The Tool Desk
Outbyte Driver Updater FREEFix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitchesFind Drivers →Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →For taking a webpage screenshot through a direct API call, Browserless is the more straightforward fit: its REST API accepts a URL and screenshot options and returns image data. Cloudinary is primarily a media platform for managing, transforming, optimizing and delivering assets, but it can also generate website screenshots through its URL2PNG add-on. Choose according to whether your main job is browser capture or the media workflow around the resulting image.
How the two services differ
Browserless documents a browser-rendering workflow: submit a page URL or inline HTML to its Screenshot API, configure the capture, and receive an image response. For more involved interactions, Browserless also documents connecting to a browser through WebSocket using Puppeteer or Playwright.
Cloudinary’s central role is different. Its APIs support uploading and managing media, applying transformations, optimizing assets and delivering them. Its delivery-type documentation also lists url2png, which requires the URL2PNG Website Screenshots add-on. That means Cloudinary can be part of a screenshot workflow, but it is not accurate to say it cannot capture websites. Confirm that the add-on is currently available to your account and check its billing before building around it.
Which is a better fit for your workflow?
| What you need | Documented fit | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Submit a webpage and get an image in one HTTP operation | Browserless | Its REST endpoint accepts a URL or HTML with navigation and screenshot configuration, then returns image bytes. |
| Capture a viewport, full page or selected element | Browserless | The screenshot API documents full-page and selector capture, as well as format, clipping and viewport controls. |
| Interact with the page or reuse browser automation code | Browserless | Its WebSocket workflow supports Puppeteer and Playwright browser connections. |
| Transform, optimize, manage and deliver captured image assets | Cloudinary | Those are core capabilities of its media APIs and transformation workflow. |
| Generate a webpage screenshot within a Cloudinary delivery workflow | Cloudinary with URL2PNG | The delivery types documentation lists url2png and states the add-on requirement. |
These are functional distinctions from vendor documentation, not a measured comparison of speed, image fidelity, reliability or total cost. The services are not mutually exclusive: an architecture could capture with a browser API and then send the output to a media platform for storage, transformations or delivery.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsHow to capture a screenshot with Browserless
The current Browserless REST documentation uses a POST request to /screenshot, with the token in the query string, a JSON body, and image data in the response. Check the current REST API documentation for the endpoint and account details that apply to your setup.
cURL example
curl -X POST "https://production-sfo.browserless.io/screenshot?token=YOUR_TOKEN"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{"url":"https://example.com","options":{"fullPage":true,"type":"png"}}'
--output screenshot.pngUse your Browserless token and the current REST endpoint for your account. The documented request body can include a URL and options; the response is image data, so save it to a file rather than expecting a JSON object.
Use inline HTML instead of a URL
The API also accepts inline html. Do not send both html and url in the same request.
curl -X POST "https://production-sfo.browserless.io/screenshot?token=YOUR_TOKEN"
-H "Content-Type: application/json"
-d '{"html":"<h1>Hello</h1>","options":{"type":"png"}}'
--output screenshot.pngChoose the capture controls that match the page
- Full page or viewport: use the documented full-page option when you need the whole document rather than the visible viewport.
- Element capture: use
selectorto target an element. Use clipping options when the capture needs a specific region. - Output: choose an image type such as PNG, JPEG or WebP; quality applies where supported by the chosen format.
- Viewport and device scale: set them to control the rendered dimensions and scale of the result.
- Waits and navigation: configure navigation or wait behavior for pages that render content asynchronously.
- Lazy-loaded content: Browserless recommends scrolling before capture so content loaded on scroll has a chance to appear; its screenshot API documents
scrollPage. - Request control: the API documentation describes request rejection options when resources should be blocked.
For syntax and supported values, use the live Screenshot API reference. Older Browserless BaaS v1 screenshot documentation is marked deprecated; do not base a new integration on that legacy page.
When a single screenshot request is not enough
A REST screenshot operation is convenient when the desired output follows a predictable sequence: navigate, wait, capture. If your code must click through a flow, inspect page state, or reuse existing automation logic, Browserless documents a WebSocket connection with Puppeteer or Playwright. Its screenshot example provides a starting point for that approach.
Cloudinary is more relevant after capture when you need the media lifecycle—transformations, optimization, storage or delivery. Its API overview and image transformations documentation describe those workflows. Cloudinary says transformations count toward plan usage, so account for them when estimating the media side of the architecture.
Costs, limits and performance: what can be compared
The available documentation does not establish comparable current prices, quota units, screenshot-add-on costs, or performance results for Browserless and Cloudinary. Cloudinary’s transformation usage affects plan consumption, while access and billing for the URL2PNG add-on should be checked with Cloudinary directly. Do not choose between the two based on assumed per-screenshot cost or speed; verify current plans and model the full workflow, including any asset transformations and delivery.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Troubleshooting screenshot captures
The response is blank or shows a CAPTCHA or access-denied page
The target site may be applying bot detection or access controls. Browserless troubleshooting material points to its /unblock API for these cases, but that is a vendor-documented option, not a guarantee that a protected page can be captured. Respect the target site’s access restrictions.
Lazy-loaded content is missing
Content that appears only after scrolling may not be present at capture time. Configure scrolling before the screenshot using the documented scrollPage option, and use suitable wait behavior for the page.
The request fails when using HTML and a URL together
Choose one input mode. Send either url or inline html; the API documentation warns against including both in the same request.
The image is not saved or cannot be parsed as JSON
The screenshot response is image data. Save the response body as a file and use a matching filename extension for the requested output format.
A legacy example does not match the current API
Browserless marks its BaaS v1 screenshot page deprecated. Use the current REST Screenshot API documentation for new REST requests, or the current WebSocket examples for browser automation.
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For a direct screenshot API workflow, ScreenshotNeo is another option: it removes known consent banners, newsletter popups and chat widgets before capture, and only clean shots are billed. Its API also offers screenshot controls and an MCP server for AI agents.
One-call example
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options. Cookie banners, popups and chat widgets are removed before the shot; bot checks, blank pages and failed loads are never billed. An MCP server lets AI agents take screenshots. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots a month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Sign up free for ScreenshotNeo.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can Cloudinary take website screenshots?
Yes. Cloudinary documents the `url2png` delivery type, which requires the URL2PNG Website Screenshots add-on. Check current access and billing before relying on it.
Can Browserless capture a page element instead of the whole page?
Its Screenshot API documents selector-based element capture as well as full-page and viewport capture.
Can Browserless take a screenshot from HTML that is not hosted at a URL?
Yes. The REST API accepts inline HTML, but a request should use either `html` or `url`, not both.
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