Capturing screenshots of multiple URLs is a common task for various professionals and businesses, such as web developers, designers, and marketers. Whether you need to capture website designs, track changes, or analyze competitors' online presence, taking screenshots of multiple URLs in bulk can save you valuable time and effort.
To accomplish this task, you need a reliable and efficient tool that can accurately capture screenshots and generate high-quality output images.
In this article, we will cover the best tools to screenshot multiple URLs in bulk, outline each tool's key features and benefits, compare their pricing and capabilities, and provide the information you need to choose the right tool for your needs.
Why capture website screenshots in bulk
Taking screenshots of multiple URLs in bulk can be helpful for various reasons. Here are some common use cases where taking screenshots of multiple URLs can come in handy:
- Web Development - web developers often need to capture screenshots of multiple website pages to review and evaluate design changes, test page layouts, and ensure consistent branding across the site.
- Digital Marketing - marketers can use bulk screenshots to analyze their competitors' online presence, track website changes, and create reports for stakeholders and clients.
- UX/UI Design - designers can capture screenshots of multiple websites to identify design trends, gather inspiration, and benchmark their designs against industry standards.
- Quality Assurance - quality assurance teams can use bulk screenshots to verify the accuracy and consistency of web pages across different browsers, devices, and platforms.
- Research - researchers can use bulk screenshots to analyze the design and content of multiple web pages, monitor website changes over time, and gather data for academic or commercial purposes.
Taking screenshots of multiple URLs in bulk can save time and effort compared to capturing each URL individually. Nevertheless, choosing the right tool can significantly help you streamline this process and ensure the highest quality for your screenshots.
How to choose a tool able to capture multiple URLs
Choosing the right tool for capturing website screenshots in bulk can be daunting, especially with so many available options. Here are some key features and factors to consider when selecting the right tool:
- Ease of use - choose a tool that is easy to use and does not require advanced technical skills. A user-friendly interface and clear instructions can help you save time and effort.
- Bulk capture limit - ensure the tool can capture a sufficient number of URLs in bulk. Some tools may limit the number of URLs you can capture at once, which can slow down the process and increase the time it takes to capture all the necessary screenshots.
- Quality of captured images - choose a tool that captures high-quality screenshots with clear and accurate details. This is particularly important if you need to capture screenshots for design or marketing purposes.
- Customization options - look for a tool that allows you to customize the screenshots' size, format, and quality. This can help you tailor the captured images to your preferences.
- Capture mode - check if the tool offers different capture modes, such as full-page screenshots or viewport restricted. Some tools may also provide options to capture specific elements, such as text, images, or CSS selectors.
- Pricing and support - check the pricing and support options of the tool. Some tools offer free trials or freemium plans, while others require a subscription or one-time payment. Choose a tool that fits your budget and provides adequate support.
Best Tools to Screenshot Multiple URLs in Bulk
Capturing screenshots of multiple URLs in bulk manually is tedious and impossible to scale. Luckily, several tools can help simplify this process, allowing you to efficiently capture multiple screenshots in bulk.
Urlbox
Urlbox is a web service that lets you capture screenshots of any website using a simple API. With Urlbox, you can capture screenshots of multiple URLs in bulk, making it a valuable tool for web developers, designers, marketers, and anyone needing to capture multiple web pages simultaneously.
Urlbox provides various features and options that allow you to customize the screenshots you capture. For example, you can specify the size and format of the screenshot, the size of the viewport, and whether to capture the entire web page or just a specific portion of it. You can also specify a timeout to ensure the screenshot is captured within a specified time limit.
One of the main advantages of using Urlbox is its ease of use. You can capture screenshots by making HTTP requests to the Urlbox API without installing any software or plugins. The screenshots are captured and returned in various formats, including PNG and JPEG, making it easy to integrate them into your workflow or use them for multiple purposes.
Pros
Here are some of the pros of using Urlbox for capturing screenshots of multiple URLs in bulk:
- Easy to use - Urlbox provides a simple and easy-to-use API for capturing screenshots and works with all major programming languages out of the box
- Customizable - customize the screenshots you capture with various options such as viewport size, image format, and full-page or partial capture
- High-quality render - capture high-quality screenshots with accurate rendering of web fonts, CSS, and other visual elements
- Zapier connector - integrate Urlbox with thousands of other apps without writing a single line of code.
Cons
Urlbox has a complete set of features that can help you capture high-quality screenshots, but it still not be for everyone. Here are some of its cons:
- Limited editing options - Urlbox provides limited editing options compared to some other tools, such as adding annotations or editing the image after capture
- Limited built-in integrations - Even though you can connect it with Zapier, Urlbox has limited built-in integrations with other tools or platforms.
Pricing
Urlbox offers a 7-day free trial without asking for your credit card. This means you can try it and not worry about any charges as long as you cancel before the trial period ends.
If you are satisfied with this tool, you can always upgrade to a paid plan. Pricing starts at just $19 per month, for which you can make up to 2,000 requests.
Site-shot
Site-shot is a web-based tool that captures website screenshots of multiple URLs in bulk using an API. To use their API, you need to specify your unique API key, which you can get after the signup process in the Dashboard. You can also specify multiple request header fields and proxy servers.
One notable feature of Site-shot.com is its high-quality proxy rotation, which is still in beta but can automatically rotate proxies with each request.
Pros
Here are some features that make Site-shot worth considering:
- Versatile API - Site-Shot offers a robust API that allows for a wide range of customization, such as setting the viewport size, specifying user agents, and ingesting custom JavaScript code into the webpage.
- High-quality screenshots - capture high-quality screenshots with options for full-sized screenshots, scale result images to specific widths and capture the entire document canvas.
- Custom request headers - Site-Shot allows for custom request headers, enabling users to set HTTP headers fields, such as cookies and referer.
Cons
Some potential cons of Site-shot include:
- Limited free usage - Site-shot only provides a limited number of free API calls per month. Once you exceed this limit, you will need to pay for additional usage.
- Limited customizability - while Site-shot offers some options for customizing the screenshot capture, it may not have as many options as other tools.
- Limited customer support - Site-shot does not appear to offer live customer support, which could be a drawback if you experience technical issues or have questions about using the tool.
Pricing
Site-shot does not offer a free trial to access their API, but you can use their website to generate a screenshot in order to get a feel of the quality.
If satisfied with the result, you can sign up for one of their paid plans. Pricing starts at $5 per month, for which you can capture 2,000 screenshots.
URL2PNG
URL2PNG is a website screenshot API that allows you to capture screenshots of web pages in real time. With URL2PNG, you can generate screenshots of web pages on-demand or via scheduled jobs and retrieve the resulting images in various formats such as PNG, JPEG, and PDF.
To use this tool, you need to send an API request containing the web page URL you want to capture, along with various optional parameters such as viewport size, device emulation, and more. URL2PNG will render the web page and return the resulting screenshot image.
URL2PNG offers a range of features to make web page screenshot capture easy and efficient, including custom viewport sizes, device emulation, and SSL support.
Pros
URL2PNG provides a powerful API you can use to capture multiple screenshots. Here are some of its pros:
- Extensive range of customization options - URL2PNG offers a wide range of customization options to tailor your screenshot requirements, including adjusting resolution, specifying viewport size, setting delay time, and more
- Fast and reliable - this tool boasts a fast and reliable screenshot capture service with a guaranteed uptime of 99.99%
- API integration - URL2PNG is easy to integrate with other tools and services through its API, enabling seamless screenshot capture as part of your existing workflow.
Cons
Take these into account before deciding to go with URL2PNG:
- Higher cost - URL2PNG can be relatively expensive compared to other screenshot capture services, particularly for high volume usage or custom configurations
- No free trial - you will need to pay before using this service, so there is no way to know if it's indeed what you are looking for.
- Limited API documentation - some users have reported that the API documentation for URL2PNG can be somewhat sparse, which could make it more challenging to implement the service.
Pricing
URL2PNG offers four pricing plans starting at $29 per month, allowing you to capture up to 5,000 screenshots. Each additional screenshot costs $0.006.
Grabzit
Grabzit is an online service that allows users to take screenshots of websites and convert HTML to PDF documents or image files. The service provides a simple API that developers can use to capture screenshots programmatically from their applications.
This tool packs a wide range of features, including the ability to capture full-page screenshots, schedule screenshots for automatic capture, and capture multiple screenshots in a single API call. It also provides features such as customizing screenshot size, setting custom cookies and HTTP headers.
One of the key advantages of Grabzit is its flexibility in terms of output formats, including PNG, JPEG, BMP, and PDF.
Pros
Some of the best things about Grabzit include the following:
- Advanced customization options - you can capture full-page screenshots, block ads, and even add your own cookies
- High-quality image output - ensure the screenshots look sharp and clear
- Easy to use - Grabzit is user-friendly and easy to set up, making it accessible to users of all skill levels.
Cons
Garbzit comes with some limitations you should take into account:
- API can be complex - the Grabzit API can be tricky for some users, particularly those who are not experienced in coding
- Little to no support - the only way to get help is via email or by asking the community.
Pricing
Grabzit offers a 7-day free trial you can leverage to see if it's a good fit for your needs. After that, you can upgrade to a paid plan with pricing starting at $6.99 per month.
Screenshot Machine
Screenshot Machine is a web-based tool and API that allows you to automate the process of capturing screenshots of websites. It's straightforward to use, as all you have to do is specify the URLs you want to capture and customize various settings such as image size, format, and delay time. You can also choose to capture the entire page or just a specific portion of it.
This tool offers several advanced features, such as the ability to capture screenshots of websites that require login credentials or capture screenshots from different locations around the world.
Pros
Here are some pros of using Screenshot Machine:
- Support for all major programming languages - you can implement the Screenshot Machine API within your application regardless of your stack
- Scalable API - you can rely on Screenshot Machine to capture as many screenshots as needed
- Discount if the server goes down - you can get up to a 50% discount if their servers fail to process your requests due to downtime.
Cons
Screenshot Machine has some limitations you should consider:
- No flexbox support - if the web pages you want to capture rely on flexbox, then you must pick a different tool
- Separate URL to PDF API - you will have to use two different APIs if you're going to generate images and PDF documents.
Pricing
Screenshot Machine has a free plan that allows you to capture up to 100 screenshots each month. Their cheapest plan is $9 per month, allowing you to capture up to 2,500 screenshots.
However, if you want to enjoy 99.99% uptime SLA, you must pick the Pro plan that goes for $59 per month.
What is the best tool to screenshot multiple URLs in bulk?
There is no one "best" tool for screenshotting multiple URLs in bulk, as different tools may have different strengths and weaknesses depending on your specific needs.
However, Urlbox offers the most comprehensive set of features out of all the other APIs and online screenshot capture tools. Sign up for a free trial and see for yourself.
