Free Screenshot API: Get Started with Scrnify's Pay-As-You-Go Service
3/3/2025
Hey there! Laura and Heidi here from SCRNIFY! 🇦🇹
Ever found yourself needing to generate programmatic screenshots of websites for your application, but dreading the thought of setting up and maintaining your own headless browser infrastructure? 😅 We've been there too! That frustration of managing browser clusters, dealing with memory leaks, and handling all the quirky rendering issues across different websites led us to build Scrnify.
Today, we're excited to share how you can get started with our screenshot API completely free during our beta period, and then only pay for what you actually use when we launch our pay-as-you-go service. No subscriptions, no complicated pricing tiers – just simple, transparent pricing.
Get free access to the SCRNIFY API during our open beta and start generating screenshots today!
What is Scrnify? 📸
Scrnify is a powerful, developer-first API service that transforms any URL into high-quality screenshots and videos programmatically. Our service handles all the complex infrastructure so you can focus on building your core product features rather than managing headless browsers.
With just one API call, you can capture pixel-perfect images of any website with customizable options for viewport size, format, and more. Whether you need a single screenshot or thousands, Scrnify scales effortlessly to meet your needs.
Key Features of Scrnify's Screenshot API ✨
Our API is packed with features that make capturing web screenshots easier and more powerful:
- Full-page screenshots - Capture entire webpages including content below the fold and lazy-loaded elements
- Customizable viewport - Set any width and height to simulate different devices and screen sizes
- Multiple image formats - Choose from PNG, JPEG, and WebP formats based on your quality and size requirements
- Lightning-fast capture - Get your screenshots in seconds, not minutes
- Smart caching - Improve performance and reduce costs with our intelligent caching system
- Secure signed API keys - Keep your authentication credentials safe with our secure API implementation
- Video capture - Generate videos of websites for animations, interactions, or scrolling demonstrations
- 24/7 availability - Our service runs continuously with high uptime for reliable operation
Pay-As-You-Go Pricing Model 💰
What makes Scrnify different from most screenshot APIs on the market is our straightforward pricing approach. We believe you should only pay for what you actually use, without being locked into monthly commitments or tiered pricing plans that don't fit your usage patterns.
How Our Pricing Works:
- Free during beta - Currently, you can use Scrnify completely free during our beta period
- Single rate after launch - Just 0,008 € per screenshot or video second
- No subscriptions - There are no monthly fees or minimum commitments
- No hidden costs - What you see is what you pay
- Scale up or down freely - Your rate stays the same whether you take 10 screenshots or 10,000
Example Pricing Scenarios:
- 500 screenshots: 4,00 € (500 × 0,008 €)
- 5,000 screenshots: 40,00 € (5,000 × 0,008 €)
- 15,000 screenshots: 120,00 € (15,000 × 0,008 €)
- 60-second video capture: 0,48 € (60 × 0,008 €)
This transparent model means you'll never overpay for resources you don't use, making Scrnify particularly attractive for projects with variable or growing needs.
Getting Started with Scrnify's Free Beta 🚀
Ready to try Scrnify? Here's how to get started in just a few simple steps:
1. Sign Up for a Free Beta Account
Visit app.scrnify.com and create your account. During the beta period, you'll get full access to all features at no cost.
2. Get Your API Key
After signing up, you'll receive a unique API key that authenticates your requests to our service. Keep this key secure as it will be used for all your API calls.
3. Make Your First API Call
With your API key in hand, you're ready to capture your first screenshot. Here's a basic example using our REST API:
GET https://api.scrnify.com/capture?key=YOUR_API_KEY&url=https%3A%2F%2Fexample.com&type=image&format=png&width=1920&height=1080
4. Integrate Scrnify into Your Project
For a more comprehensive integration, here's a simple Node.js code example:
// First, install the required package
// npm install node-fetch
const fetch = require('node-fetch');
const fs = require('fs');
async function captureScreenshot() {
try {
// Configure your screenshot parameters
const params = new URLSearchParams({
key: 'YOUR_API_KEY',
url: 'https://example.com',
type: 'image',
format: 'png',
width: 1920,
height: 1080,
fullPage: true
});
// Make the API request
const response = await fetch(`https://api.scrnify.com/capture?${params}`);
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error(`API error: ${response.status} ${response.statusText}`);
}
// Save the screenshot to a file
const buffer = await response.buffer();
fs.writeFileSync('screenshot.png', buffer);
console.log('Screenshot captured successfully!');
} catch (error) {
console.error('Error capturing screenshot:', error);
}
}
captureScreenshot();
This simple script will capture a full-page screenshot of example.com and save it as a PNG file.
Benefits of Using Scrnify's Screenshot API 🌟
Cost-Effectiveness
Scrnify eliminates the need to build and maintain your own screenshot infrastructure. When you factor in server costs, development time, and ongoing maintenance, our pay-as-you-go model is significantly more cost-effective than DIY solutions.
Scalability
Whether you need 10 screenshots or 10,000, Scrnify scales automatically to meet your demand without you having to provision additional resources or worry about performance degradation.
Ease of Use
Our simple API requires minimal setup and integration effort. You can be up and running in minutes rather than days or weeks.
Zero Infrastructure Management
No more worrying about browser updates, security patches, or resource allocation. We handle all the infrastructure complexity, letting you focus on your core business.
High-Quality Results
Scrnify excels at capturing accurate screenshots even from complex, dynamic websites with lazy-loaded content, custom fonts, and interactive elements.
Flexible Integration
Our API can be integrated into virtually any programming language or automation workflow, making it versatile for various use cases.
Common Use Cases for Scrnify 🛠️
Our screenshot API serves a wide range of practical applications:
- Content Monitoring: Track changes to websites over time
- Visual Testing: Verify the visual appearance of your web applications
- Documentation: Generate screenshots for technical documentation or tutorials
- Marketing Materials: Create visuals for presentations, reports, or case studies
- Social Media Cards: Automatically generate preview images for social media shares
- Archiving: Create visual archives of web content for compliance or record-keeping
- Competitive Analysis: Monitor competitors' websites for changes or campaigns
- Thumbnails: Generate preview thumbnails for web links in your application
Why Choose Scrnify Over Other Screenshot APIs? 🤔
In a market with several screenshot API options, Scrnify stands out for several key reasons:
- Free Beta Access: Get started today at no cost while we refine our service
- True Pay-As-You-Go: No subscription fees or complicated tiered pricing
- High Performance: Get your screenshots in seconds, not minutes
- Full-Page Support: Accurately capture entire webpages including below-the-fold content
- Video Capabilities: Capture videos of websites, not just static images
- Developer-First Approach: Built by developers, for developers
- Active Development: Our service is continuously improving with new features
Ready to Start Capturing Screenshots? 📸
The beta period is the perfect time to try Scrnify – you'll get full access to our powerful screenshot capabilities at no cost while helping us refine the service before our official launch.
Have questions about implementing Scrnify in your project? Want to request a feature? We'd love to hear from you! Feel free to reach out to us directly.
Cheers, Laura & Heidi 🇦🇹
P.S. Don't forget to follow us on Twitter @scrnify for the latest updates and tips on using Scrnify effectively! ✨