ClipDrop
ClipDrop is an AI-powered image editing platform offering nine tools including background removal, text-to-image generation, inpainting, and relighting, serving e-commerce sellers, content creators, photographers, and enterprise developers via web, mobile, and usage-based API.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded2020
- HeadquartersParis, France
- Headcount1–10
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingSoftware
What ClipDrop does
ClipDrop, operated under the legal entity InitML, is an AI-powered image editing platform offering a suite of nine tools spanning background removal, text-to-image generation, replace-background, inpainting (Cleanup), outpainting (Uncrop), image upscaling, relighting, text removal, and social-media-aware resizing (Universal Resizer). The platform is built on Stable Diffusion and combines the base diffusion model with proprietary computer vision models for monocular depth estimation and surface normal prediction trained on synthetic data, which the company claims outperform open-source benchmarks MiDaS and Omnidata. A multimodal pipeline composes depth maps, surface normals, and diffusion-based inpainting to support features such as realistic relighting and structured outpainting that go beyond vanilla Stable Diffusion deployments.
The company was founded in Paris in 2020 by Cyril Diagne (CEO), Jonathan Blanchet (CTO), and Damien Henry (COO), all former Google engineers, and joined Y Combinator's Winter 2021 batch. The business model is freemium-plus-API: a no-account-required free web and mobile tier, a $15/month Pro subscription, and usage-based API pricing at 1 credit per call across endpoints for background removal, replace-background, uncrop, image upscaling, text removal, and text-to-image. Distribution includes iOS and Android apps, an Adobe Photoshop plugin, Figma and Zapier integrations, and an enterprise developer API. ClipDrop was acquired by Stability AI in February 2023 and subsequently by Jasper AI in February 2024, where it now operates as a subsidiary, with usage disclosed in the millions of images processed weekly.
ClipDrop firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- ClipDrop
- Legal name
- InitML
- Website
- https://clipdrop.co
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 2020
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 1–10 employees
- Short description
- ClipDrop is an AI-powered image editing platform offering nine tools including background removal, text-to-image generation, inpainting, and relighting, serving e-commerce sellers, content creators, photographers, and enterprise developers via web, mobile, and usage-based API.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
ClipDrop industry classification
Industry- Product category
- AI Image Editing Software
- NAICS
- Teleproduction and Other Postproduction Services (512191)
- SIC
- Services-Mailing, Reproduction, Commercial Art & Photography (7330)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Content-Aware/AI Media Processing (Per-Title Encode, Scene Detection) (MPAHAHAH)
- akta.pro secondary industry
- Standards Conversion & Restoration (Frame Rate, Deinterlacing, Upscale) (MPAHAHAG)
Keywords
Where ClipDrop is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Paris
- HQ country
- France
- HQ region
- Europe
Markets served
ClipDrop business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Software
- Cost components
- Technology or R&D, Infrastructure, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Operations
Revenue model
- Pro Subscription: Monthly subscription at $15/month providing unlimited access (with fair usage) to all tools at high resolution, skip queue priority, and access to upcoming features. Features include 1000/24h Text to image requests, High Resolution outputs for all tools.
- API Usage: Usage-based API pricing for enterprise customers embedding ClipDrop image capabilities into their products via the Jasper API. Pricing is 1 credit per API call with 100 free credits for development.
- Freemium Web/Mobile Access: Free tier providing limited daily usage of all core tools (20-50 requests per 24h depending on tool) with standard resolution outputs. Used to drive product-led growth and conversion to Pro.
Pricing tiers
| Model | Billing | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Freemium | Pay-as-you-go | Free tier with limited daily usage for all core AI image tools |
| Subscription | Monthly | $15/month subscription with high-quality outputs and increased usage limits |
| Usage-based | Pay-as-you-go | Usage-based API pricing for enterprise integration |
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels6 records
Marketing channels7 records
ClipDrop product offering
Product offeringCore offering
ClipDrop provides a unified AI-powered image editing platform with nine tools covering background removal, text-to-image generation, inpainting (Cleanup), image upscaling, AI relighting, background replacement, outpainting (Uncrop), text removal, and universal resizing. The platform is delivered through a web application (clipdrop.co), native mobile apps (iOS and Android), an Adobe Photoshop plugin, and a public REST API (now branded as part of Jasper API) for enterprise integration. Pricing is freemium for consumers with a $15/month Pro subscription, plus usage-based credits for API customers.
Product overview
ClipDrop, operated by InitML, is an AI-powered image editing platform and ecosystem of tools acquired by Jasper AI in February 2024 (having been previously acquired from Stability AI in February 2023). The core offering is clipdrop.co — a unified web application providing nine distinct AI image editing tools: Remove Background, Replace Background, Text to Image (built on Stable Diffusion), Cleanup (inpainting), Image Upscaler, Relight (AI relighting with depth/normal prediction), Uncrop, Text Remover, and Universal Resizer. These are also available as individual tools, desktop plugins (Adobe Photoshop), mobile apps (iOS/Android), and a public REST API for programmatic access. Cleanup.pictures is a separate branded inpainting product. The API product enables developers to embed ClipDrop's image models into third-party products. Pricing includes a free tier with usage limits and a Pro subscription ($15/month) for high-resolution outputs and unlimited usage.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Cleanup.pictures: Image cleanup tool for removing unwanted objects, people, text and defects from photos. Advanced inpainting AI tool.
Products and services
- ClipDrop (clipdrop.co) Unified AI-powered web application providing a suite of tools for creating, editing, and enhancing images: universal resizing, text-to-image generation, background removal and replacement, object/people/text removal (Cleanup), image uncropping, upscaling, relighting, and text removal. Available as a free tier and Pro subscription ($15/month).
- Cleanup.pictures Standalone AI-powered inpainting tool for removing unwanted objects, people, text, and defects from photographs. Uses advanced AI to reconstruct the background behind removed elements. Free version exports at 720px; Pro version supports high-resolution exports with no size limit.
- Remove Background AI-powered background removal tool that extracts the main subject from images with high accuracy, handling fine details such as hair. Accepts images up to 5000x5000 pixels. Available free on the web, via mobile apps (iOS/Android), Adobe Photoshop plugin, and API. Supports batch processing of up to 10 files.
- Image Upscaler AI-powered image upscaling tool that enlarges low-resolution images by 2x, 4x, 8x, or 16x without quality loss. Automatically removes noise and JPEG compression artifacts while sharpening edges. Free version supports up to 4x upscaling; Pro version supports up to 16x and 8K resolution.
- Relight AI-powered photo relighting tool that applies professional studio-quality light sources to images in real time. Uses custom depth estimation and surface normal prediction models with 3D reconstruction for physically correct illumination. Supports ambient light, adjustable point light sources (color, intensity, distance, radius), and foreground/background-only relighting. Available via web and mobile app.
- Text to Image AI image generation tool that creates high-resolution realistic images from text prompts using Stable Diffusion, optimized for extreme speed. Supports 16 styles (No Style, Anime, Photographic, Digital Art, Comic Book, Fantasy Art, Analog Film, Neon Punk, Isometric, Low Poly, Origami, Line Art, Cinematic, 3D Model, Pixel Art) and 5 aspect ratios. Outputs 1024x1024 pixel images.
- Cleanup AI-powered inpainting tool to remove objects, people, text, and defects from photos using artificial intelligence. The AI reconstructs content behind removed elements, outperforming clone stamp tools. Free version exports at 720px; Pro version supports high-resolution exports with no size limit.
- Replace Background AI-powered background replacement tool that teleports subjects into new scenes using a combination of background removal and Stable Diffusion. Accepts text prompts to describe the desired new environment. Generates four alternative backgrounds per image. Available via web, mobile app, and API.
- Uncrop AI-powered image uncropping tool that extends images beyond their original frame to any aspect ratio. Uses generative AI to synthesize new content for the extended areas, including bodies, objects, and backgrounds. Supports portrait, art, texture, and landscape use cases.
- Text Remover AI-powered text removal tool that automatically detects and removes text from any image, reconstructing the background behind the text. Free for images under 1024px; Pro version provides HD-quality results. Used for agency photos, mockups, e-commerce, and real estate images.
- Universal Resizer AI-powered image resizing tool that adapts images to any social media platform format including Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and TikTok. Supports all classic social media dimensions. Free tier limited to 1000 images per day.
- ClipDrop Public API REST API providing programmatic access to ClipDrop's AI image capabilities: Cleanup, Image Upscaling, Remove Background, Remove Text, Text to Image, Uncrop, and Replace Background. Uses API key authentication, credits-based pricing (1 credit per call), default rate limit of 60 requests per minute per endpoint, and free tier of 100 credits for development. Supports JavaScript, Python, Swift, and Kotlin SDK examples.
- ClipDrop Mobile App (iOS) Mobile application for iOS (App Store ID: 1512594879). Supports background removal and replacement directly from iPhone. Includes all core editing tools with mobile-optimized interface.
- ClipDrop Mobile App (Android) Mobile application for Android (Google Play Store package ID: app.arcopypaste). Enables background removal and replacement from Android devices, with access to core image editing AI tools.
- Adobe Photoshop Plugin Native ClipDrop plugin for Adobe Photoshop. Removes image backgrounds at superior quality compared to the built-in Photoshop tool. Listed as available on the Adobe Exchange.
Quantifiable outcome
- Processes millions of images weekly across all products and B2B partnerships
- +1 more outcomes
Companies that use ClipDrop
Customer profileSegments6 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
ClipDrop technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed Yes
API detail
- Has API
- Yes
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Integration5 records
AI capability13 records
Feature10 records
ClipDrop partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Two partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.
- Jasper.aicoreJasper acquired ClipDrop from Stability AI in February 2024 to integrate its image generation and editing tools into Jasper's enterprise offerings. ClipDrop operates as part of Jasper, with its APIs now available through Jasper's platform. Key founders Cyril Diagne, Jonathan Blanchet, and Damien Henry transitioned to roles at Jasper following the acquisition.
- Stability AIminorInitML (parent company behind ClipDrop) was acquired by Stability AI in February 2023. During this period, ClipDrop was part of Stability AI's ecosystem before being sold to Jasper.ai in February 2024.
Scale indicators2 records
Recent moves5 records
Expansion highlights4 records
ClipDrop competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Pixelcut: Pixelcut targets e-commerce sellers with AI product-photo tools (background removal, magic eraser, AI shadows, templates) on iOS/Android — closely mirroring ClipDrop's e-commerce seller use case with overlapping features.
- Remove.bg: Remove.bg is the canonical AI background-removal service, offering a web app and a public API used widely by developers and e-commerce platforms — directly overlapping ClipDrop's flagship Remove Background tool and API.
- PhotoRoom: PhotoRoom is a direct competitor offering AI-powered background removal and product photo editing for e-commerce sellers and creators, with a freemium web/mobile app and B2B API — overlapping directly with ClipDrop's core Remove Background, Replace Background, and Cleanup tools.
- Eraser.io (Magic Eraser): Magic Eraser / Eraser.io is a focused AI object-removal tool (inpainting) directly competing with ClipDrop's Cleanup tool, including overlap on the creator and small-business use cases.
- Topaz Labs: Topaz Labs is a leading AI image-enhancement vendor (Gigapixel AI upscaling, Sharpen AI, DeNoise AI) sold as desktop software — directly comparable to ClipDrop's Image Upscaler and the broader enhancement/upscaling category.
- Let's Enhance: Let's Enhance offers AI image upscaling, enhancement, and generation via web app and API — directly comparable to ClipDrop's Image Upscaler and API product for enterprise/developer customers.
- Cutout.pro: Cutout.pro provides an AI image-editing suite (background removal, photo enhancer, cartoonization, video background removal) with both a consumer-facing web app and an API for enterprise — overlapping with nearly all of ClipDrop's toolset.
Broad incumbents
- Canva (Magic Studio): Canva bundles AI image editing (Magic Eraser, background remover, text-to-image, Magic Design) into a broad design platform serving millions of creators — overlapping ClipDrop's target segments while offering an end-to-end design workflow ClipDrop lacks.
- Adobe (Photoshop / Firefly): Adobe is a broad incumbent integrating generative AI (Firefly) into Photoshop and Creative Cloud, including background removal, generative fill, and image generation — competing with ClipDrop at the prosumer/professional tier while hosting ClipDrop's own Photoshop plugin.
Emerging players
- Fotor: Fotor offers a broad online photo editor with AI features (background remover, AI image generator, enhancer) at consumer price points — overlapping ClipDrop's horizontal photo-editing positioning for non-professional creators.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat4 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
ClipDrop social profiles
Digital presenceClipDrop financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
ClipDrop leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles2 records
ClipDrop funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds3 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
ClipDrop M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about ClipDrop
What does ClipDrop do?
ClipDrop provides a unified AI-powered image editing platform with nine tools covering background removal, text-to-image generation, inpainting (Cleanup), image upscaling, AI relighting, background replacement, outpainting (Uncrop), text removal, and universal resizing. The platform is delivered through a web application (clipdrop.co), native mobile apps (iOS and Android), an Adobe Photoshop plugin, and a public REST API (now branded as part of Jasper API) for enterprise integration. Pricing is freemium for consumers with a $15/month Pro subscription, plus usage-based credits for API customers.
Is ClipDrop a public or private company?
ClipDrop is a private company. It is classified as corporate owned and is currently operating.
When was ClipDrop founded?
ClipDrop was founded in 2020. It employs 1 to 10 people.
Where is ClipDrop based?
ClipDrop is headquartered in Paris, France, in the Europe region.
How does ClipDrop make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Pro Subscription is the primary driver. The others are API Usage and freemium Web/Mobile Access.
Who are ClipDrop's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Pixelcut, Remove.bg, PhotoRoom, Eraser.io (Magic Eraser), Topaz Labs, Let's Enhance and Cutout.pro. Broad incumbents are Canva (Magic Studio) and Adobe (Photoshop / Firefly). Fotor is listed as an emerging player.
Does ClipDrop have an API?
Yes. ClipDrop offers a public REST API (https://clipdrop-api.co/) that provides programmatic access to its AI image capabilities including: Cleanup (inpainting), Image Upscaling (up to x16, both synchronous and asynchronous), Remove Background, Remove Text, Text to Image (built on Stable Diffusion, optimized for speed), Uncrop (aspect ratio extension), and Replace Background. Authentication uses an API key header (x-api-key). Rate limits default to 60 requests per minute per API key per endpoint. Credits-based pricing (1 credit per successful call). Free tier includes 100 credits for development and debugging. Higher quality modes (HD/quality) consume additional credits. The API supports multiple SDK examples in JavaScript, Python, Swift, and Kotlin. Documentation is available at clipdrop.co/apis with developer samples on GitHub (initml/clipdrop-api-samples). Developer documentation is at clipdrop.co/apis.
What industry is ClipDrop in?
ClipDrop's product category is AI Image Editing Software. Its primary akta.pro industry code is MPAHAHAH, Content-Aware/AI Media Processing (Per-Title Encode, Scene Detection), with a secondary code of MPAHAHAG, Standards Conversion & Restoration (Frame Rate, Deinterlacing, Upscale). Its NAICS code is 512191 and its SIC code is 7330.