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Apify’s official Website Screenshot Generator is the apify/screenshot-url Actor. It takes one or more URLs, stores screenshot files in a Key-Value Store, and writes page metadata and file links to a dataset. The project README describes it as a simple example Actor, rather than a full-featured crawler. Its own use is free, but running it still uses Apify platform resources, whose charges depend on your plan and usage.
Which Apify screenshot Actor is this?
This review covers the official Apify Projects Actor Website Screenshot Generator (apify/screenshot-url). Its README describes an Actor that opens a URL in a headless browser and saves a screenshot. It also says the project is a simple example Actor intended primarily to demonstrate the approach.
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There is a separate, community-maintained Store Actor called i-scraper/website-screenshot. It is not the Actor reviewed here, and its price or features should not be attributed to apify/screenshot-url.
How to take a website screenshot with Apify
- Create or sign in to an Apify account. The project README describes creating a free account as the starting point.
- Open the Website Screenshot Generator Actor. Confirm that the Actor is
apify/screenshot-url, not a similarly named community Actor. - Enter one or more web URLs in the Actor’s current input form. The README also describes input for whether to scroll to the bottom of a page and how long to wait before taking a screenshot. Use the live input tab for exact field names and accepted values; the README does not establish the current defaults.
- Start the run and wait for it to finish.
- Open the run’s Key-Value Store and dataset. Retrieve the image file from storage and use the dataset row to locate it and read the associated page metadata.
The project README describes downloading or exporting results after the run. It lists JSON, XML, CSV, Excel, and HTML export formats. Available controls and output details can change, so use the live Actor page for the current interface.
#1 Best Overall
Where screenshots are saved and what the output contains
The screenshot itself is a file stored in the run’s Key-Value Store. The dataset contains page metadata and links that help you find and process those files; it is not the image file itself. The README’s example dataset fields are startUrl, url, screenshotUrl, and screenshotKey. Treat those names as documented example fields, and check a current run before building a downstream workflow around a schema.
From the dataset and stored file, you can download results or pass the structured records into another workflow. The README describes API and SDK access, webhooks, scheduling, and integrations including Make, Zapier, Slack, Airbyte, GitHub, Google Sheets, and Google Drive. Those are project-documented routes; their current availability and third-party terms are not established here.
Rank #2
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What the Actor does well—and where its limits matter
A good fit for straightforward captures
The project documentation describes taking screenshots of supplied URLs, scheduling captures to track site changes, exporting metadata, and connecting runs to other services. If your task is simply to capture pages and collect their image files and metadata, the example Actor may be enough.
Consider a different tool for advanced crawling
The project README points users with more advanced needs toward Apify’s Website Content Crawler. The README describes that product as offering more sophisticated crawling and rendering strategies, automatic cookie-banner closing, and more customization. These are vendor-described capabilities, not a guarantee that a particular site will render or that access restrictions can be bypassed.
Decide based on whether you need more control over crawling, anti-scraping and rendering strategies, cookie-banner handling, or customization than this example Actor documents. The sources do not establish a comparative performance benchmark or price comparison between the two Actors.
Technical limits the README does not specify
The official README does not establish a supported-site list, success rate, login support, fixed timeout, maximum page height, output-file limit, current browser engine, concurrency limit, retention window, or delivery guarantee. Do not assume those details from the separate community Actor’s listing; check the live Actor input and Apify documentation for the behavior and terms relevant to your run.
How much does the Apify screenshot Actor cost?
The official project README says the apify/screenshot-url Actor is free to use. That does not mean a run has no platform cost: it consumes Apify resources, and platform usage charges depend on your plan and resource use. The README provides no fixed total for a screenshot run, so check current Apify pricing and the live run configuration before budgeting.
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The separate i-scraper/website-screenshot Store listing displayed a starting price of $6 per 1,000 results when inspected. That figure is for that distinct community Actor only; it is not the price of apify/screenshot-url.
Run captures through an API or automate them
The project README describes programmatic access through the Apify API, with Node.js and Python client routes, and also mentions webhooks, schedules, and workflow integrations. Apify’s Actor documentation explains the broader platform model: cloud tools for scraping and automation with storage, APIs, schedules, integrations, and language clients.
For an automated workflow, the essential pattern is to start a run, then retrieve its dataset and stored screenshot files. The exact API calls, authentication, run input schema, and result retrieval details depend on the current Actor and Apify client. Follow the current Actor documentation rather than assuming the example dataset fields or UI defaults are a stable API contract.
Best Value
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server for developers. A single GET request with a URL returns an image or PDF; it can also accept compatible parameter names used by other screenshot APIs to make switching easier. For example, this cURL request saves a WebP screenshot of Stripe:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for setup and options. Cookie banners are accepted like a visitor and more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets are removed before capture; each cleanup step can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed, and responses report page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server lets AI agents use screenshot, page-info, and PDF-capture tools. The free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000.
Sign up for ScreenshotNeo’s free plan: 1,000 screenshots a month, no card required.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use the Apify screenshot Actor on a schedule?
The official project README lists scheduling captures among its use cases. Check the current Actor and Apify scheduling documentation for setup and availability.
Quick Recap
Does the official Actor automatically close cookie banners?
The official Website Screenshot Generator README does not list automatic cookie-banner closing for this Actor; it describes that capability for the more advanced Website Content Crawler.
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