Remove a video background — free credits
What happened to Unscreen
Unscreen was the video counterpart of remove.bg: automatic background removal for clips, no green screen required. Both products came from the same company, Kaleido, which Canva acquired in early 2021.
For years after the acquisition, unscreen.com kept running as a standalone product. That ended in July 2026: the domain now redirects straight to Canva's Video Background Remover, and the standalone site, accounts and pricing are gone.
The same consolidation is happening one step over: remove.bg's standalone site closes on December 1, 2026, with its background removal also folded into Canva. If you are rebuilding a workflow around either tool, the comparison below is the short list — and the remove.bg alternatives guide covers the image side in detail.
What Canva's version gives you
The technology did not disappear — it became a feature inside Canva, where background removal for video is included with paid plans. If you already pay for Canva and your videos live inside Canva designs anyway, that is the official successor and it works.
If what you need is a standalone transparent video file — for an OBS stinger, a website overlay, or a Premiere or Resolve timeline — check the export path before committing to a subscription. Canva is a design suite: background removal there happens inside Canva projects, and what matters to a Unscreen refugee is where the finished file can go, and in which format. Transparent video has strict format requirements, and the compatibility guide explains which formats carry alpha at all.
Unscreen alternatives compared
| Tool | Best for | Free tier | Transparent output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canva Video Background Remover | People who already pay for Canva | Paid plans only | Inside Canva designs |
| BG Remover Online (this site) | Standalone transparent video files | 5 free credits with Google sign-in | WebM (VP9 alpha) + ProRes 4444 master |
| unscreen.io | Free browser cutouts on a different domain | Free, per that site | Video download in the browser |
| Chroma key in any editor | Footage you can shoot on green | Free | Any format the editor exports |
Two notes on the table. Chroma key needs green-screen footage to start with; the other rows work on ordinary clips. On this site, video costs 1 credit per started second, and every finished job is checked to carry a real alpha channel before the download appears — the same check you can run on any file yourself with the free transparency checker.
What to check in any replacement
Four checks separate a real Unscreen replacement from a lookalike:
- Real alpha, not a baked checkerboard. A checkerboard pattern inside the picture is a preview, not transparency. Test the exported file over two different backgrounds.
- VP9-alpha WebM for the web and OBS. Browsers and OBS play transparency in WebM; MP4 exports cannot carry it at all — MP4 has no alpha channel.
- ProRes 4444 for editors. Premiere, After Effects, Resolve and Final Cut expect an alpha master in ProRes 4444. The import guide covers each editor.
- A verification step. Prefer tools that prove the output is transparent rather than assuming it. On this site, every finished job is verified to carry a real alpha channel before the download appears.
Try it in three steps
- Upload a clip — up to 60 seconds, 1080p, 200 MB. An ordinary MP4 from a phone or camera is fine; no green screen needed.
- The AI cuts the subject out. Video costs 1 credit per started second, and new accounts get 5 free credits after Google sign-in — enough to test a 5-second clip end to end.
- Download the format you need. Transparent WebM for web and OBS, plus the ProRes 4444 master on clips up to 15 seconds for editing software. The full walkthrough is in how to make a video background transparent.
Questions people are asking
Is Unscreen shutting down?+
As a standalone product, yes — unscreen.com now redirects to Canva's Video Background Remover. The technology continues inside Canva as a paid feature. Canva acquired Kaleido, the company behind both Unscreen and remove.bg, in 2021.
Is unscreen.io the same as unscreen.com?+
No. unscreen.io is a different site on a different domain that also offers video background removal. The original Unscreen lived at unscreen.com, which now redirects to Canva. Treat unscreen.io as its own product and check it on its own merits.
Does Canva's video background remover work on the free plan?+
No. Background removal in Canva is included with paid plans; free accounts get trial access at most. Check Canva's own pricing page for current terms before committing to a subscription.
What is the best free option for OBS stinger transitions?+
A transparent WebM (VP9 alpha) file — OBS plays its alpha channel directly. This site produces one from a normal clip with 5 free credits after Google sign-in. The OBS guide covers stingers and overlays in detail.
Can I still use Unscreen for free?+
Not at unscreen.com — the domain now leads to Canva's paid feature. Free paths that remain: this site's 5 free credits after Google sign-in, unscreen.io, or chroma keying green-screen footage yourself in any editor.