To automate ScreenshotAPI.net captures with cron, write a script that makes one screenshot request and exits, then schedule that script on a server that stays available. The API documents a GET endpoint at https://shot.screenshotapi.net/v3/screenshot; cron supplies the recurring timing. If you do not want to maintain a host and script, ScreenshotAPI.net also offers recurring jobs configured in its dashboard.
How the cron setup works
Cron does not keep a screenshot session running. It starts your program at the times in its schedule; each run should make one API request, save the response, record whether the run succeeded, and exit. This separation lets you choose the capture cadence independently of the capture code.
- Create a server-side script that calls ScreenshotAPI.net’s screenshot endpoint with your API token and target page URL.
- Run the script manually on the machine that will host it, and verify the HTTP response and saved file.
- Add a cron entry using absolute paths and an explicitly configured environment.
- Check the output and logs after the first scheduled run.
Create a one-shot Python capture script
ScreenshotAPI.net documents GET https://shot.screenshotapi.net/v3/screenshot, with token for the API key and url for the page to render. The following script makes one request, checks for an HTTP error, and writes a timestamped image so a later run will not overwrite it. Install the dependency with python3 -m pip install requests, then save this as capture.py:
import os
from datetime import datetime, timezone
from pathlib import Path
from urllib.parse import urlencode
import requests
API_TOKEN = os.environ["SCREENSHOTAPI_TOKEN"]
TARGET_URL = os.environ.get("TARGET_URL", "https://example.com")
OUTPUT_DIR = Path(os.environ.get("OUTPUT_DIR", "/var/tmp/screenshotapi"))
OUTPUT_DIR.mkdir(parents=True, exist_ok=True)
stamp = datetime.now(timezone.utc).strftime("%Y%m%dT%H%M%SZ")
output_path = OUTPUT_DIR / f"capture-{stamp}.png"
params = {"token": API_TOKEN, "url": TARGET_URL}
request_url = "https://shot.screenshotapi.net/v3/screenshot?" + urlencode(params)
response = requests.get(request_url, timeout=120)
response.raise_for_status()
output_path.write_bytes(response.content)
print(f"Saved capture to {output_path}")The endpoint’s render documentation describes additional capture options; add only parameters supported by the current API documentation and your use case. This minimal example assumes the response body is the image to save. If you request another output format, use a matching file extension and confirm the response handling for that format.
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Keep the token private
The token parameter authenticates the request. Do not put it in browser-side JavaScript or commit it to a public repository. Supply it to the server-side process through a protected environment configuration or secret manager. The script above intentionally reads it from SCREENSHOTAPI_TOKEN rather than embedding the credential in source code.
Test before scheduling
From the same account and server that cron will use, set the required environment variables and run the script directly. Confirm that it exits successfully and creates a non-empty image file. This catches token, URL encoding, network access, output-directory permissions, and dependency problems before cron is involved.
export SCREENSHOTAPI_TOKEN='your-token'
export TARGET_URL='https://example.com'
export OUTPUT_DIR='/var/tmp/screenshotapi'
/usr/bin/python3 /path/to/capture.pyUse your actual token and target URL; avoid pasting a live credential into shell history on a shared system. If your output directory is meant to retain a long history, plan how files will be archived or removed so recurring runs do not fill the disk.
Schedule the script with cron
ScreenshotAPI.net’s tutorial gives this example for a daily run at 08:00:
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0 8 * * * /usr/bin/python3 /path/to/capture.pyThe five fields are minute, hour, day of month, month, and day of week. In this example, 0 8 * * * means minute zero of hour eight, every day according to the cron daemon’s timezone. The vendor example does not establish timezone behavior for every server; check the host’s cron configuration if the capture must align with a particular local time.
Use the crontab editor for the account that should run the job:
crontab -eA more operationally explicit entry sets the working directory, supplies variables, and sends output to a log:
0 8 * * * cd /path/to/job && SCREENSHOTAPI_TOKEN='your-token' TARGET_URL='https://example.com' OUTPUT_DIR='/var/tmp/screenshotapi' /usr/bin/python3 /path/to/capture.py >> /var/log/screenshotapi-capture.log 2>&1Protect the crontab and log because the command contains a credential and the log may contain operational details. Alternatively, load secrets from a protected environment file or secret manager rather than writing them directly into the crontab. Cron commonly runs with a smaller environment than an interactive shell, so use absolute paths for the interpreter, script, and output locations, and explicitly configure any variables the script needs.
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Choose your capture cadence
The cited vendor cron example is daily at 08:00. A different cadence changes how often your script makes requests and how many files your storage accumulates. Set the schedule to match how often the page changes and the limits that apply to your account; the cited vendor pages do not establish current account-specific quotas.
Managed ScreenshotAPI.net schedules are described as hourly, daily, weekly, monthly, or custom. For self-hosted cron, choose a valid cron expression for your operating system and verify the next-run behavior on that host rather than assuming the dashboard’s presets map exactly to local cron.
Use ScreenshotAPI.net’s managed scheduler instead
If you would rather not keep a server-side cron job, ScreenshotAPI.net documents a recurring scheduler configured from its dashboard. Open Query Builder, enter the target URL, choose capture settings, and select the scheduled screenshot option with a preset or custom cron expression. Manage the resulting job under Schedule Requests, where the documented controls include start, stop, delete, and viewing screenshots. The service says managed captures run automatically and are stored for later review.
Stopping a job pauses future captures while keeping the job. Deleting it permanently removes screenshots associated with it, according to the vendor’s scheduling documentation. Download any captures you need to preserve before deleting a job. The reviewed documentation does not establish timezone semantics, retry behavior, failure alerts, or current account limits, so verify those details in your dashboard or with the vendor if they are requirements.
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Self-hosted cron or managed scheduling?
| Consideration | Self-hosted cron | ScreenshotAPI.net managed schedule |
|---|---|---|
| Where it runs | Your server’s cron daemon runs the script. | ScreenshotAPI.net runs the recurring job through its service. |
| Operations you own | Host availability, script, secrets, logs, and output/storage handling. | Job setup and control through the dashboard; the service stores managed screenshots for review. |
| Integration and control | The script can feed your own server-side processing and storage. | Less infrastructure to maintain for recurring captures managed in the dashboard. |
| Best fit | You already have an always-on host or need capture files to flow into your own systems. | You want scheduled captures without maintaining your own recurring runner. |
This is a workflow distinction, not a performance comparison. The right choice depends on whether you prefer to operate the runner and outputs yourself or manage recurring jobs in the vendor’s dashboard.
Reliability, security, and cost considerations
- Host availability: A self-hosted job can only run when its server and cron service are available. A personal computer that sleeps or is turned off is not a reliable scheduler.
- Logs and exit status: Redirect output to a log or use your system’s job monitoring so you can diagnose failures. The vendor sources do not document cron-side retries.
- Unique output names: Use timestamps or another unique identifier. ScreenshotAPI.net warns in its rendering documentation that reusing a non-unique result filename can overwrite an existing file.
- Slow or dynamic pages: If a page has not finished rendering when captured, review the documented wait and delay controls before simply increasing the schedule frequency.
- Request volume and storage: More frequent captures mean more requests and, for local output, more stored files. Check the limits and retention needs that apply to your account and infrastructure.
Troubleshooting cron captures
The script works in a terminal but not from cron
Cron may use a different working directory and environment from your login shell. Set the working directory explicitly, use absolute paths, and provide required variables such as SCREENSHOTAPI_TOKEN, TARGET_URL, and OUTPUT_DIR. Redirect standard output and errors to a log to see the actual failure.
The request is rejected or returns an HTTP error
Check that the token is valid and supplied as the documented token parameter, that the target URL is correctly encoded, and that the host can reach the API endpoint. The example raises an error for unsuccessful HTTP responses; inspect the response details without recording or exposing the token.
No image appears or the file is empty
Check the process exit status, output directory permissions, available disk space, and log output. Confirm that the response body is the requested output format and that the script’s extension matches it. If a page is dynamic, investigate the API’s rendering wait or delay options.
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Older captures disappear
A reused filename can overwrite a prior result. Use unique names, as in the timestamped Python example, or write to a storage system that versions files.
The schedule runs at an unexpected hour
Verify the host’s timezone and cron daemon configuration. The vendor documentation reviewed here does not establish a universal timezone rule for its managed scheduler, either; confirm the account’s behavior in current vendor guidance.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo offers a one-call screenshot API, so you can avoid maintaining a browser capture setup yourself. Its call accepts a URL and returns an image or PDF; see the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for request options.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo accepts cookie banners and removes more than 60 known consent platforms, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture; those steps can be turned off. Bot checks, blank pages, failed loads, timeouts, and cache hits are not billed, and response headers indicate the page verdict and billing status. It also has an MCP server for AI agents, with tools for screenshots, page information, and PDFs. The Free plan includes 1,000 screenshots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000. Visit ScreenshotNeo or sign up free for 1,000 screenshots a month, with no card.
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Do I need to keep my computer on for scheduled screenshots?
For self-hosted cron, the machine running cron must be on and reachable at the scheduled time. ScreenshotAPI.net’s managed scheduler runs through its service instead of your own computer.
Does cron use my local timezone?
A cron daemon generally follows its host configuration, but verify the timezone on the machine running your job. ScreenshotAPI.net’s reviewed scheduler documentation does not establish its managed jobs’ timezone behavior.
Can I pause a ScreenshotAPI.net managed schedule without losing its screenshots?
Yes. The documentation distinguishes stopping, which pauses future runs, from deleting, which permanently removes the job’s related screenshots.
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