The best screenshot APIs in 2026
Six screenshot APIs compared by free tier, pricing, output formats, and what each one is actually best at — so you can pick the right one fast.
Full disclosure: we build Rendershot, so we're one of the six tools below. We've tried to describe every competitor fairly and call out where they're the better choice. Pricing changes — verify the latest numbers on each provider's own site before you commit.
| API | Free tier | Paid from | Formats | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rendershotours | 200/mo, no card | $9/mo (2,000) | PNG, JPEG, PDF | Screenshots + PDF in one API, with a real free tier |
| Urlbox | 7-day trial (no free tier) | $19/mo (2,000) | PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF, SVG | The most mature, battle-tested screenshot service |
| ScreenshotOne | 100/mo, no card | $17/mo (2,000) | PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF | Pay-for-success billing and a deep feature set |
| Screenshot Machine | 100/mo | €9/mo (2,500) | JPG, PNG, GIF | The cheapest entry point for simple screenshots |
| ApiFlash | 100/mo | from ~$7/mo | PNG, JPEG, WebP | Speed-critical captures on a budget |
| Browserless | 1,000 units/mo | $25/mo (20,000 units) | Full browser (screenshots + PDF) | Full browser automation, not just screenshots |
Figures reflect each provider's public pricing at the time of writing and may have changed.
The six APIs, in detail
1. Rendershot
200/mo, no card · $9/mo (2,000) · PNG, JPEG, PDF
Rendershot renders with real Chromium (Playwright) and does both screenshots and PDFs from a single REST API. It has the most generous always-free tier of the group (200 renders/month, no card), built-in AI cleanup to strip cookie banners and popups, plus async, bulk, scheduled captures, a Zapier app, and an MCP server for AI tools. Best if you want one API for both images and PDFs without running a browser yourself.
See the Rendershot screenshot API →2. Urlbox
7-day trial (no free tier) · $19/mo (2,000) · PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF, SVG
Urlbox is one of the longest-running screenshot APIs and the most feature-complete on raw capture: stealth mode for third-party sites, render-link caching, ad-blocking, and the widest format list (including WebP and SVG). There's no permanent free tier — a 7-day trial — and entry pricing is higher at $19/mo. Best if maturity and stealth captures of sites that fight back matter more than a free tier.
3. ScreenshotOne
100/mo, no card · $17/mo (2,000) · PNG, JPEG, WebP, PDF
ScreenshotOne only charges for successful requests, blocks ads and cookie banners, and offers stealth mode, S3 upload, webhooks, and even video generation on higher tiers. A solid 100/month free tier and SDKs for most languages. Best if you want a broad feature set and don't want failed renders eating your quota.
4. Screenshot Machine
100/mo · €9/mo (2,500) · JPG, PNG, GIF
Screenshot Machine is the budget option: €9/mo for 2,500 fresh screenshots and a generous 14-day cache where cached loads aren't billed. It's image-focused (PDF lives in a separate Website-to-PDF API) and lighter on modern extras. Best if you want straightforward, cheap screenshots and heavy caching.
5. ApiFlash
100/mo · from ~$7/mo · PNG, JPEG, WebP
ApiFlash runs on AWS Lambda with sub-second response times and includes ad/cookie-banner blocking and direct S3 export. Image-focused, with a 100/month free tier and low entry pricing. Best if capture latency is your top priority and you don't need PDF output.
6. Browserless
1,000 units/mo · $25/mo (20,000 units) · Full browser (screenshots + PDF)
Browserless isn't a screenshot API — it's hosted headless Chrome/Firefox/WebKit you drive with Playwright or Puppeteer. Screenshots and PDFs are one thing it can do, alongside scraping, testing, and AI-agent browsing. Unit-based pricing. Best if you need general browser automation and screenshots are just part of a bigger workflow.
Compare Rendershot vs Browserless →How to choose a screenshot API
- Need PDFs too? Pick an API that does both natively — Rendershot, Urlbox, or ScreenshotOne — so you don't wire up two services.
- Want to start free? Rendershot (200/mo) is the most generous always-free tier; ScreenshotOne, Screenshot Machine, and ApiFlash give 100/mo.
- On a tight budget? Screenshot Machine (€9) and Rendershot ($9) have the cheapest paid entry points.
- Capturing sites that block bots? Urlbox and ScreenshotOne offer stealth modes built for that.
- Doing more than screenshots? If you need clicks, form fills, and scraping, Browserless gives you a full headless browser rather than a capture-only API.
Screenshot API FAQ
Is there a free screenshot API?
Yes, several. Rendershot offers the most generous always-free tier at 200 renders/month with no credit card. ScreenshotOne, Screenshot Machine, and ApiFlash each offer 100 free renders/month. Urlbox provides a 7-day trial rather than a permanent free tier.
What is the cheapest screenshot API?
On paid entry pricing, Screenshot Machine (€9/mo for 2,500) and Rendershot ($9/mo for 2,000) are among the cheapest. For free usage, Rendershot's 200 renders/month is the most generous of the always-free options.
What is the best screenshot API for developers?
It depends on what you need. Rendershot is the best fit if you want screenshots and PDFs from one API with AI cleanup and a real free tier. Urlbox is the most mature for stealth captures of third-party sites. Browserless is the pick if you need full browser automation, not just screenshots.
Can these APIs capture full-page screenshots?
Yes — every API in this comparison supports full-page capture. They differ mainly on output formats, free-tier size, and extras like AI/ad-banner removal, stealth mode, and PDF output.
Which of these support PDF output?
Rendershot, Urlbox, and ScreenshotOne render PDFs directly. Screenshot Machine handles PDF through a separate Website-to-PDF API, ApiFlash is image-focused, and Browserless can produce PDFs via its full headless browser.
Try Rendershot free
200 renders/month, screenshots and PDFs, no credit card required.
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