Browserless’s REST Screenshot API is a managed, single-task endpoint: send an authenticated POST request with a URL or HTML, set capture options, and receive image bytes. It supports common capture controls, but REST calls do not retain browser state between requests, and bot defenses, wait limits, and usage metering affect whether it fits your workflow. This review covers the current REST interface documented by Browserless as of October 3, 2026; it does not claim independent speed, visual-fidelity, or success-rate testing.
What the Browserless Screenshot API does
The current REST /screenshot endpoint accepts a POST request with a token and JSON body. The body can specify a page URL to visit or HTML to render; use one or the other, not both. The response contains image bytes, with PNG, JPEG, or WebP selected through screenshot options. Browserless describes REST APIs as managed endpoints for individual browser tasks rather than infrastructure you operate yourself. Browserless Screenshot API documentation
This is a useful shape for a service that needs a screenshot of a page in a particular viewport, or a generated image from supplied markup. It is not a persistent browser session: after the task, the browser closes and state is discarded. That distinction matters if capture depends on a sequence of clicks, form entry, or an authenticated session.
How to take a screenshot with the Browserless REST API
Use an HTTP POST request to the current REST screenshot endpoint, passing your Browserless token and a JSON request body. The exact endpoint hostname and authentication configuration can depend on your Browserless account or deployment, so use the endpoint shown in your current account documentation. A request body has this general form:
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{
"url": "https://example.com",
"options": {
"type": "png",
"fullPage": true
}
}For supplied markup, use an html field instead of url. Do not send both fields in the same request. The response is binary image data, so save it as a file rather than trying to parse it as JSON. Consult Browserless’s current screenshot documentation for the required token placement and the supported request schema for your account.
Browserless documents examples and parameters for the endpoint in its REST Screenshot API reference. This review does not supply a guessed hostname, token format, or runnable credential-bearing command because those details are not established uniformly for every deployment.
What screenshot options are available?
The endpoint’s documented controls let callers choose what portion of the page to capture, how the image is encoded, the rendering dimensions, and when capture should proceed. Supported details depend on the interface and options schema; verify the current reference before relying on a particular field.
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| Need | Documented control | Practical note |
|---|---|---|
| Capture the visible viewport or the full page | Viewport or full-page capture | Full-page output can be very tall. Lazy content may need scrolling first. |
| Capture a specific component | CSS selector | Useful for a chart, card, or other element instead of the entire page. |
| Capture a defined region | Fixed clipping region | Specify the clip dimensions and position using the documented schema. |
| Choose output encoding | PNG, JPEG, or WebP | JPEG quality controls lossy output; quality is not applicable to PNG. |
| Control rendering size | Viewport and device scale settings | Set the viewport intentionally to produce the desired responsive layout. |
| Capture with transparency | Transparent background where supported | Availability depends on the interface and output settings. |
| Wait for page readiness | Page events, selectors, functions, or timeouts | Choose a condition tied to the content you need, not an arbitrary long delay. |
| Adjust navigation or reject requests | gotoOptions and request rejection controls |
These affect navigation and resources during the capture. |
| Return available page state after certain failures | bestAttempt |
Can continue after some wait or navigation failures; it does not guarantee a complete image. |
For responsive screenshots, set the viewport width for the layout you want. A page rendered at desktop width will generally reflect its desktop layout; a mobile capture requires a mobile-sized viewport. Browserless’s guide explains the relationship between viewport and responsive capture: Browserless screenshot guide.
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Yes. Use the full-page capture option for a long document. If the page loads images or other elements only as they approach the viewport, a full-page flag alone may not trigger them. Browserless documents scrollPage: true to scroll through the page and trigger lazy loading; combine it with full-page capture when the result should include the long page. Image waiting is a separate control and is not documented as a substitute for scrolling. Screenshot options
How do I capture just one element?
Use the selector-based capture option with a CSS selector for the target element. For example, a selector such as #summary-card targets the element with that ID. The page still has to load and the element has to exist when the capture occurs, so configure an appropriate selector wait when the element is inserted asynchronously. If a selector matches nothing, inspect the page’s rendered DOM and selector spelling before changing the timeout.
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Will Browserless preserve cookies or browser state?
No—not across REST requests. Browserless describes REST endpoints as stateless, single-action tasks: a request starts a browser, performs the task, then closes it, discarding cookies and state. A workflow that must log in, click through a sequence, fill a form, and capture a later state does not fit separate REST screenshot calls. Consider a browser session, BrowserQL persisted state, or a single-session function workflow instead. Browserless FAQ
Images or content are missing from the capture
First determine whether the page failed to load, the content was lazy-loaded, a selector was unavailable, or the site returned a bot challenge. An HTTP response from the API does not prove that the intended page content appeared in the image.
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scrollPage: true, and combine that with full-page capture when appropriate. Do not assume waiting for images will cause off-screen content to load. - A component is absent: confirm the selector matches the live DOM and wait for that selector if it appears after navigation.
- The image is blank or shows a CAPTCHA/access-denied page: the site may be blocking automation. Browserless points to its
/unblockoption for some defenses and residential proxies as a possible mitigation, not a guarantee. Advanced fingerprinting and interactive CAPTCHAs can still block requests. Browserless troubleshooting - Navigation or a wait fails: distinguish the global query timeout from narrower navigation and selector waits. Browserless’s
bestAttemptoption can return the available page state after certain failures, but that state may be incomplete.
Timeouts, reliability, and cost considerations
Set waits for the condition you need
A global query timeout bounds the whole REST operation; navigation and selector waits control narrower stages. BrowserQL’s screenshot schema documents a 30-second default screenshot timeout, but that value should not be treated as a default for every REST request, plan, or account. Check the setting that applies to your interface and configure realistic limits. BrowserQL screenshot schema
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Budget for metered browser time
Browserless documents browser time billing in 30-second increments, with partial increments rounded up. Plan-specific concurrency and session-duration caps also apply; proxy bandwidth and CAPTCHA solves can consume units. Current prices and the quota on a particular account are not established here, so check the account’s current plan and usage information before estimating cost or throughput. Browserless usage documentation
Do not read documentation as a benchmark
The documented feature set does not establish comparative speed, visual fidelity, or success rates. Those outcomes depend on the target site, content, geography, and configuration. If reliability is a selection criterion, test representative pages under your own conditions and record the date, location, wait strategy, and failure categories.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.When Browserless is a good fit—and when it is not
It may fit when
- You need a managed browser task that captures one URL or supplied HTML per request.
- You can express the capture in one request and do not need state to persist between calls.
- You need options such as full-page, selector, clip, responsive viewport, or explicit wait behavior.
- You can account for browser-time metering, plan-specific concurrency, and potential proxy or CAPTCHA usage.
Look elsewhere in the Browserless product or architecture when
- The workflow depends on several browser actions or retained cookies and state.
- Sites you target use defenses that the endpoint cannot reliably pass; available mitigations do not guarantee access.
- You need a firm budget or throughput commitment but have not confirmed current account-specific prices, quotas, and caps.
For a distinct alternative to try first, ScreenshotNeo is a screenshot API and MCP server that removes known cookie/consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture, and bills only clean shots.
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For a direct screenshot request with ScreenshotNeo, replace the example URL and provide your API key. The request returns image bytes; save them as a file. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for options and response details.
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Version and documentation note
Browserless marks older BaaS v1 material as deprecated and directs new users to current BaaS v2 or BrowserQL documentation. Do not carry legacy-only limitations over to the current REST API without checking whether they still apply. Browserless migration guidance
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Browserless return an image file or a URL to one?
The REST screenshot endpoint returns image bytes in the response; handle it as binary output.
Recommended Free Tools
Does the BrowserQL 30-second default apply to every screenshot request?
No. The documented 30-second default is for the BrowserQL screenshot schema and should not be generalized to every REST request or plan.
Quick Recap
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