Scrnify vs. Urlbox: A Pay-As-You-Go Screenshot API Comparison

Pricing update: Scrnify now uses graduated rates. See current pricing. Competitor details reflect this article’s publication date.

Hey there! Laura and Heidi here from SCRNIFY!

Are you tired of being locked into monthly subscription plans for screenshot APIs when your usage varies from month to month? We've been there too! That's why we built SCRNIFY with a pay-as-you-go model in mind. But how does our approach compare to established players like Urlbox?

In this article, we'll dive deep into a comparison between SCRNIFY and Urlbox, focusing specifically on their features, pricing models, ease of use, and performance. If you're a developer looking for a flexible, usage-based screenshot API, you're in the right place!

Try SCRNIFY and review current pricing.

Feature Comparison

Let's start by comparing the key features offered by both SCRNIFY and Urlbox:

Feature	SCRNIFY	Urlbox
Full-page screenshots	✅	✅
Custom viewport size	✅	✅
Image formats	PNG, JPEG, WebP	PNG, JPEG, WebP
PDF export	❌	✅
Video capture	✅ (Up to 60 seconds)	✅
Animation capture	✅ (GIF format)	✅
Custom wait events	✅ (Multiple options)	✅
Custom User-Agent	✅	✅
Ad/cookie blocking	✅	✅
API access	✅	✅
Caching	✅	✅
Webhook support	❌	✅
Signed/secure API requests	✅	✅
HTML input (not just URL)	❌	✅
Metadata extraction	❌	✅
Markdown extraction	❌	✅
Pay-as-you-go pricing	✅	❌

As you can see, both services offer robust screenshot capabilities, but there are some notable differences. Urlbox has been around longer and offers some additional features like PDF export, metadata extraction, and the ability to render HTML directly (not just URLs). However, SCRNIFY's straightforward API and pay-as-you-go model make it more accessible for developers with variable usage patterns.

Pricing Comparison

Now let's get to the heart of the matter - pricing! This is where the two services differ significantly.

SCRNIFY Pricing

SCRNIFY uses graduated marginal pricing. Each screenshot or second of video is one unit:

First 2,000 billable units per billing period: €0.008 each
Each additional billable unit: €0.005
Video pricing: Each second of video counts as one unit (e.g., a 60-second video = 60 units)

Crossing 2,000 billable units does not reprice the first 2,000. For example, 5,000 billable units cost €16 for the first 2,000 plus €15 for the next 3,000, or €31 total.

Accounts include 100 lifetime free units. Before each request, Scrnify checks prior lifetime usage. If it is below 100 units, the entire successful request is free; the request is not split at the boundary. With active billing, another 100 units are free per billing period. Calculations below use billable units after applicable free usage.

Example costs:

500 billable units: 500 × €0.008 = €4.00
5,000 billable units: (2,000 × €0.008) + (3,000 × €0.005) = €31.00
15,000 billable units: (2,000 × €0.008) + (13,000 × €0.005) = €81.00
60 billable units (a 60-second video): 60 × €0.008 = €0.48

Urlbox Pricing at Publication

Urlbox uses a subscription-based model with different tiers:

Lo-Fi Plan: Starts at $19/month for up to 2,000 renders ($9.50 per 1,000)
Hi-Fi Plan: Starts at $49/month for up to 5,000 renders ($9.80 per 1,000)
Ultra Plan: Starts at $99/month for up to 15,000 renders ($6.60 per 1,000)
Business Plan: Starts at $495/month base + $3 per 1,000 renders
Enterprise Plan: Custom pricing with unlimited renders

Each plan includes different features and limitations:

Lower tiers have restrictions on 3rd party website screenshots
Higher tiers include more privacy features, rendering options, and better support
All plans have a 7-day free trial (no credit card required)

Pricing Analysis

The key difference is the commitment model:

SCRNIFY: Usage charges follow billable units in each billing period. For example, 0 billable units produce a €0 usage charge, while 10,000 cost (2,000 × €0.008) + (8,000 × €0.005) = €56.
Urlbox: Requires a subscription, even if your usage varies. If you subscribe to the Hi-Fi plan at $49/month but only use 100 screenshots, you're still paying the full amount.

Against the publication-date Urlbox rates above, SCRNIFY's usage-based model can suit variable or smaller workloads. Larger workloads need a direct calculation against the relevant Urlbox plan and required features.

Ease of Use

Let's look at how easy it is to get started with both services.

SCRNIFY API

SCRNIFY's API is designed to be simple and straightforward. Here's a basic example to capture a screenshot:

GET https://api.scrnify.com/capture
  ?key=YOUR_API_KEY
  &url=https%3A%2F%2Fexample.com
  &type=image
  &format=png
  &width=1920
  &height=1080

For enhanced security, you can use signed requests:

const crypto = require('crypto')

function generateSignature(queryString, secret) {
    const hmac = crypto.createHmac('sha256', secret)
    hmac.update(queryString)
    return hmac.digest('hex')
}

// Example usage
const params = new URLSearchParams({
    key: 'your_api_key',
    url: 'https://example.com',
    type: 'image',
    format: 'png',
    width: '1920',
    height: '1080',
    cache_ttl: '3600',
})

const signature = generateSignature(params.toString(), 'your_api_secret')
params.append('signature', signature)

const finalUrl = `https://api.scrnify.com/capture?${params.toString()}`

Urlbox API

Urlbox offers both synchronous and asynchronous API options. Here's a basic example for their API:

POST https://api.urlbox.io/v1/render/sync
Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SECRET_KEY
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "url": "https://example.com",
  "format": "png",
  "width": 1920,
  "height": 1080
}

Urlbox also offers SDK libraries for various programming languages, including Python, Ruby, Node.js, and .NET, which can simplify integration.

Developer Experience Comparison

Both APIs are RESTful and relatively easy to use, but there are some differences in the developer experience:

SCRNIFY: Simple GET-based API that's easy to integrate directly into image tags or make requests from any language. The parameters are straightforward and focused on the core screenshot functionality.
Urlbox: More sophisticated API with both synchronous and asynchronous options, more parameters, and official SDK libraries. Better suited for complex use cases but requires more integration work for simple scenarios.

Performance

While we don't have exact benchmark data to compare the two services, we can discuss the general performance aspects:

Response Times

SCRNIFY: Optimized for fast delivery with screenshots typically generated in seconds. The service is built on modern cloud infrastructure to ensure rapid processing.
Urlbox: Known for their speed and reliability, having been in the business for over a decade. They claim to be able to handle "one million screenshots before breakfast."

Scalability

SCRNIFY: Built on scalable cloud infrastructure that can accommodate varying loads. As a newer service, it's designed with modern scaling practices in mind.
Urlbox: Well-established infrastructure with proven ability to handle high volumes. They mention having customers taking "tens of thousands of screenshots per minute."

Reliability

SCRNIFY: Running 24/7 with high availability, but as a newer service, it doesn't have the same track record as Urlbox.
Urlbox: Long-established service with a decade of experience in the screenshot business, providing a reliable service to hundreds of customers.

Pros and Cons

Let's summarize the key advantages and disadvantages of each service:

SCRNIFY

Pros:

Graduated pay-as-you-go pricing
Simple, straightforward API
Video seconds billed as units at the graduated rates
Production-ready Capture API
Modern infrastructure built for scalability

Cons:

Newer service with a shorter track record
Fewer advanced features (no PDF export, HTML input, or metadata extraction)
No official SDK libraries yet
Limited webhook/integration capabilities

Urlbox

Pros:

Long-established service with proven reliability
Comprehensive feature set including PDF export and metadata extraction
Multiple API endpoints with both sync and async options
Official SDK libraries for multiple programming languages
Advanced capabilities like custom JavaScript execution and HTML input

Cons:

Subscription-based pricing requiring monthly commitments
More complex API with many options
Higher entry cost for small projects or variable usage
Tiered plans with feature limitations on lower tiers

Conclusion

Both SCRNIFY and Urlbox offer powerful screenshot APIs, but they cater to different needs and priorities.

Choose SCRNIFY if:

You value graduated pay-as-you-go pricing
Your screenshot needs vary from month to month
You need a simple, straightforward API for basic screenshot functionality
You want video seconds billed through the same graduated unit schedule
You're currently in a testing/development phase and can benefit from free usage

Choose Urlbox if:

You have consistent, high-volume screenshot needs
You require advanced features like PDF export and metadata extraction
You need to render HTML directly (not just URLs)
You value a long-established service with proven reliability
Integration with webhooks and various storage options is important to you

For developers who value flexibility, SCRNIFY's graduated pay-as-you-go model offers an alternative to traditional screenshot API plans. Charges tied to billable usage can make it a practical choice for developers adding screenshot functionality to their applications.

Ready to give SCRNIFY a try? Explore the Scrnify screenshot API, start capturing, and review current pricing.

Cheers, Laura & Heidi 🇦🇹

P.S. Have you tried generating screenshots programmatically before? What challenges did you face? Let us know on Twitter!

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