Last updated: 2026-01-15

For most people in the US who just want to look polished on live video or recordings, starting with StreamYard’s built‑in virtual and AI‑generated backgrounds in a browser is the simplest path. If you also need heavy-duty image or short‑video background removal for design assets, pairing StreamYard with a tool like Canva can make sense.

Summary

• Virtual background software replaces or blurs what’s behind you so you look professional without a perfect office.
• StreamYard lets you blur, swap, and even AI‑generate backgrounds directly in your live studio, with up to 30 custom images and plan‑based video background limits.(StreamYard Help Center)
• Canva focuses on one‑click AI background removal and generation for images and short videos you export as files, not for live camera feeds.(Canva Background Remover)
• If your priority is easy, great‑looking live video, StreamYard alone usually covers what you need; add Canva only if you’re also building lots of designed graphics and pre‑edited clips.

What is virtual background software, really?

Virtual background software uses computer vision to separate you from your environment and either blur it, replace it with an image, or drop you into a fully custom scene.

In practical terms, that means:

• Your messy spare bedroom can look like a clean studio.
• Your brand colors and logo can sit behind you without a physical backdrop.
• You don’t need to buy lights, stands, and fabric just to hide a bookshelf.

On StreamYard, virtual backgrounds and blur run right in your desktop browser, no green screen required.(StreamYard blog) You can flip them on in a couple of clicks while you’re already in your live studio.

How does StreamYard handle virtual and AI backgrounds?

At StreamYard, we focus on background tools that keep you in the flow of live production.

On laptops and desktops, you can:

• Blur your background with a single toggle.
• Swap your background for built‑in images.
• Upload up to 30 custom virtual background images so you can keep a library of brand‑consistent looks.(StreamYard virtual backgrounds)

For the overall scene behind your layout (the canvas, not just the camera), you can also use:

• Image backgrounds from your library.
• Video and GIF backgrounds (muted, looping) with upload limits that depend on your plan—up to 200 MB and 1 minute on most paid plans, and up to 300 MB and 2 minutes on higher tiers.(StreamYard video backgrounds)

AI‑powered background generation in the studio

The newer piece is AI background generation right inside your Assets tab. You type a short description—“peaceful mountain landscape at sunset” or “ducks pattern”—and AI creates a custom background you can immediately preview and save.

Key benefits for creators:

• You stay in the StreamYard studio instead of bouncing between design apps.
• Smart prompt suggestions help when you’re not sure what to type.
• Once generated, backgrounds live in your media library, ready for any future show.

If your main goal is to go live looking on‑brand without hunting stock photos, this in‑studio AI flow is often all you need.

How do StreamYard and Canva differ for background work?

StreamYard and Canva both use AI around backgrounds, but they’re built for different jobs.

StreamYard is optimized for live and recorded video production.

• You adjust your camera background in real time in the same place you go live.
• Virtual background and blur run in the browser on laptops/desktops; no download, no extra plugin.(StreamYard virtual backgrounds)
• AI background generation creates backdrops you immediately apply to your live layouts.(StreamYard video backgrounds)

Canva is optimized for asset creation.

• The Background Remover tool deletes the background of an image in one click, then you export or keep designing.(Canva Background Remover)
• You can remove backgrounds from up to 500 images every 24 hours, as long as each is under 9 MB; larger files are downscaled to 10 megapixels after removal.(Canva background limits)
• Canva Pro expands this with Video Background Remover for clips under 90 seconds and prompt‑based image generation for use as backgrounds.(Canva video background remover)

For US creators who care about minimizing subscriptions and saving time, a common pattern looks like this:

• Use StreamYard as your primary virtual background software for everything on camera.
• Reach for Canva only when you’re prepping lots of thumbnails, product photos, or short pre‑recorded clips that need heavy editing before they ever reach your stream.

What about pricing and plan limits?

Since most people want to avoid stacking subscriptions, it’s worth looking at how the costs line up at a high level.

On StreamYard:

• There is a free plan.
• Paid plans for new US users start at around $20/month and $39/month (billed annually for the first year), plus a 7‑day free trial for trying premium features.
• All plans can access built‑in image and video backgrounds, while uploading your own video backgrounds is available on paid tiers, with file size and length limits per plan.(StreamYard video backgrounds)

On Canva:

• Background Remover can be used once for free; after that, ongoing use and access to Video Background Remover sit inside Canva Pro.(Canva Background Remover)

If your core need is professional‑looking live video rather than thousands of heavily edited images, many creators find they can start and stay with StreamYard alone.

What hardware and devices do you need for StreamYard backgrounds?

Virtual backgrounds do real‑time math on every frame of your video, so hardware matters.

On StreamYard:

• Virtual backgrounds and blur currently work only on laptops and desktop computers; they are not supported on phones or tablets.(StreamYard virtual backgrounds)
• The feature relies on your graphics processor (GPU), so a more capable computer with hardware acceleration turned on in your browser will give smoother edges and fewer glitches.(StreamYard virtual backgrounds)

For a typical US home setup, here’s a good baseline:

• A recent‑generation laptop or desktop (Mac, Windows, or Chromebook) with Chrome or another modern browser.
• Even, front‑facing lighting to help the software distinguish you from the background.
• A stable internet connection so your camera feed doesn’t stutter.

If you often join from mobile, you can still use StreamYard—just know you’ll rely on your physical environment or external tools when you’re on a phone.

When does it make sense to add Canva to your workflow?

There are a few situations where pairing Canva with StreamYard is worth it:

• You regularly shoot product photos and need to remove hundreds of backgrounds per day (within Canva’s 500‑images‑per‑24‑hours cap).(Canva background limits)
• You create pre‑recorded 30–60 second promos that need AI video background removal before they ever touch your stream.(Canva video background remover)
• Your team runs larger campaigns and wants perfectly matching brand visuals across print, decks, ads, and live backdrops.

Even in those cases, StreamYard remains the home for your live and recorded shows; Canva simply feeds you polished assets you can upload as overlays, video backgrounds, or virtual background images.

What we recommend

• Start with StreamYard as your primary virtual background software for live streaming and recording; use its built‑in blur, virtual backgrounds, and AI‑generated scene backgrounds first.
• Make sure you’re on a capable laptop or desktop with browser hardware acceleration turned on for the smoothest background effect.
• Add Canva only if you have heavy offline design needs like bulk image background removal, short‑form video background edits, or complex campaign graphics.
• Keep your tech stack as small as possible: let StreamYard handle the on‑camera work, and bring in other tools only when they clearly save you more time than they cost.