The Tool Desk
Outbyte PC Repair FREEClear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsFree Scan →Outbyte Driver Updater FREEScan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minuteDriver Scan →Use Firecrawl’s v2 Scrape API: send a POST request to https://api.firecrawl.dev/v2/scrape, include your bearer key, and add a screenshot object to formats. Set fullPage to true for the entire rendered page or false for the requested viewport. Firecrawl returns the capture URL in data.screenshot; the same request can also return Markdown, HTML and links.
Minimal Firecrawl screenshot request
This is the smallest useful request for a full-page image. Replace the example URL and API key with your values.
curl -X POST https://api.firecrawl.dev/v2/scrape
-H 'Content-Type: application/json'
-H 'Authorization: Bearer fc-YOUR-API-KEY'
-d '{
"url": "https://example.com",
"formats": [
{
"type": "screenshot",
"fullPage": true,
"quality": 80,
"viewport": {"width": 1280, "height": 800}
}
]
}'The request asks Firecrawl to render https://example.com, capture the complete page, use a 1,280 by 800 CSS-pixel viewport, and encode the image at quality 80. Read the resulting URL from data.screenshot in the JSON response.
What to put in the request
Endpoint and authentication
Use the v2 Scrape endpoint, POST https://api.firecrawl.dev/v2/scrape. Send JSON with Content-Type: application/json and authenticate with Authorization: Bearer fc-YOUR-API-KEY. Keep the key on your server or in an environment variable; do not place it in browser JavaScript sent to visitors.
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The URL and formats array
url is the page Firecrawl should render. formats is an array, so you can request a screenshot by itself or alongside extracted formats. A screenshot entry has type: "screenshot". The API schema describes the resulting image URL as data.screenshot; it can be null, so your code must check it before saving or publishing the URL.
Full-page versus viewport capture
| Setting | Result | Use it when |
|---|---|---|
fullPage: true |
The complete rendered page, including content below the initial viewport. | You need an archive, visual regression reference, documentation image or long-page preview. |
fullPage: false |
A screenshot limited to the configured viewport. | You are testing the above-the-fold layout, a hero section or a fixed-size embed. |
Set viewport.width and viewport.height when reproducible dimensions matter. Without an explicit size, your result depends on the service’s browser defaults, which can make visual comparisons harder.
Quality and image dimensions
quality controls the requested image quality in the screenshot format. The example uses 80; choose a value appropriate for your storage and visual requirements. Firecrawl’s documentation does not establish a universal file-size or rendering-time relationship, so measure your own pages if those limits are important.
Copy-and-run examples
cURL
export FIRECRAWL_API_KEY='fc-YOUR-API-KEY'
curl -sS -X POST https://api.firecrawl.dev/v2/scrape
-H 'Content-Type: application/json'
-H "Authorization: Bearer $FIRECRAWL_API_KEY"
-d '{
"url": "https://example.com/pricing",
"formats": [
{"type": "screenshot", "fullPage": true, "quality": 80,
"viewport": {"width": 1280, "height": 800}}
]
}'Use -sS so cURL keeps the JSON response readable while still reporting transport errors. Parse the response and verify both the top-level success field and data.screenshot.
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Python with requests
import os
import requests
api_key = os.environ["FIRECRAWL_API_KEY"]
payload = {
"url": "https://example.com/pricing",
"formats": [{
"type": "screenshot",
"fullPage": True,
"quality": 80,
"viewport": {"width": 1280, "height": 800},
}],
}
response = requests.post(
"https://api.firecrawl.dev/v2/scrape",
headers={
"Content-Type": "application/json",
"Authorization": f"Bearer {api_key}",
},
json=payload,
timeout=90,
)
response.raise_for_status()
result = response.json()
if not result.get("success"):
raise RuntimeError(f"Firecrawl did not succeed: {result}")
screenshot_url = result.get("data", {}).get("screenshot")
if not screenshot_url:
raise RuntimeError("Firecrawl returned no screenshot URL")
print(screenshot_url)Node.js using fetch
const apiKey = process.env.FIRECRAWL_API_KEY;
const response = await fetch('https://api.firecrawl.dev/v2/scrape', {
method: 'POST',
headers: {
'Content-Type': 'application/json',
'Authorization': `Bearer ${apiKey}`
},
body: JSON.stringify({
url: 'https://example.com/pricing',
formats: [{
type: 'screenshot',
fullPage: true,
quality: 80,
viewport: { width: 1280, height: 800 }
}]
})
});
if (!response.ok) {
throw new Error(`HTTP ${response.status}: ${await response.text()}`);
}
const result = await response.json();
if (!result.success || !result.data?.screenshot) {
throw new Error('Firecrawl returned no usable screenshot URL');
}
console.log(result.data.screenshot);First-party Python SDK
The Firecrawl glossary also shows the firecrawl-py pattern:
from firecrawl import FirecrawlApp
firecrawl = FirecrawlApp(api_key="fc-YOUR-API-KEY")
doc = firecrawl.scrape("https://example.com", formats=["screenshot"])
print(doc.screenshot)SDK method names and parameter casing can change. Pin and verify the version installed in your project against the current Firecrawl documentation before deploying this form; the raw HTTP request above exposes the v2 fields directly.
Capture mobile layouts reliably
Set a mobile viewport when you want responsive behavior rather than a desktop screenshot:
{
"url": "https://example.com",
"formats": [{
"type": "screenshot",
"fullPage": true,
"viewport": {"width": 390, "height": 844},
"mobile": true
}]
}Firecrawl’s guide demonstrates a 390×844 mobile emulation and optional location settings such as country and language. If the site still serves desktop markup, provide a mobile User-Agent in the request’s headers object. A narrow viewport alone does not guarantee that a server will select its mobile template.
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Wait for JavaScript and interact before the shot
Single-page applications, lazy images and consent dialogs often need an action sequence. Firecrawl supports a top-level waitFor delay and a wait action that can wait for milliseconds or a selector. Actions execute in order, so click, wait and screenshot can be composed into one scrape.
{
"url": "https://example.com/catalog",
"waitFor": 1500,
"actions": [
{"type": "click", "selector": "button.load-more"},
{"type": "wait", "selector": ".product-grid img"},
{"type": "screenshot", "fullPage": true}
],
"formats": [{"type": "screenshot", "fullPage": true}]
}Other documented actions include scroll, write, press, scrape, executeJavascript and pdf. Use a selector wait when a known element signals readiness; use a fixed delay when the page has no reliable marker. Combined time spent in wait actions and waitFor must not exceed 60 seconds, and selector waits time out after 30 seconds under the documented behavior. Treat these limits as version-sensitive and verify them before building long workflows.
Return a screenshot and extracted content together
A screenshot does not replace machine-readable extraction. Request several formats in the same scrape when you want a visual record beside content for indexing, review or auditing:
{
"url": "https://example.com/article",
"formats": [
"markdown",
"links",
"html",
"rawHtml",
{"type": "screenshot", "fullPage": true}
]
}The response places the extracted fields and screenshot URL under data. If you use screenshot actions, action results are documented under data.actions.screenshots. Check success, test for a non-null screenshot value, and only then persist the URL or download the image.
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Handling failures and inconsistent captures
Authentication or request errors
- 401 or authorization failure: confirm the key includes the
fc-prefix and that the Authorization header is exactlyBearerfollowed by a space and the key. - 400-level validation error: validate JSON syntax, use
formatsas an array, and ensure screenshot options are nested in an object withtype: "screenshot". - Non-2xx response: log the response body without exposing your API key, then retry only errors that your application classifies as transient.
Null or missing screenshot
data.screenshot is nullable. Do not treat a successful HTTP response as proof that an image exists. Record the complete response for diagnosis, confirm the requested format, and handle a missing value as a failed capture in your pipeline.
Blank, partial or pre-JavaScript pages
- Increase a fixed
waitForonly when the page has no dependable readiness selector. - Prefer a selector wait for the element that proves the application finished rendering.
- Use
scrollbefore capture when lazy-loaded content appears only after entering the viewport. - Set viewport and mobile options explicitly so a responsive breakpoint is reproducible.
- If a click is required to reveal content, perform it as an action before the screenshot action.
Selector wait timeouts
A selector that never appears consumes the selector-wait timeout. Check that the selector is valid in the rendered DOM, that the click did not open a different state, and that your total wait budget stays within the documented 60-second combined limit.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Performance, reliability and cost considerations
Full-page images contain more pixels than viewport captures and may take longer to render or transfer. Use the smallest viewport and quality that meet your visual requirement, and avoid requesting formats you will not store. For repeatable visual tests, keep URL, viewport, mobile setting, waits and action order constant.
Firecrawl’s cited material describes request fields and wait limits, but it does not establish a universal throughput, rate-limit, uptime or price figure. Treat those as account- and plan-specific operational details and check the current Firecrawl service terms before committing to a high-volume capture schedule. Implement timeouts, response validation, bounded retries and idempotent storage regardless of expected availability.
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Firecrawl or Playwright?
| Decision point | Firecrawl Scrape API | Playwright |
|---|---|---|
| Browser infrastructure | Managed browser service accessed over HTTP. | You install and operate the browser, dependencies and lifecycle. |
| Output handling | Returns a hosted screenshot URL alongside extraction formats. | Typically gives your process a local buffer or file to manage. |
| Extraction | Built-in Markdown, links, HTML, raw HTML and screenshot formats. | Fine-grained browser control; you build extraction and storage around it. |
| Interactions | Documented click, scroll, write, press, JavaScript, waits and related actions. | Fine-grained control over browser interactions and local files. |
| Best fit | Hosted, API-driven capture plus structured page data. | Teams needing precise automation, custom browser logic or local file access. |
Firecrawl’s own glossary describes Playwright as the right choice for fine-grained browser control, custom viewports, precise interactions and local file access. Choose based on who should operate the browser and where the resulting bytes must live, not only on the screenshot command itself.
Or skip the browser setup
ScreenshotNeo is the first alternative to try when you want a dedicated screenshot API: it removes common consent banners, newsletter popups and chat widgets before capture, and bills only clean shots.
One GET request returns an image or PDF:
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://example.com -o shot.webpSee the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for the full option set. It supports full-page captures with lazy images loaded, CSS-selector element shots, dark mode, 12 device presets plus custom viewports, retina scale, PDF paper and page controls, custom CSS and JavaScript, clicks, selector or network-idle waits, ad/tracker/request blocking, headers, cookies, user agents, Authorization, timezone, geolocation, transparent backgrounds, resizing, configurable-TTL caching, signed image links, asynchronous jobs with signed webhooks, bulk capture of up to 100 URLs per call, a usage API and an OpenAPI specification. Parameter names used by other screenshot APIs also work, which can simplify migration.
Bot checks or CAPTCHAs, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads and cache hits are not billed, and each response identifies the page verdict and billing status with X-Page-Verdict and X-Billed headers. An MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info and capture_pdf tools for Claude, Cursor and other MCP clients.
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The Free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card. Paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots; Growth is $15 for 15,000, Pro $39 for 60,000, Scale $99 for 250,000 and Business $249 for 1,000,000. Yearly billing gives two months free, and every feature is included on every plan. Use the free ScreenshotNeo sign-up to start without a card.
Recommended implementation checklist
- Store the Firecrawl key in a server-side secret.
- Choose
fullPageor viewport capture and set dimensions explicitly. - Add mobile emulation and a mobile User-Agent when responsive server behavior requires it.
- Use selector waits and actions for dynamic content instead of guessing with long delays.
- Keep total waits within 60 seconds and selector waits within 30 seconds.
- Request Markdown, HTML or links alongside the screenshot when your workflow needs both visual and structured data.
- Validate
successand the non-null screenshot URL before persisting results. - Record the request settings with each image so later visual differences are explainable.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I request a PDF in the same Firecrawl workflow as a screenshot?
Yes. Firecrawl documents a pdf action alongside screenshot and extraction actions; include it in the action sequence when you need both artifacts.
What should I store when a capture is used for visual regression?
Store the page URL together with viewport dimensions, mobile and User-Agent settings, quality, waits and action order so a later run reproduces the same rendering conditions.
Is a hosted screenshot URL the same as a downloaded image file?
No. Firecrawl’s scrape response provides a screenshot URL. Your application must decide whether to fetch it into durable storage, cache the URL, or pass it directly to another service.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
