Open-Weight Model vs API Model#

15 examples. Quantitative metrics (MGE, MAE, Connectivity) require ground-truth alpha mattes. Use the view controls on each row to switch between transparency, chroma key, and alpha matte on all outputs. Metric scores are shown as ? until ground truth is added.

Original photo: alexander dummer ncyGJJ0TSLM
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: alexander dummer ncyGJJ0TSLM
Transparency
API Model background removed: alexander dummer ncyGJJ0TSLM
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Alexander Dummer on Unsplash

Original photo: andreas rasmussen wdhQcnLlXbU
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: andreas rasmussen wdhQcnLlXbU
Transparency
API Model background removed: andreas rasmussen wdhQcnLlXbU
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Andreas Rasmussen on Unsplash

Original photo: camila quintero franco FdPhHdr34II
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: camila quintero franco FdPhHdr34II
Transparency
API Model background removed: camila quintero franco FdPhHdr34II
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Camila Quintero Franco on Unsplash

Original photo: conor samuel T8p7Ak4HjF4
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: conor samuel T8p7Ak4HjF4
Transparency
API Model background removed: conor samuel T8p7Ak4HjF4
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Conor Samuel on Unsplash

Original photo: ilja tulit Rdy1AqzqcMU
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: ilja tulit Rdy1AqzqcMU
Transparency
API Model background removed: ilja tulit Rdy1AqzqcMU
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Ilja Tulit on Unsplash

Original photo: ivan dostal z6ZPLcDTKOY
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: ivan dostal z6ZPLcDTKOY
Transparency
API Model background removed: ivan dostal z6ZPLcDTKOY
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Ivan Dostal on Unsplash

Original photo: jonny clow CCr lCoNL5U
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: jonny clow CCr lCoNL5U
Transparency
API Model background removed: jonny clow CCr lCoNL5U
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Jonny Clow on Unsplash

Original photo: niko tsviliov qW8WugAYC7g
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: niko tsviliov qW8WugAYC7g
Transparency
API Model background removed: niko tsviliov qW8WugAYC7g
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Niko Tsviliov on Unsplash

Original photo: vinicius wiesehofer VqRTfOxHSYg
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: vinicius wiesehofer VqRTfOxHSYg
Transparency
API Model background removed: vinicius wiesehofer VqRTfOxHSYg
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Vinicius Wiesehofer on Unsplash

Original photo: alvan nee rpkBHHu2TyE
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: alvan nee rpkBHHu2TyE
Transparency
API Model background removed: alvan nee rpkBHHu2TyE
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Alvan Nee on Unsplash

Original photo: carlo sierra Q9oW6Xb8VtM
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: carlo sierra Q9oW6Xb8VtM
Transparency
API Model background removed: carlo sierra Q9oW6Xb8VtM
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Carlo Sierra on Unsplash

Original photo: lars bo nielsen V9r37JFKQuo
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: lars bo nielsen V9r37JFKQuo
Transparency
API Model background removed: lars bo nielsen V9r37JFKQuo
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Lars Bo Nielsen on Unsplash

Original photo: mayer tawfik nUC4Xyhq bc
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: mayer tawfik nUC4Xyhq bc
Transparency
API Model background removed: mayer tawfik nUC4Xyhq bc
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Mayer Tawfik on Unsplash

Original photo: norbert braun ldGoVkxopwI
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: norbert braun ldGoVkxopwI
Transparency
API Model background removed: norbert braun ldGoVkxopwI
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Norbert Braun on Unsplash

Original photo: pieter Qa8Y_W4PORw
Not Available
Open-Weight Model background removed: pieter Qa8Y_W4PORw
Transparency
API Model background removed: pieter Qa8Y_W4PORw
Transparency
Original
Ground Truth
Open-Weight Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?
API Model
MGE
?
MAE
?
Conn.
?

Photo by Pieter on Unsplash

Methodology

  • Alpha mattes are grayscale masks encoding per-pixel foreground probability. They capture fine edge detail (hair, fur, semi-transparent regions) that binary masks discard.
  • Metrics are computed by comparing predicted mattes against a ground-truth reference: MGE measures edge sharpness, MAE measures pixel-level accuracy, and Connectivity penalises fragmented foreground regions. All three are lower-is-better.
  • Scores are shown as ? when no ground-truth matte is available for that image. See the alpha matting evaluation benchmark for details on the evaluation methodology.

Photo Credits

Source images are courtesy of the photographers below via Unsplash.

Technical Specifications#

FeatureOpen-Weight ModelAPI Model (Cloud)
StatusActive (Open Source)Active (Cloud API)
AvailabilityApache 2.0API only
Pixel AccuracyExcellentBest Overall
Edge QualityExcellentSuperior
HardwareCPU / GPUAWS Inferentia (dedicated AI chip)
PrivacyImages never leave your computerServer-side processing (deleted after use)
Free CreditsUnlimited (run locally)50 credits on signup
Recommended UsePrivacy-sensitive, local processingHighest quality requirements, production API

Installation#

The Open-Weight Model runs locally; the cloud API is accessed via REST.

Open-Weight Model

Run instantly with Docker

docker run -p 80:80 withoutbg/app:latest
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Python

Install via pip

pip install withoutbg
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Cloud API

API Request

Process images via the cloud API

api
curl -X POST https://api.withoutbg.com/v1/remove-background \ -H 'Authorization: Bearer YOUR_API_KEY' \ -F 'image=@input.jpg' \ -o output.png
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See the full API documentation for integration details.

Get Started with 50 Free Credits

Sign up and receive 50 free credits to test the cloud API. No credit card required.