Screenshot API Comparison: PageBolt vs ScreenshotOne vs Urlbox (2026)

If you need a screenshot API, you have options. This post compares the three leading services on the features that actually matter: what they capture, how you integrate them, and what you pay.

Feature comparison

ScreenshotOne and Urlbox cover the screenshot and PDF basics well. PageBolt adds video recording, AI narration, browser automation sequences, and MCP integration — capabilities that don't exist in the other two.

Screenshots

All three APIs take a URL and return an image. The call structure is similar:

# PageBolt
curl -X POST https://api.pagebolt.dev/v1/screenshot \
  -H "x-api-key: YOUR_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"url": "https://example.com", "fullPage": true, "blockBanners": true}'

# ScreenshotOne
curl "https://api.screenshotone.com/take?access_key=YOUR_KEY&url=https://example.com&full_page=true"

# Urlbox
curl "https://api.urlbox.com/v1/YOUR_KEY/png?url=https://example.com&full_page=true"

PageBolt uses a POST body (more flexibility for complex options). ScreenshotOne and Urlbox use query parameters.

Video recording

This is where the services diverge significantly. ScreenshotOne and Urlbox record screen captures. PageBolt records narrated browser automation:

// PageBolt: record a narrated demo with AI voice
const res = await fetch('https://api.pagebolt.dev/v1/video', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'x-api-key': process.env.PAGEBOLT_API_KEY, 'Content-Type': 'application/json' },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    steps: [
      { action: 'navigate', url: 'https://yourapp.com', note: 'Open the dashboard' },
      { action: 'click', selector: '#new-project', note: 'Create a new project' },
      { action: 'fill', selector: '#project-name', value: 'My Project', note: 'Name it' }
    ],
    audioGuide: {
      enabled: true,
      script: "Welcome to the dashboard. {{1}} Click here to start. {{2}} Give it a name. {{3}} Done."
    },
    pace: 'slow'
  })
});

The output is an MP4 with synchronized AI voice narration. This is the feature that separates PageBolt from screenshot-only services — it's a browser automation recorder, not just a capture tool.

MCP integration

PageBolt ships an MCP server (pagebolt-mcp on npm) that works with Claude Desktop, Cursor, and Windsurf. Your AI assistant can take screenshots, record videos, and inspect pages without leaving the chat.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "pagebolt": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "pagebolt-mcp"],
      "env": { "PAGEBOLT_API_KEY": "YOUR_KEY" }
    }
  }
}

ScreenshotOne and Urlbox have no MCP integration.

Pricing

All three services offer 100 free requests/month with no credit card. Paid tiers differ substantially:

When to use each

ScreenshotOne — Solid choice if you only need screenshots and want a mature, stable API with extensive language SDKs.

Urlbox — Good for thumbnail generation at scale, with a straightforward query-parameter API and reliable uptime.

PageBolt — Right choice when you need more than screenshots: video recording, AI narration, browser automation sequences, CI/CD integration, or MCP for AI assistants.

Try PageBolt free — 100 requests/month, no credit card. → pagebolt.dev