Screenshotlayer Alternative — SnapRender

Screenshotlayer is one of the oldest screenshot APIs on the market. It's been serving developers for years and has accumulated a base of users who integrated it when fewer alternatives existed. But the product has aged. The documentation feels outdated, the UI hasn't kept up with modern standards, and the pay-as-you-go pricing model makes costs unpredictable.

If you're using Screenshotlayer, or considering it because it appeared in a search, SnapRender is a modern alternative worth evaluating.

Quick Overview

Screenshotlayer is a screenshot API that's been around for a long time, part of the apilayer family of web APIs. It uses a pay-as-you-go pricing model and has a large legacy user base. However, the product hasn't seen significant updates in recent years. The documentation and dashboard feel dated, and the API lacks many features that developers now expect.

SnapRender is a modern screenshot API built on Puppeteer and Chromium with Cloudflare R2 caching. We offer predictable monthly pricing starting at $9/mo for 2,000 screenshots, official SDKs for Node.js and Python, and features like device emulation, dark mode capture, ad blocking, and cookie banner removal.

Feature Comparison

Pricing Comparison

Screenshotlayer's pay-as-you-go model can make it difficult to predict your monthly costs. With SnapRender, you know exactly what you'll pay each month, and unused screenshots don't carry over, but you also don't get surprise bills.

Where SnapRender Wins

Modern API and Documentation

SnapRender's API is built on current technology and follows modern REST conventions. Our documentation is clear, detailed, and includes working code examples. Screenshotlayer's docs, while functional, haven't been significantly updated and can feel like navigating a product from a different era.

More Output Formats

SnapRender supports PNG, JPEG, WebP, and PDF output. Screenshotlayer is limited to PNG and JPEG. If you need WebP for better compression or PDF for document generation, Screenshotlayer can't help.

Official, Maintained SDKs

We ship official SDKs for both Node.js and Python, with type definitions, error handling, and full documentation. Screenshotlayer's SDK support is minimal and outdated.

Actually Free HTTPS

SnapRender captures HTTPS sites on every plan, including the free tier. Screenshotlayer restricts HTTPS capture to paid plans, which is a significant limitation given that the vast majority of websites now use HTTPS.

Predictable Pricing

With SnapRender, you choose a plan and know your monthly cost. No credit-based pricing, no usage surprises. For teams and businesses that need to budget their API expenses, predictability matters.

More Features

Device emulation, dark mode capture, ad blocking, cookie banner removal. These are features that modern screenshot APIs need to offer. Screenshotlayer doesn't support any of them.

Where Screenshotlayer Wins

Longest Track Record

Screenshotlayer has been operating longer than most other screenshot APIs. If you've been using it for years and it works for your use case, the switching cost might not be worth it. Longevity implies a certain baseline of reliability.

Legacy Integrations

Some older platforms and tools have built-in Screenshotlayer integrations. If you're using one of these tools and it only supports Screenshotlayer natively, that's a practical reason to stay. However, most modern tools either support multiple APIs or make it easy to configure custom endpoints.

Pay-as-You-Go Flexibility

If your usage is highly variable (some months zero, other months thousands), a pay-as-you-go model can be more efficient than a fixed monthly plan. SnapRender's free tier covers light usage, but if you occasionally spike to high volumes and then go quiet, credit-based pricing has its advantages.

Who Should Choose SnapRender?

SnapRender is the better fit if you:

• Want a modern API with current documentation and SDKs
• Need WebP or PDF output
• Need features like dark mode, ad blocking, or cookie banner removal
• Want predictable monthly pricing
• Need HTTPS capture on every plan, including free
• Are starting a new project and want a current, actively maintained API

Who Should Stay with Screenshotlayer?

Screenshotlayer might be acceptable if you:

• Have an existing integration that works and don't want to change it
• Use a platform with a native Screenshotlayer integration
• Have highly variable usage that suits pay-as-you-go pricing
• Only need basic PNG/JPEG captures of HTTP sites

Migrating from Screenshotlayer to SnapRender

The migration is straightforward. SnapRender uses a standard REST API with API key authentication:

# Screenshotlayer (old)
curl "https://api.screenshotlayer.com/api/capture?access_key=KEY&url=https://example.com"

# SnapRender (new)
curl "https://api.snap-render.com/v1/screenshot?url=https://example.com&format=png" \
  -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_API_KEY" \
  -o screenshot.png

Sign up for a free account (no credit card), test your use cases, and switch over when you're confident. The free tier gives you 500 screenshots per month to evaluate with your actual URLs.

Bottom Line

Screenshotlayer served developers well in its day, but the screenshot API market has moved forward. SnapRender offers a modern API, better features, predictable pricing, and official SDKs. Everything that a developer evaluating screenshot APIs in 2026 should expect. If you're on Screenshotlayer and wondering whether it's time to move on, the answer is probably yes.