Pixelcut
Batch-remove backgrounds, resize product images, and apply simple local templates
The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Pixelcut, batch-remove backgrounds, resize product images, and apply simple local templates. The hard boundary is mobile polish, hosted models, team assets, and api scale, plus frontier models, compute, and data.
Build verification: not recorded. How we judge buildability
What you give up
- mobile polish, hosted models, team assets, and API scale
- frontier proprietary models
- hosted GPU capacity
- licensed training data
- moderation and fast global delivery
Why people still pay
People still pay for Pixelcut because the product value is the model and compute fleet, not the prompt box around it. The recurring cost buys GPU procurement, model licensing, safety filters, queueing, storage, and rapid model replacement, not just the visible interface.
Your build guide
The stack, security requirements, and agent rules for a focused replacement.
Before you start
- Runtime and tools: Python, FastAPI, SQLite, FFmpeg/ffprobe and a React review interface.
- Before starting: Installed FFmpeg/ffprobe, writable media storage and a short recording whose use is authorized.
Use these project rules and optional skill references alongside the prompt. Review each skill before adding it to your agent; the AGENTS.md export includes the same guidance.
Project rule — domain: Store Batch, SourceAsset, MaskRevision, TemplateVersion and Output; outputs retain their source filename mapping and failed items remain distinguishable from completed ones.
Project rule — scope and recovery: Start with local segmentation plus human review. Upscaling cannot guarantee recovered real detail; templates, logos and model weights need licensing review.
Project rule — acceptance: Process ten images where one is corrupt and another loses a thin strap; export eight approved results, repair the strap and retry only the two affected items.
Project rule — delivery: document real setup commands and permissions; do not claim a build, accuracy level, performance result or security certification that has not been demonstrated.
Recommended skill: modern-python — structure the Python worker or explicitly optional read-only utility with pinned dependencies, typed boundaries and clear failure handling. Follow the maintainer's installation instructions and match its requirements to the chosen runtime.
Recommended skill: vercel-react-best-practices — keep the proposed React work/review views responsive and avoid unnecessary rendering or data-fetch waterfalls. Follow the maintainer's installation instructions and match its requirements to the chosen runtime.
Implementation plan
Phase 1
Pin the working slice and create its example input: Batch-remove product backgrounds, let the editor repair masks, apply a fixed catalogue template and export consistently sized assets. Confirm setup: Installed FFmpeg/ffprobe, writable media storage and a short recording whose use is authorized.
Phase 2
Implement persistence and write-time invariants before decorating the UI: Store Batch, SourceAsset, MaskRevision, TemplateVersion and Output; outputs retain their source filename mapping and failed items remain distinguishable from completed ones.
Phase 3
Connect the working view to real saved state. Keep source files immutable and store edit decisions separately. Run media tools with argument arrays, bounded file size/runtime and unique job directories; only rename a completed export into its final location.
Phase 4
Expose the app-specific limits and recovery path in context: Start with local segmentation plus human review. Upscaling cannot guarantee recovered real detail; templates, logos and model weights need licensing review.
Phase 5
Walk through this concrete acceptance case and preserve its exported evidence: Process ten images where one is corrupt and another loses a thin strap; export eight approved results, repair the strap and retry only the two affected items. Finish the README and backup/restore instructions; report unfinished capabilities explicitly.
Build the following focused alternative to Pixelcut. This is a deliberately limited personal or small-team substitute, not parity with the paid service. WORKING SLICE Batch-remove product backgrounds, let the editor repair masks, apply a fixed catalogue template and export consistently sized assets. SETUP AND ARCHITECTURE Use Python, FastAPI, SQLite, FFmpeg/ffprobe and a React review interface. Prerequisites: Installed FFmpeg/ffprobe, writable media storage and a short recording whose use is authorized. Before integrating anything, record actual versions and permissions, plus model files or provider limits only where used, in the README; make unavailable dependencies visible rather than simulating success. DOMAIN MODEL AND INVARIANTS Store Batch, SourceAsset, MaskRevision, TemplateVersion and Output; outputs retain their source filename mapping and failed items remain distinguishable from completed ones. IMPLEMENTATION CONTRACT Keep source files immutable and store edit decisions separately. Run media tools with argument arrays, bounded file size/runtime and unique job directories; only rename a completed export into its final location. Provide an input/setup view, the main work view, and a review/export view appropriate to this workflow. Preserve the last saved state if a job or save fails. Include empty, loading, permission-denied, partial and retryable-error states. Log identifiers and error categories without secret values or unnecessary private content. APP-SPECIFIC BOUNDARY AND RECOVERY Start with local segmentation plus human review. Upscaling cannot guarantee recovered real detail; templates, logos and model weights need licensing review. ACCEPTANCE SCENARIO Process ten images where one is corrupt and another loses a thin strap; export eight approved results, repair the strap and retry only the two affected items. Also reopen the app after an interrupted operation, confirm the saved record/export remains inspectable, and document the recovery action. These are implementation acceptance requirements, not a claim that this guide has been tested. DELIVERY Deliver a runnable repository with migrations or project-format versioning, a non-sensitive example, environment/permission setup, the exact manual acceptance steps, and a backup/export-and-restore walkthrough. Implement the working slice before optional integrations; list any deferred paid-product capabilities honestly. Do not add capabilities outside the working slice just to resemble the original product. PROJECT RULES FOR AGENTS.md Keep the domain invariants above executable at the write boundary. Propose scope changes before adding providers or permissions. Never fabricate source evidence, publish results, identity matches or successful delivery. Preserve user originals and require an explicit confirmation for destructive changes or external publication.
$ open in your agent (prompt prefilled, you press enter), copy the prompt or copy or download AGENTS.md · generated from this app's build plan
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Pixelcut pricing
| plan | monthly | annual (per mo) | what you get |
|---|---|---|---|
| free | $0/workspace | $0/workspace | Limited background removal and upscaling with watermark-free exports; numeric monthly caps are not published. |
| pro | $10/workspace | $8/workspace | 600 AI credits/month, unlimited background removal/upscale, 3 seats included and 1,000 batch exports/month. |
| business | $30/workspace | $24/workspace | 3,600 AI credits/month at the base selection, 10 seats included and 2,000 batch exports/month; some tools allow up to 1,200 uses/day.Higher Business credit selections up to 180,000 credits change the price. |
free tierLimited background removal and upscaling; watermark-free exports; numeric recurring caps are not published.
billingmonthly + annual (-20%)
hidden costsCredits are shared across the workspace. Business price rises with the selected credit tier; third-party models can consume different numbers of credits. Included seats are 3 on Pro and 10 on Business.
pricing sources checked 2026-08-14 · pricing source ↗
Questions about Pixelcut
Can you build your own Pixelcut with AI?
Partly. The core loop is buildable, but a dependable replacement becomes a real weekend or multi-day project. For Pixelcut, batch-remove backgrounds, resize product images, and apply simple local templates. The hard boundary is mobile polish, hosted models, team assets, and api scale, plus frontier models, compute, and data.
What does the Pixelcut build prompt cover?
The prompt starts with this scope: Batch-remove product backgrounds, let the editor repair masks, apply a fixed catalogue template and export consistently sized assets. Full-product capabilities excluded from the comparison include: mobile polish, hosted models, team assets, and API scale; frontier proprietary models; hosted GPU capacity. Follow the implementation plan and its prerequisites before expanding the build.
How do I use the prompt, AGENTS.md and agent skills?
Start with the Pixelcut prerequisites and stack, then copy the prompt into your coding agent. Save the project rules as AGENTS.md in the project root. Linked skills are optional packages or source instructions for specific tasks; review their current contents and install only those matching the chosen stack. A skill does not supply API credentials or verify the finished app.
How long will this Pixelcut project take?
The catalogue estimate is closest consolation build: one sitting for the limited scope. Setup, integration approvals, debugging, deployment and ongoing maintenance can add time. This is an estimate, not a delivery guarantee.
What would I give up by replacing Pixelcut?
mobile polish, hosted models, team assets, and API scale; frontier proprietary models; hosted GPU capacity; licensed training data; moderation and fast global delivery. People still pay for Pixelcut because the product value is the model and compute fleet, not the prompt box around it. The recurring cost buys GPU procurement, model licensing, safety filters, queueing, storage, and rapid model replacement, not just the visible interface.
What price is this guide comparing against?
The recorded Pro plan is $10/mo (monthly), checked 2026-08-14. Check the linked pricing source before buying. Building your own also has hosting, API and maintenance costs; the recorded amount is not a guaranteed saving.
What can I use instead of building Pixelcut?
chaiNNer: Build the background-removal and resize chain once, then throw a folder at it. Check each option's license, hosting needs and feature limits.