The 7 Best Screenshot APIs in 2026 — An Honest Comparison

Need to capture website screenshots programmatically? Whether you're building social media previews, monitoring tools, or automated testing, a screenshot API saves you from running your own headless browser infrastructure.

We tested the most popular options. Here's what we found.

Quick Comparison

Service	Free Tier	Starting Price	Speed	Standout Feature
GrabShot	25/mo	$9/mo	~2s	AI cleanup, simple API
ScreenshotOne	100/mo	$29/mo	~3s	Adblocker, animations
URLBox	None	$19/mo	~2.5s	Retina rendering
Screenshotlayer	100/mo	$10/mo	~4s	Legacy, widely known
ApiFlash	100/mo	$7/mo	~3s	Cheap entry point
Microlink	50/day	$16/mo	~2s	Meta extraction + screenshots
Self-hosted Puppeteer	Free*	Server costs	Varies	Full control

*Self-hosted is "free" but you're paying for server time, maintenance, and your own sanity.

1. GrabShot

grabshot.dev — The newest player, built for developers who want something that just works.

What we like:

• Dead-simple REST API — one endpoint, sensible defaults
• AI-powered cleanup removes cookie banners and popups (paid plans)
• Full-page captures with custom viewport sizing
• Fast response times (~2 seconds typical)
• Free tier with 25 screenshots/month to test with

Pricing: Free (25/mo), Starter $9/mo (2,500), Pro $29/mo (10,000), Business $79/mo (50,000)

Best for: Developers who want a clean API without enterprise complexity. Great for OG image generation, link previews, and monitoring.

curl "https://grabshot.dev/api/screenshot?url=https://example.com&width=1280&height=720" \
  -H "X-API-Key: your-key" --output screenshot.png

2. ScreenshotOne

screenshotone.com — Feature-rich with tons of options.

What we like:

• Built-in adblocker
• Wait for animations/lazy content
• Geolocation targeting
• Good documentation

What we don't: Pricing starts at $29/mo — steep for small projects. API has many parameters which can be overwhelming.

Best for: Teams needing advanced rendering options and don't mind the price.

3. URLBox

urlbox.io — Premium screenshots with retina support.

What we like: High-quality output, retina rendering, reliable uptime.

What we don't: No free tier. Starts at $19/mo. Can feel expensive for simple use cases.

Best for: Design-focused teams who need pixel-perfect screenshots.

4. Screenshotlayer

screenshotlayer.com — The old guard.

What we like: Been around forever, simple API, cheap entry point.

What we don't: Slower than newer competitors. Free tier limited. Dashboard feels dated.

Best for: Legacy projects already using it. Not recommended for new integrations.

5. ApiFlash

apiflash.com — Budget-friendly Chrome-based screenshots.

What we like: Cheapest paid option at $7/mo. Uses real Chrome.

What we don't: Limited features at lower tiers. Documentation could be better.

Best for: Side projects and MVPs where cost matters most.

6. Microlink

microlink.io — More than screenshots.

What we like: Combines screenshots, metadata extraction, and link previews in one API. Open source core.

What we don't: Screenshot-specific features less polished than dedicated services.

Best for: Developers who need metadata + screenshots in one call.

7. Self-Hosted Puppeteer

The DIY option. Run your own headless Chrome.

What we like: Full control, no per-screenshot costs, unlimited customization.

What we don't: You maintain the infrastructure. Headless Chrome is memory-hungry, crashes under load, and needs babysitting. Font rendering, timeouts, and zombie processes are your problem now.

const browser = await puppeteer.launch();
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.setViewport({ width: 1280, height: 720 });
await page.goto('https://example.com', { waitUntil: 'networkidle0' });
await page.screenshot({ path: 'screenshot.png' });
await browser.close();

Best for: Teams with DevOps capacity who need full customization and high volume.

Which Should You Choose?

For most developers: Start with GrabShot's free tier. Simple API, fast results, easy to upgrade.

For advanced rendering: ScreenshotOne if budget allows, URLBox for design-critical use cases.

For budget projects: ApiFlash at $7/mo or self-hosted Puppeteer if you have the ops capacity.

For metadata + screenshots: Microlink does both, or pair GrabShot with MetaPeek for a more flexible setup.