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What you need before making a request
- A Thumbalizr account. Its documentation says the key and secret are available in the member area after you sign up for a free account.
- The Embed API key and secret. Treat the secret as sensitive: keep it in environment variables or a secrets manager, not in source control or a URL you share.
- A target page that the capture service can load.
The Embed API is documented for embedding thumbnails directly on a website. Its URL format is https://api.thumbalizr.com/api/v1/embed/EMBED_API_KEY/TOKEN/?.... Only url is required; other parameters can use your member profile defaults. See Thumbalizr’s API documentation for the endpoint and account details.
Build and sign the Embed API URL in Python
The token is the hexadecimal MD5 digest of the encoded query string followed by the secret. The query-string bytes used to calculate the digest must match the query string sent in the request. Encode the target URL and each option once, preserve parameter order, and use that same encoded string for both signing and the request URL.
This Python 3 example constructs the URL and fetches the image response. Store credentials in environment variables named THUMBALIZR_API_KEY and THUMBALIZR_API_SECRET.
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import hashlib
import os
from urllib.parse import quote_plus
import requests
API_KEY = os.environ["THUMBALIZR_API_KEY"]
API_SECRET = os.environ["THUMBALIZR_API_SECRET"]
def thumbalizr_url(target_url, options=None):
"""Build a signed Thumbalizr Embed API URL."""
params = {"url": target_url}
if options:
params.update(options)
# Encode names and values in a stable order. Use this exact string
# both for the token and in the outgoing URL.
query = "&".join(
f"{quote_plus(str(name))}={quote_plus(str(value))}"
for name, value in params.items()
)
token = hashlib.md5((query + API_SECRET).encode("utf-8")).hexdigest()
return f"https://api.thumbalizr.com/api/v1/embed/{API_KEY}/{token}/?{query}"
url = thumbalizr_url(
"https://example.com/articles/python?source=guide&mode=full",
{"width": 1280, "format": "png", "size": "page"},
)
response = requests.get(url, timeout=90)
print("HTTP status:", response.status_code)
print("Capture status:", response.headers.get("X-Thumbalizr-Status"))
print("Capture error:", response.headers.get("X-Thumbalizr-Error"))
if response.ok and response.headers.get("X-Thumbalizr-Status") == "OK":
with open("thumbalizr.png", "wb") as image_file:
image_file.write(response.content)
else:
print("Capture did not return a completed image.")
The options in this example are illustrative; choose values supported by your account tier. The Python sample on Thumbalizr’s API page uses Python 2-era syntax and urllib.quote_plus. This version adapts the documented encoding and signing approach to Python 3; the cited documentation does not establish a current Python compatibility matrix. Thumbalizr’s Python page also documents a package-based workflow, but its current maintenance and runtime compatibility are not established there. See Thumbalizr’s Python documentation.
Why the query string must stay consistent
For example, encoding an ampersand inside the target URL as %26 keeps it inside the url value rather than turning it into a separator between API parameters. If you calculate the token from one representation and send a differently encoded or reordered query, the signature may not match. Do not modify the query after calculating the token.
The code signs every parameter that it sends, including the target URL and optional settings. Keep parameter names and values as strings or simple scalar values; do not pass unencoded nested data. If you need to change the target or an option, rebuild and re-sign the whole URL.
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Choose capture options
Thumbalizr’s current API documentation display lists these options and tier limits. They are vendor-published values, not independently tested behavior; verify them in your account before depending on a particular limit.
| Parameter | Purpose and documented values |
|---|---|
width |
Thumbnail width. The displayed maximums are 1,280 pixels for Free and Silver, 1,600 for Gold, and 2,000 for Platinum. |
format |
JPG or PNG. The documentation says quality applies to JPEG thumbnails. |
quality |
JPEG quality setting; relevant when using JPG. |
size |
page or screen. The Free tier’s displayed default is screen. |
delay |
Wait before capturing, from 1 to 30 seconds. The displayed default for Free and Silver is 5 seconds. |
bwidth, bheight |
Browser viewport width and height. |
country |
The documentation lists US and Germany and says to contact Thumbalizr about other countries. |
timestamp |
Request a new thumbnail rather than reuse a previous one; the displayed Free tier does not include this option. |
Only url is required. Omit settings you do not need so the API can use the profile defaults. When you do specify an option, include it in the signed query exactly as shown in the code.
Read the response and handle capture status
Thumbalizr documents three values for X-Thumbalizr-Status: QUEUED, OK, and FAILED. The X-Thumbalizr-Error header provides failure details, and X-Thumbalizr-Generated gives a generated timestamp. A successful HTTP response alone is not enough to conclude that the image is ready: inspect the Thumbalizr status header as well.
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OK: save the returned image bytes using a filename and extension that match the requested format.QUEUED: the capture is still being processed. Do not treat the body as a completed screenshot; use a polling or wait flow supported by your integration.FAILED: readX-Thumbalizr-Errorand correct the URL, options, or page conditions before retrying.
The Thumbalizr Python page documents installing its package with pip install thumbalizr, creating a Thumbalizr object with the key and secret, generating a URL, and using a download_wait example. It also describes a Django extension: install thumbalizr_django, configure API_KEY and SECRET (plus optional parameters), load its template tags, and use the filter to generate an image URL. The documentation does not establish the package’s current maintenance status or Python compatibility, so check those before adopting it. The direct request above makes the signing and status handling explicit.
Troubleshoot common problems
Signature or authentication failure
- Confirm the key and secret belong together and are copied without extra whitespace.
- Check that the token was calculated from the same encoded query string that appears in the request, followed immediately by the secret.
- Do not reorder parameters, encode the query a second time, or change the target after signing.
The target URL is parsed incorrectly
Encode the full target URL as the value of the API’s url parameter. Query separators and other reserved characters inside the target must be encoded as part of that value, not interpreted as Thumbalizr option separators.
The request returns before an image is ready
Read X-Thumbalizr-Status. If it says QUEUED, the capture is not yet complete. If it says FAILED, use X-Thumbalizr-Error rather than assuming the HTTP status describes the rendering result.
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An option is rejected or has no effect
Check spelling, accepted values, and plan availability in the API documentation and account settings. For example, the documentation’s displayed Free tier does not offer timestamp, and the maximum width varies by tier.
The Thumbalizr Python package does not install or run
The official Python page documents a package workflow, but it does not establish current Python-version support. Confirm the package’s present compatibility in your environment. If you need transparent control over the request, use the direct URL construction pattern above rather than assuming the published Python 2-era sample runs unchanged.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Usage limits, pricing, and service transition
Thumbalizr’s pricing page, accessed in 2026, displays the following quotas and monthly prices. These are the vendor’s displayed plan figures and can change; check the page before budgeting. The page also says paid plans are available as monthly subscriptions or one-time payments.
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| Plan | Displayed screenshots per month | Displayed monthly price |
|---|---|---|
| Free | 100 | Free |
| Silver | 2,000 | €8 / $9 |
| Gold | 3,000 | €12 / $13 |
| Platinum | 5,000 or more | €18 / $20 for 5,000; larger-volume prices are also listed |
See Thumbalizr’s pricing page for current plan details. In an April 8, 2026 blog post, Thumbalizr announced a phased transition from Browshot-powered infrastructure to ScreenshotCenter. It said new accounts would start on ScreenshotCenter, existing accounts would move in batches, and existing integrations, API calls, embed code, and settings would continue to work. The post described additional geographies, filtering, video, PDF, and device emulation as planned progressive rollouts; it does not establish that every existing account has migrated or that all planned features are live. Check the account and current service documentation for your own integration. Thumbalizr’s blog.
Or skip the browser setup
If you would rather make one request and receive an image or PDF, ScreenshotNeo is a website screenshot API and MCP server. Its request accepts a URL and can return PNG, JPEG, WebP, or PDF. See the ScreenshotNeo API documentation for parameters and setup.
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpScreenshotNeo removes cookie banners, 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 say which verdict applied and whether the request was billed. Its MCP server provides take_screenshot, get_page_info, and capture_pdf for Claude, Cursor, and other MCP clients. The free plan includes 1,000 shots per month with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 shots.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use Thumbalizr’s documented Python example unchanged in Python 3?
The cited API sample uses Python 2-era syntax, and the documentation does not establish current Python compatibility. The direct example in this tutorial uses Python 3 syntax.
Which Thumbalizr response header tells me why a capture failed?
X-Thumbalizr-Error carries the documented failure explanation; check X-Thumbalizr-Status to distinguish QUEUED, OK, and FAILED.
Quick Recap
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