Free Screenshot API: Capture Any Website with One API Call

Published February 19, 2026 · 5 min read

Need to capture website screenshots programmatically? GrabShot gives you a free screenshot API with 25 captures per month. No credit card. No trial period. Just sign up, grab your API key, and start capturing.

Quick Start (30 Seconds)

1. Get your free API key at grabshot.dev/register

2. Make your first request:

curl "https://grabshot.dev/api/screenshot?url=https://github.com&api_key=YOUR_KEY"

That's it. You get back a high-quality PNG screenshot. The entire flow takes under 30 seconds from signup to first capture.

Code Examples

JavaScript / Node.js

const response = await fetch(
  'https://grabshot.dev/api/screenshot?' + new URLSearchParams({
    url: 'https://stripe.com',
    width: '1280',
    height: '800',
    format: 'png',
    api_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY'
  })
);

const buffer = await response.arrayBuffer();
fs.writeFileSync('screenshot.png', Buffer.from(buffer));

Python

import requests

response = requests.get('https://grabshot.dev/api/screenshot', params={
    'url': 'https://stripe.com',
    'width': 1280,
    'height': 800,
    'format': 'png',
    'api_key': 'YOUR_API_KEY'
})

with open('screenshot.png', 'wb') as f:
    f.write(response.content)

cURL

curl -o screenshot.png \
  "https://grabshot.dev/api/screenshot?url=https://stripe.com&width=1280&format=png&api_key=YOUR_KEY"

What You Get on the Free Plan

Feature	Free	Starter ($9/mo)	Pro ($29/mo)
Screenshots/month	25	500	2,000
Resolution	Up to 1280px	Up to 1920px	Up to 3840px
Formats	PNG, JPEG	PNG, JPEG, WebP	PNG, JPEG, WebP
AI Cleanup	✕	✓	✓
Device Frames	✕	✓	✓
Full-page Capture	✓	✓	✓
Watermark	Small	None	None

API Parameters

Parameter	Required	Description
url	Yes	Website URL to capture
api_key	Yes	Your API key
width	No	Viewport width (default: 1280)
height	No	Viewport height (default: 800)
format	No	Output format: png, jpeg, webp
full_page	No	Capture full scrollable page (true/false)
delay	No	Wait time in ms before capture

Common Use Cases

• Link previews - Generate rich previews for URLs shared in your app
• Social media cards - Create OG images from live web content
• Monitoring - Visual regression testing and uptime monitoring
• Archival - Capture web pages for documentation or legal records
• Thumbnails - Generate website thumbnails for directories and portfolios
• Competitive analysis - Track competitor website changes over time

Why GrabShot vs. Other Screenshot APIs

Most screenshot APIs either charge from day one or give you a 7-day trial. GrabShot's free tier is permanent - 25 screenshots every month, forever. No credit card on file, no "trial expired" emails.

For paid plans, GrabShot includes AI-powered cleanup that automatically removes cookie banners, popup overlays, and chat widgets from your screenshots. No other screenshot API does this.

Try It Without Signing Up

Want to see it in action before creating an account? Use our free screenshot tool - paste any URL and get a screenshot instantly. No signup needed.

FAQ

Is the free plan really free forever?

Yes. 25 screenshots per month, no expiration, no credit card required.

What happens if I exceed the free limit?

API calls return a 429 status. Upgrade to a paid plan for more capacity, or wait until next month for your quota to reset.

Can I use screenshots commercially?

Yes. All plans (including free) allow commercial use. Free plan screenshots include a small watermark.

How fast are the screenshots?

Typical capture time is 2-5 seconds depending on the target website's load time.