wkhtmltoimage is identified by its project as LGPLv3, not the GNU GPL. Commercial use is not categorically prohibited, but distributing it with an application raises obligations that depend on the exact components, modifications, linking, packaging, and delivery method. The project’s license label is a starting point—not a compliance ruling for your product.
Is wkhtmltoimage GPL or LGPL?
The name of this topic often shortens the license to “GPL,” but the project identifies wkhtmltoimage as licensed under the GNU Lesser General Public License version 3 (LGPLv3). The project website describes both wkhtmltopdf and wkhtmltoimage as open-source command-line tools under LGPLv3. The upstream repository’s LICENSE file contains the GNU Lesser General Public License version 3, and GitHub labels the repository LGPL-3.0.
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LGPLv3 is distinct from the GNU General Public License (GPL). That distinction matters because LGPL terms can permit an application using a covered library to keep its own source code proprietary, provided the LGPL requirements are met. It does not mean every commercial arrangement or distribution method is automatically permitted.
Can you use wkhtmltoimage commercially?
Commercial use is not described by the project as prohibited. Qt’s LGPL guidance says that LGPL-covered libraries may be used in applications whose own source remains private when the applicable requirements are satisfied. Whether a particular product satisfies those requirements depends on its construction and distribution; the general license label cannot determine that by itself.
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Qt cautions that failing to meet the LGPL requirements means the application or device cannot be distributed under that license. Its guidance is not a complete checklist or legal advice for a particular product. If your commercial distribution depends on a licensing conclusion, have an experienced open-source licensing lawyer review the actual build and delivery model.
What determines your obligations?
Identify the exact build and every component
Determine which wkhtmltoimage build you use and inspect the license notices for that build and its accompanying components. The project uses Qt WebKit; Qt advises users to track the licenses of modules, samples, snippets, and libraries, and notes that third-party components may have separate terms. Do not assume that every dependency included in a binary has the same license as the main project.
Review modifications, linking, and packaging
Work out whether you modified an LGPL-covered library, bundled it with your application, or linked to it statically or dynamically. Qt says dynamic linking can allow proprietary application code where the application qualifies as a “work that uses the library.” Static linking can change the analysis. The label on the tool alone cannot settle how a particular combined product is treated.
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Examine how users receive and can change the software
For distribution, Qt’s guidance describes requirements that may involve providing the covered library’s corresponding source and your modifications, or a compliant written offer; allowing users to replace or relink the library; and supplying installation information where required for the target device. It also identifies license texts and notices of user rights as matters to address.
Review the terms of the platform or app store through which you distribute the product as well. Qt flags potential conflicts between those terms and the freedoms the LGPL requires users to have. The effect depends on the particular distribution and contract.
Keep Qt licensing separate from wkhtmltoimage licensing
Qt offers its framework under commercial and open-source licenses, and its guidance recommends considering a commercial Qt license for some projects that cannot or do not intend to meet open-source terms. That offer is not evidence that purchasing a Qt license changes wkhtmltoimage’s own license or clears every dependency. Check the specific grant and the license for each component separately.
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A practical review before commercial distribution
Use these questions to organize a product-specific review; they are not a complete legal checklist:
- Which exact
wkhtmltoimagebuild and Qt/WebKit components are included, and what license notices apply to each? - Have you modified, bundled, statically linked, or dynamically linked any LGPL-covered library?
- For the way you distribute the product, what source code, modifications, or written offer must accompany it?
- Can users replace or relink the covered library, and does the target device require installation information?
- Do you provide the required license texts and notices of user rights?
- Do app-store or platform terms restrict rights the LGPL requires users to retain?
- Do separate third-party licenses, patents, or the nature of the combined work require additional analysis?
Qt explicitly says it cannot determine whether a specific application meets the requirements and recommends legal review for a full assessment. Its summaries should not be treated as an exhaustive statement of your obligations.
Project status and a separate security concern
The upstream repository was archived on January 2, 2023. The project’s download page lists version 0.12.6 as the stable series, released June 11, 2020. These are project status facts, not a guarantee of current maintenance or platform support; verify that the exact build you plan to use is suitable for your environment.
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Licensing is separate from a security warning on the project’s download page: it says not to use wkhtmltopdf with untrusted HTML and warns that unsanitized user-supplied HTML or JavaScript can lead to complete server takeover. Treat untrusted input as a security risk and follow the project’s warning; license compliance does not make rendering untrusted content safe.
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See the ScreenshotNeo documentation for request options. Before capture, it accepts cookie or consent banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets; each of those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing, and response headers identify the page verdict and billing status. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf tools for AI agents. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots. Sign up for 1,000 free screenshots a month with no card.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does LGPLv3 mean I must publish my entire application’s source code?
Not necessarily. Qt says an application’s own source can remain proprietary when the LGPL requirements are met; the answer depends on the components and distribution arrangement.
Does buying a commercial Qt license settle wkhtmltoimage’s license?
No such effect is established by the project or Qt guidance here. Review the license grant for each component and the terms that apply to your exact build.
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