Browshot

Browshot is a cloud service for capturing live websites, with browser automation and rendered-page data extraction alongside screenshots. It best suits developers and teams building repeatable capture workflows. The broad browser coverage is a strength, but the free tier restricts browser and resolution choices, and slow pages can exceed its hard cutoff.

Overview

Browshot captures screen or full-page images and thumbnails, with custom viewport sizes and cropping or scaling. PNG and JPEG output, shareable links, Browshot-hosted HTTPS, and direct Amazon S3 delivery give teams practical options for shaping and distributing captures. It is more than a one-off screenshot tool: its REST API and command-line access are suited to incorporating capture into existing workflows.

The service uses real desktop and mobile browsers and supports HTML5, CSS3, JavaScript, image loading, and redirects. More than 30 virtual browsers cover desktop and mobile devices, including iOS, Android, iPhone, Nexus, and iPad. That range makes Browshot useful for checking how live pages render across device types; it is less compelling for someone who only needs occasional screenshots from a local screen.

Key features

The API is REST-based, uses an API key, and is documented as version 1.31. Open-source libraries cover Perl, PHP, Python, Ruby, and C#, while Swagger specifications can support client generation in other languages. Command-line requests can be made from Linux, Mac OS X, BSD, and Windows using tools including wget, curl, fetch, or browshot-cmd.exe.

Premium and private browsers can run automation steps such as clicking, typing, executing JavaScript, waiting, navigating, and capturing screenshots. Those options support scripted interactions before capture, though they are not included in the free plan. Trackers can extract values such as prices, search rankings, delivery dates, and page titles from rendered pages, extending the service beyond visual checks.

Captures take about 15 seconds on average, including page load. Pages that take more than two minutes are aborted, with failed screenshots not charged. That protects credits from failed captures, but makes Browshot a poor fit for reliably capturing unusually slow or long-running pages. IP locations are available in Germany, the UK, the USA, and Australia; other countries can be requested.

Pricing

The free plan costs nothing and includes 100 screenshots per month. It uses shared browsers and reduces browser and resolution choices, so it is suitable for light evaluation or limited capture needs, not for teams that require consistent access to the full browser range.

Pay-as-you-go monthly plans begin at $1 a month for 10 credits. The other monthly tiers are $2 a month for 60 credits, $5 a month for 300 credits, $10 a month for 1,000 credits, $25 a month for 3,000 credits, $50 a month for 8,000 credits, $100 a month for 20,000 credits, $200 a month for 45,000 credits, $500 a month for 125,000 credits, and $1,000 a month for 300,000 credits. These tiers suit workloads that can be matched to a monthly credit volume; the available plan details do not establish how credits are consumed per capture.

A one-time Premium credits purchase costs $500 as a one-time purchase for 125,000 credits. The plan is billed pay-as-you-go, making it an option for a large credit requirement without a monthly tier. Browshot also offers a free plan but no free trial.

Platforms

Browshot is a cloud service accessed through the web, API, and command-line tools. Its listed platforms are web, Windows, macOS, Linux, and API. The command-line route also supports BSD. Amazon S3 integration allows direct delivery to a customer’s bucket.

Who it's for

Browshot is a strong fit for developers who need screenshots in automated workflows, teams comparing rendered pages across desktop and mobile browsers, and users extracting structured values from live pages. Its capture modes, API libraries, and automation steps support these use cases. People seeking a free tool with unrestricted browser and resolution options, or a dependable way to capture pages that take over two minutes, should look elsewhere.

Pros and cons

Pros: More than 30 real desktop and mobile browser options support cross-device rendering checks.

Pros: API clients, command-line access, automation, and trackers can connect capture to broader technical workflows.

Pros: PNG and JPEG output, custom sizing, thumbnails, shareable links, and S3 delivery offer several ways to prepare and route results.

Cons: The free plan caps usage at 100 screenshots per month and restricts browser and resolution choices.

Cons: Average completion takes about 15 seconds, and pages exceeding two minutes are aborted.

Cons: Monthly credit tiers require choosing a volume, while the stated plan details do not explain credit consumption per capture.

Alternatives

Gyazo is worth considering for broader platform coverage, including Android, iOS, and browser extensions, or when its free plan’s latest-image and short-recording limits suit the job better than web-page capture.

GrabzIt is an alternative for users who need its wider listed platform range, including self-hosted access, and want to compare monthly, yearly, or one-time payment options.

Monosnap is a better fit for users who need a free plan with one user, 2 GB of storage, and short video recording rather than Browshot’s browser-based page capture.

Awesome Screenshot suits users looking for a browser-extension option with free screenshot and recording allowances.

SmartShot is a Windows-only alternative for offline full-page scrolling, area, or smart-element capture.

Zight may suit users focused on short recordings, GIFs, and included storage on macOS, Windows, or iOS.

Apowersoft Free Screen Capture is a free option for unlimited screenshots after installing its launcher on Windows or Mac.

Droplr is an alternative for users who prefer a paid file-sharing tool with stated storage and bandwidth allowances.

For more options, browse Screenshot Software.

Verdict

Choose Browshot when you need live-page screenshots across desktop and mobile browsers, especially as part of an API-driven workflow or a process that automates interactions and extracts page values. Its browser range and integration options are the case for it. Look elsewhere if the free tier’s restrictions are too limiting or your pages may run past the two-minute capture cutoff.