Urlbox Alternative: 7 Developer APIs Under One Key
Urlbox is a reliable screenshot API used by enterprise teams. But if you need more than screenshots — video demos, OG images, browser automation, or AI integration — PageBolt gives you 7 APIs for less.
PageBolt vs Urlbox: Quick Comparison
| Feature | PageBolt | Urlbox |
|---|---|---|
| Free tier | 100 req/mo (forever) | 7-day trial |
| ~$30/mo | $29 — 5,000 req (7 APIs) | $19 — 2,000 renders |
| ~$80-100/mo | $79 — 25,000 req | $99 — 15,000 renders |
| Screenshots | ✓ | ✓ |
| PDF generation | ✓ | ✓ |
| OG image generation | ✓ | — |
| Video recording | ✓ | — |
| Voice narration | ✓ | — |
| Browser sequences | ✓ | — |
| MCP server | ✓ | — |
| Style themes | 18 themes | — |
| Built-in caching | — | ✓ |
| S3/storage upload | — | ✓ |
| Enterprise/dedicated infra | — | ✓ |
| Overage billing | None (hard cap) | Auto-scaling |
Why Switch from Urlbox to PageBolt?
1. More APIs, One Key
Urlbox gives you screenshots and PDFs. PageBolt gives you screenshots, PDFs, OG images, video recording with voice narration, browser sequences, CI/CD integration, and an MCP server for AI agents. That's 5 extra capabilities under the same API key.
2. Better Value at Every Tier
At the ~$100/month tier, PageBolt gives you 25,000 requests across 7 APIs for $79. Urlbox gives you 15,000 renders (screenshots only) for $99. That's 67% more requests for 20% less money — plus video recording, OG images, and browser automation included.
3. No Surprise Billing
Urlbox uses automatic scaling with per-render pricing above your tier. PageBolt uses hard caps: hit your limit, get a clear 402 error. You control your costs exactly.
4. Free Tier vs Trial
Urlbox offers a 7-day free trial. PageBolt offers a permanent free tier: 100 requests/month, all 7 APIs, forever. No time pressure, no credit card required.
5. Style Themes & Frames
PageBolt wraps screenshots in 18 style themes — macOS window frames, gradient backgrounds, shadows — in the same API call. This is a capability Urlbox doesn't offer at all.
When to Stay with Urlbox
Urlbox has advantages in enterprise-specific scenarios:
- Built-in CDN caching — Urlbox caches screenshots at the edge, reducing costs for high-frequency identical renders
- S3/storage integration — Direct upload to your storage bucket from the API response
- Dedicated rendering clusters — Enterprise customers can get isolated infrastructure with guaranteed capacity
- Complex rendering edge cases — Urlbox has years of experience handling difficult-to-render websites
For most developers and startups, these features aren't critical — but for large enterprise deployments, they can be important.
Try PageBolt free — no risk
100 requests/month, all 7 APIs, no credit card. Run it alongside Urlbox to compare.
Sign Up FreeHow to Migrate
Both Urlbox and PageBolt use REST APIs with JSON. The migration is straightforward:
- Sign up and get your API key (10 seconds)
- Update endpoint URL from
api.urlbox.io/v1/rendertopagebolt.dev/api/v1/screenshot - Switch auth from query param to
x-api-keyheader - Adjust parameter names (most are similar or identical)
See the API docs for the complete parameter reference. Migration typically takes 15-20 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is PageBolt cheaper than Urlbox?
Yes, at comparable tiers. PageBolt's $79/month plan gives you 25,000 requests across 7 APIs. Urlbox's $99/month plan gives you 15,000 renders for screenshots only. Per-request, PageBolt costs $0.0032 vs Urlbox's $0.0066 — about half the price, with more capabilities included.
Does PageBolt support caching like Urlbox?
Not built-in. Urlbox has CDN-level caching for repeated identical requests. With PageBolt, you'd implement caching on your side (e.g., storing results in Redis, S3, or your CDN). For most applications, application-level caching is straightforward and gives you more control.
Can I use PageBolt and Urlbox at the same time?
Yes. PageBolt's free tier (100 requests/month, no credit card) lets you test the integration alongside Urlbox. Once you're confident, switch your production traffic over. There's no commitment or cancellation process on the free tier.