endpoint)

curl -X POST https://calculatorapp.me/api/tools/bg-removal/remove \
  -F "file=@product.jpg" \
  -F "qualityMode=balanced" \
  --output product-no-bg.png

CSV Job

curl -X POST https://calculatorapp.me/api/tools/bg-removal/batch-csv \
  -F "csv=@products.csv" \
  -F "images=@shoe-front.jpg" \
  -F "images=@mug-side.png"

Provider Status

curl https://calculatorapp.me/api/tools/bg-removal/provider-status

Public routes return no API keys or provider secrets. Private/local mode can be enabled on your own deployment.

Production AI Provider Setup

Use BG_REMOVAL_PROVIDER=auto for production. The runtime prefers real AI matting providers first, then falls back only when no provider is configured or a provider is temporarily unavailable.

# Production default: real AI first, fallback last
BG_REMOVAL_PROVIDER=auto

# Preferred cloud AI provider
REMOVEBG_API_KEY=your-removebg-key

# Optional alternate cloud AI provider
CLIPDROP_API_KEY=your-clipdrop-key

# Optional private/self-hosted AI provider
BG_REMOVAL_LOCAL_ENDPOINT=http://127.0.0.1:8789/remove-background
BG_REMOVAL_LOCAL_MODEL_ID=your-licensed-model-id
BG_REMOVAL_LOCAL_MODEL_LICENSE=commercial

Provider order in auto mode

remove.bg, then Clipdrop/Jasper, then a private/local model endpoint, then the built-in fallback. The provider-status endpoint reports only provider names and booleans; it never exposes keys, endpoint URLs, model paths, or account details.

If the local model is BRIA RMBG-2.0, configure it for production only after the correct commercial license is in place.

Batch CSV / Job Mode

CSV jobs are built for sellers and agencies who need finished assets by SKU. Upload a CSV manifest plus matching image files; the response includes a ZIP and row-level success or failure.

sku,image_file,preset,output_name,output_format
SKU-1001,shoe-front.jpg,amazon-product-main,SKU-1001-main,jpg
SKU-1002,mug-side.png,shopify-product-photo,SKU-1002-shopify,jpg
SKU-1003,portrait.webp,linkedin-headshot,team-headshot,jpg
ColumnRequiredNotes
skuYesUsed in row status and default output names.
image_fileYesMust match one uploaded image filename.
presetNoamazon-product-main, shopify-product-photo, etsy-listing-photo, passport-photo, linkedin-headshot, instagram-product-post, white-background-jpg.
output_nameNoSafe filename stem for the ZIP entry.
output_formatNopng, jpg, or jpeg. Presets choose a default when omitted.

WordPress and Shopify Snippets

WordPress / WooCommerce

add_action('woocommerce_product_options_general_product_data', function () {
  echo '<p class="form-field"><a class="button" href="https://calculatorapp.me/bg-remover" target="_blank">Open free background remover</a></p>';
});

// Automation pattern:
// 1. Export product image URLs from WooCommerce.
// 2. Download originals into a folder.
// 3. Upload products.csv + files to /api/tools/bg-removal/batch-csv.
// 4. Import the returned ZIP images back into the media library.

Shopify Theme or Admin Note

{% comment %}
  Admin workflow snippet:
  Export products as CSV, add an image_file column matching local filenames,
  process with CalculatorApp.me CSV job mode, then upload returned images.
{% endcomment %}

<a href="https://calculatorapp.me/bg-remover" target="_blank" rel="noopener">
  Prepare white-background product photos
</a>

Zapier / Make-Style Workflows

Zapier-style product cleanup

  1. 1. Trigger when a new product row is added to a spreadsheet.
  2. 2. Download image files from the source URLs into the automation workspace.
  3. 3. POST products.csv and images to /api/tools/bg-removal/batch-csv.
  4. 4. Save the returned ZIP to Drive, Dropbox, or a product-ops folder.
  5. 5. Notify the ecommerce team with the job ID and failed row list.

Make-style marketplace publishing

  1. 1. Watch a Shopify or WooCommerce product feed.
  2. 2. Build CSV rows with sku, image_file, preset, output_name, and output_format.
  3. 3. Run the CSV job using Amazon, Shopify, Etsy, or white-background JPG presets.
  4. 4. Upload successful outputs back to the product record.
  5. 5. Route failed rows to a manual review queue.

Agency batch handoff

  1. 1. Collect client images and a CSV manifest per marketplace.
  2. 2. Run one job per client or campaign.
  3. 3. Deliver the ZIP plus row manifest as proof of work.
  4. 4. Reuse the same preset schema across repeat campaigns.