Best Vocal Removers (2026): 10 for Karaoke and Acapella

Maybe you want to sing over a track at a party, sample a vocal line for a remix, or practise guitar without the singer drowning you out. All three start with removing the vocals, but they don't end with the same file.

This list covers ten vocal removers, using only what each maker's own website says, read on 2 Nov 2026 (as of Nov 2026). It's alphabetical and in no particular order. It's about removing vocals to get an instrumental, a karaoke track or an acapella, not cleaning up speech recordings.

Vocal removers by type and output

Tool	Type	Good for
Ezstems	Online stem maker built on Spleeter	Two, four or five stems as MP3 or WAV
LALAL.AI	Vocal remover with a lead and backing splitter	Separating lead vocals from backing vocals
Media.io	Online AI vocal remover	Karaoke tracks and acapella from one upload
Moises	Musician's practice app with a vocal remover	Instrumental tracks to play and sing along with
PhonicMind	Online AI vocal remover	Vocals, backing vocals and instrument groups split apart
Splitter.ai	Audio splitter based on Spleeter	Instrument isolation with an API for developers
Ultimate Vocal Remover	Open-source vocal remover application	Vocal removal on your own Windows, Mac or Linux computer
Vocal Remover (vocalremover.org)	Browser vocal remover with other audio tools	A karaoke version and an acapella from one song
Vocali.se	Browser vocal and music separator	A karaoke version with no software to install
X-Minus	Online vocal remover and karaoke track site	Keeping or extracting backing vocals

Ten vocal removers, one line each

Ezstems

Best for: Splitting a song into 2, 4 or 5 stems online with Spleeter, then picking MP3 or WAV output for the instrumental.

LALAL.AI

Best for: Removing vocals from a music track, audio clip or video, with a separate tool to split lead vocals from backing vocals.

Media.io

Best for: Making karaoke tracks and extracting acapella online, on a page aimed at singers, DJs, producers, remixers and dancers.

Moises

Best for: Musicians who want to strip the vocals and play or sing along, in an app for iPhone, Android and desktop.

PhonicMind

Best for: Separating backing vocals as well as the lead, with the rest of the song broken into instrument categories.

Splitter.ai

Best for: Developers who want an API from a tool based on Deezer's open source research project Spleeter.

Ultimate Vocal Remover

Best for: Installing an open-source vocal remover application on your own Windows, Mac or Linux computer.

Vocal Remover (vocalremover.org)

Best for: Getting two tracks from one song, a karaoke version with no vocals and an acapella, on a site with key, BPM and pitch tools beside it.

Vocali.se

Best for: Karaoke versions made in a browser with no software to install or account to register, from a service that names Demucs as its engine.

X-Minus

Best for: Choosing whether to keep the backing vocals in your karaoke version or pull them out, on a site with a karaoke tracks section.

Karaoke track, acapella or stems

Here's the split you wouldn't guess: 'vocal remover' covers three different jobs. One is a karaoke track for singing along. Another is an acapella to sample or remix. The third is stems for practising one part. The tools differ by what they hand back more than by the removal itself.

vocalremover.org returns 'a karaoke version of your song (no vocals) and acapella version (isolated vocals)'. LALAL.AI lists a lead and backing vocals splitter beside its vocal remover. Ezstems offers 2, 4 or 5 stems, and Media.io says to 'create karaoke tracks'. Ultimate Vocal Remover is a desktop application that's open source.

• A karaoke track: the song with the vocals taken out, to sing over.
• An acapella: the vocals on their own, to sample or remix.
• Stems: vocals, drums, bass and other parts as separate files, to practise or rebuild.

Two files back: the karaoke version and the acapella

Several tools here give you both sides of the split from one song. X-Minus says it's useful when the instrumental version of a song isn't available but you want to sing right now, and that you can isolate the vocals to make your own remixes.

A musicians' app on this list pitches its vocal remover for playing and singing along, and a browser separator says it lets you create a karaoke version of any song. If you only need the track to sing over, any of these does the job.

Backing vocals are a separate choice

Some tools treat backing vocals as their own layer. One lists a lead and backing vocals splitter, one separates backing vocals and breaks the rest of the song into instrument categories, and one gives you the option to keep backing vocals or extract them.

Decide before you upload whether you want the backing vocals in your instrumental or out of it. It's the one setting that changes what your karaoke track sounds like.

The open-source engines named underneath

Three tools here name the open-source engine they use. One online stem maker says it creates audio stems 'with Spleeter'. Splitter.ai says it's 'based on Deezer's open source research project Spleeter' and lists an API for developers. A browser separator names Demucs as its pre-trained AI models.

And one entry is itself an open-source application you install on Windows, Mac or Linux, so the work happens on your own computer.

Questions before you strip the vocals

• Do I want a karaoke track, an acapella, or both?
• Should the backing vocals stay in or come out?
• Do I need more than two stems, such as drums or bass?
• Would I rather install an application or work in a browser?
• Do I want MP3 or WAV back?
• Will a developer need an API?

Do you make a vocal remover or stem separation tool? Tool makers can ask to be considered for a featured place on this list.

My advice on choosing a vocal remover

Start with the file you want at the end. For a track to sing over, a browser tool that hands back a karaoke version and an acapella is all you need. If backing vocals matter, pick one that lets you keep or remove them. If you're practising one instrument or rebuilding a song, go for stems, and if you'd rather keep everything on your own computer, install the open-source application. Only remove vocals from music you have the right to use.

If you'd like the steps, my walkthrough on removing vocals from a song with AI covers them. And if you need music for short videos, here's where to find background music for Reels.

Want your tool on this list? Featured spots and reviews here are paid partnerships. Here's how to partner with me.

Frequently asked questions

What's the difference between a karaoke track and an acapella?

On one tool's page, the karaoke version is your song with no vocals and the acapella version is the isolated vocals. That tool hands you both from one song.

Can I keep the backing vocals?

Some tools here give you the choice. One lets you keep backing vocals or extract them, one separates lead and backing vocals, and one separates backing vocals and splits the rest of the song into instrument categories.

Is there an open-source vocal remover?

Yes. One entry is an open-source vocal remover application available on Windows, Mac and Linux. Two online tools here also say they're built on Spleeter, which one describes as Deezer's open source research project.

Which of these vocal removers run in a browser?

Several work online. One gives a karaoke version and an acapella from one song, one separates vocals and music with no software to install, one makes 2, 4 or 5 stems, and one creates karaoke tracks and extracts acapella.

Can I split out more than vocals and music?

Yes. One online stem maker offers 2, 4 or 5 stems, one stem splitter extracts vocals, instrumental, drums, bass, guitar, synth, string and wind instruments, and one musicians' app separates vocals, guitar, drums, bass and other instruments.

Which of these has an API for developers?

One audio splitter here lists an API for developers, and one vocal remover lists an API beside VST plugins that run inside your DAW.