Last updated: June 08, 2026 · Updated quarterly to reflect current pricing and features.

Tutorial · Screenshot API

Screenshot Machine API Tutorial (2026): Setup, Examples, and a Simpler Alternative

June 08, 2026 5 min read Screenshot API

This tutorial covers how to get started with the Screenshot Machine API — authentication, key parameters, and code examples. We also show why developers often end up choosing a simpler alternative.

Getting started with the Screenshot Machine API

Screenshot Machine (Simple and affordable website screenshot API) provides a REST API for url screenshots. Here's how to set it up and make your first API call.

Authentication

Most Screenshot Machine API requests require authentication via API key. You'll find your key in the Screenshot Machine dashboard after signing up.

Making your first request

# Screenshot Machine — example request curl -X POST https://api.screenshotmachine.com/v1/render \ -H "Authorization: Bearer YOUR_SCREENSHOTMACHINE_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{"url": "https://example.com", "width": 1200, "height": 630}'

Key parameters

width / height — output image dimensions
format — PNG, JPEG, or WebP
url — URL of the page to capture

Limitations to be aware of

No raw HTML input — you must host the content before capturing it. No native n8n or Make.com node. No built-in batch endpoint.

A simpler alternative for HTML rendering

If you're using Screenshot Machine specifically for HTML-to-image rendering and find the setup complex, RenderPix offers a simpler API with native n8n support:

# One API call. That's all. curl -X POST https://renderpix.dev/v1/render \ -H "X-API-Key: YOUR_KEY" \ -H "Content-Type: application/json" \ -d '{ "html": "<div style=\"width:1200px;height:630px;background:#0f0f0f;color:#fff;display:flex;align-items:center;justify-content:center;font-size:48px\">Hello, RenderPix</div>", "width": 1200, "height": 630, "format": "png" }' --output card.png

Feature	Screenshot Machine	RenderPix
Starting price	$12/mo	$9/mo
Free tier	50/mo	100 renders/mo
Raw HTML input	✗	✓ Full HTML/CSS
n8n native node	✗	✓ Native node
Batch rendering	✗	✓ Built-in
Template variables	✗	✓ {key} syntax
Async callback	✗	✓
PNG / JPEG / WebP	✓	✓
Primary use case	URL screenshots	HTML image generation