Best background remover for Mac

Four ways to cut out an image subject on a Mac.

Open the image, then click Remove Background in the toolbar.

• Pros: Free, built in, and one click. Nothing to install.
• Cons: One image at a time, and Apple's guide does not say which macOS version added it, so check yours.

Toolbox is a Mac app with many tools in one, sold as a one-time purchase with no subscription.

• Pros: Drop many photos, pick transparent, white or a color, and crop to the subject. Works offline and photos stay on your Mac.
• Cons: Output is PNG, and there are no manual touch-up tools.

The better pick when the cutout is only the first step.

• Pros: Removes backgrounds in a click and leaves an adjustable mask, inside a full image editor.
• Cons: Needs macOS 26, and Apple's page does not say if the one-time version includes every feature.

Check their site for current limits.

• Pros: Familiar web tool that works in a browser.
• Cons: We could not confirm its current free tier or prices, so see their site. It also means uploading your photos.

We looked at what each app does for this one job, what it costs, and where it runs. Prices and features were checked on each maker's own site on 2026-11-03 and can change. Where a price page did not show a figure we could confirm, the table says to see their site.

Toolbox is our own app, so treat our ranking with that in mind. We list it where it fits the job and say plainly when another app is the better pick. Toolbox needs macOS 15 Sequoia or later. We looked at batch support, privacy (whether images leave your Mac) and output formats.