CurlShot

• Capture complete webpages from the top to the bottom in one image.
• Generate screenshots in PNG, JPEG, and WebP formats.
• Convert webpages into printable PDF documents.
• Preview websites using desktop, phone, tablet, or custom viewport dimensions.
• Render HTML and Markdown content into image or document files.
• Record scrolling webpages as MP4, WebM, or GIF videos.
• Hide or block ads, trackers, cookie banners, and chat widgets during capture.
• Capture individual page elements and create website thumbnails.
• Automate screenshot generation through an HTTP API with asynchronous jobs and webhooks.
• Connect AI agents and automation workflows through MCP, OpenAPI, and an n8n integration.

What Is CurlShot?

CurlShot is a website screenshot and rendering service that turns web pages into image files, PDFs, and scrolling videos. Users can enter a webpage address through its online interface or send a request through its HTTP API. The service opens the page in a browser running on its servers and returns the requested capture.

Instead of maintaining a browser automation setup, developers can use CurlShot to handle webpage rendering through API requests. The service also provides a browser-based interface for people who simply want to save a page as an image or document.

Full-Page Website Screenshots

CurlShot can capture an entire webpage rather than only the portion visible on the screen. It scrolls through the page to help load content that appears farther down, then produces a single tall image. This is useful for saving long articles, product pages, pricing information, documentation, and other web content.

Users can also choose to capture only the visible section of a page. The available image formats include PNG, JPEG, and WebP. Full-page captures count as one screenshot when successful, regardless of the page’s length, subject to the service’s maximum-height limits.

Device and Viewport Previews

Websites can look different depending on the screen displaying them. CurlShot lets users capture a page using desktop, phone, and tablet views. Developers can also configure viewport dimensions through the API to check how a page appears at a particular screen size.

This can help with responsive design reviews, website quality checks, presentation materials, and visual comparisons. The resulting image shows the page as rendered at the selected viewport rather than requiring a physical device.

Image, PDF, and Video Output

The service supports several output formats for different workflows. PNG, JPEG, and WebP are available for image captures, while PDF output can turn a webpage into a document suitable for printing, sharing, or archiving.

CurlShot can also record a webpage as it scrolls, producing MP4, WebM, or GIF output. This provides a way to demonstrate a long page or create a visual walkthrough without manually recording a browser session.

Cleaner Website Captures

Some webpages contain advertising, tracking scripts, cookie consent banners, and chat widgets that can distract from the main content. CurlShot offers options to block or hide several of these elements during capture.

• Ad blocking: Blocks requests to recognized advertising networks.
• Tracker blocking: Prevents selected tracking requests from loading.
• Cookie banner handling: Removes or blocks supported consent banners.
• Chat widget handling: Hides supported floating chat elements.
• Custom element hiding: Uses CSS selectors to hide specified page elements.

These options are best-effort rather than guaranteed. Some websites serve advertising or overlays in ways that cannot always be detected or removed, so results may vary between pages.

HTML and Markdown Rendering

CurlShot is not limited to capturing existing public webpages. Its API can also render HTML and Markdown content into supported output formats. This makes it useful for generating visual materials from content created by an application.

For example, developers can create images for social sharing, render reports, or turn generated content into PDF documents. The API accepts the content and rendering options in a request, then returns the resulting file.

Screenshot API for Developers

CurlShot provides an HTTP API that allows developers to request captures programmatically. A request can specify the webpage address and options such as full-page capture, output format, and viewport settings. The service returns the generated image or document.

It can be used from different programming languages without requiring a dedicated client SDK. Documentation includes examples for cURL, Node.js, Python, PHP, Go, and Ruby. Access keys are used to authenticate API requests, and signed links are available for workflows that need to display screenshot URLs without exposing a secret key.

Automation and AI Agent Support

For automated workflows, CurlShot documents asynchronous jobs and webhooks. These features can help applications request captures and receive updates when processing is complete. Bulk screenshot workflows are also described for users who need to process multiple pages.

The service provides an MCP server, an OpenAPI description, and documentation designed for AI agents. An n8n community node is also listed, giving users another way to include screenshot generation in automation workflows.

Pricing and Usage Limits

CurlShot uses monthly screenshot allowances. Its free plan includes 100 screenshots per month, while paid plans are designed for higher-volume usage.

• Free: 100 screenshots per month at no charge.
• Starter: 3,000 screenshots per month for $19 per month.
• Growth: 15,000 screenshots per month for $79 per month.
• Scale: 60,000 screenshots per month for $249 per month.

Plans also have request-rate and concurrent-render limits. Successful renders count toward the monthly allowance, while failed renders and requests served from the cache do not. Unused monthly screenshots do not roll over to the next billing period.

Who Can Use CurlShot?

CurlShot can support a range of website and content workflows, including:

• Web developers: Capture pages for responsive design checks and automated testing.
• Designers: Save website layouts and create visual references.
• Content teams: Convert articles and webpages into shareable images or PDFs.
• Researchers: Keep visual records of webpages that may change over time.
• Businesses: Create website previews, reports, and archived page captures.
• Automation builders: Add webpage rendering to applications and workflow systems.

Important Limitations

CurlShot does not guarantee that every website can be captured successfully. Some sites restrict automated browsers, and pages requiring authentication may need the appropriate cookies or headers supplied through the API. The service intentionally refuses requests to local and private network addresses.

Ad and cookie banner removal also depends on how a website implements those elements. Users should check the resulting capture when accuracy is important, particularly when saving content for records or reports.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does CurlShot do?

CurlShot captures webpages and converts URLs, HTML, or Markdown into images, PDFs, and scrolling videos. It offers both an online interface and an API.

Can CurlShot capture an entire webpage?

Yes. Its full-page option captures content from the top to the bottom of a webpage in one tall image, subject to the service’s capture limits.

Which image formats does CurlShot support?

Image output formats include PNG, JPEG, and WebP. The service also supports PDF documents and scrolling video formats.

Can I capture a website as it appears on a phone?

Yes. CurlShot offers phone and tablet viewport options as well as desktop captures. Custom viewport dimensions can also be configured through the API.

Can CurlShot remove advertisements and cookie banners?

It provides options to block or hide advertisements, trackers, cookie banners, and chat widgets. These features work on many websites but are not guaranteed to remove every element.

Does CurlShot have an API?

Yes. Its HTTP API allows applications to request website screenshots and other supported render outputs. Developers authenticate requests using an access key.

Can CurlShot render HTML or Markdown?

Yes. Developers can submit HTML or Markdown content through the API and render it into supported image or document formats.

Does CurlShot offer a free plan?

Yes. The free plan includes 100 screenshots per month. Paid plans are available for users who need larger monthly allowances.

Can CurlShot capture pages that require login?

Authenticated pages may be captured through the API when the required cookies or authorization headers are supplied. The service does not simply enter credentials into login forms.

Can AI agents use CurlShot?

Yes. CurlShot provides an MCP server, an OpenAPI description, and documentation intended to help AI agents request webpage captures.

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