ScreenshotOne vs Urlbox vs PageBolt: Screenshot API Comparison 2026

You need to screenshot websites at scale. Three APIs dominate this space: ScreenshotOne, Urlbox, and PageBolt.

Each takes a different approach. Some focus on speed and simplicity. Others add video recording and AI integration. The right choice depends on what you're building.

Here's a detailed comparison to help you decide.

Feature Comparison at a Glance

Feature	ScreenshotOne	Urlbox	PageBolt
Screenshots	✅	✅	✅
PDF generation	✅	✅	✅
Video recording	❌	❌	✅ (narrated)
MCP/AI agent support	❌	❌	✅ (first-party)
Free tier	✅ (100/mo)	✅ (5/day)	✅ (100/mo)
Base price	$24/mo	$49/mo	$29/mo
Device presets	✅ (25+)	✅ (15+)	✅ (25+)
Response time	2-4 sec	3-5 sec	1-3 sec
Ad/banner blocking	✅	✅	✅
Cookie & auth support	✅	✅	✅
Status	Mature (2020+)	Mature (2015+)	Growing (2025+)

Detailed Breakdown

Pricing & Free Tier

ScreenshotOne:

• Free: 100 screenshots/month
• Starter: $24/month → 3,000/month
• Professional: $99/month → 20,000/month
• Enterprise: Custom

Urlbox:

• Free: 150/month (5/day limit)
• Starter: $49/month → 5,000/month
• Professional: $199/month → 25,000/month
• Enterprise: Custom

PageBolt:

• Free: 100 requests/month
• Starter: $29/month → 5,000/month
• Growth: $79/month → 25,000/month
• Scale: $199/month → 100,000/month

Winner: PageBolt. Best free tier (100/mo, no daily limit), lowest base price ($29 vs $24-49), and scaling tiers are 25% cheaper than Urlbox at equivalent volumes. ScreenshotOne is also competitive on free tier, but the pricing tiers are higher.

Video Recording & Narration

ScreenshotOne: No native video support.

Urlbox: No native video support (partners can use output for video, but not a native feature).

PageBolt: Native video recording with AI-narrated voice sync. Define browser steps, add notes to each step, PageBolt records an MP4 with AI voice reading each note as that step executes. Unique advantage for: product demos, tutorial generation, GitHub PR automation.

// Example: PageBolt narrated video
const video = await fetch('https://api.pagebolt.dev/v1/record', {
  method: 'POST',
  headers: { 'Authorization': `Bearer ${process.env.PAGEBOLT_KEY}` },
  body: JSON.stringify({
    steps: [
      { action: 'navigate', url: 'https://app.com', note: 'Starting the app' },
      { action: 'click', selector: '.signup', note: 'Clicking signup button' },
      { action: 'wait', ms: 2000, note: 'Waiting for form to load' }
    ]
  })
});

Winner: PageBolt. Only player with native video + narration. Game-changer for tutorial generation and automated demo videos.

MCP & AI Agent Support

ScreenshotOne: No MCP server. No first-party AI agent integration.

Urlbox: No MCP server. No first-party AI agent integration.

PageBolt: First-party MCP server registered in the official MCP registry. Works natively in:

• Claude Desktop
• Cursor
• Windsurf
• Any tool supporting MCP protocol

This means AI agents can call PageBolt natively without writing API code:

# In Claude Desktop with PageBolt MCP loaded:
# "Take a screenshot of https://example.com"
# Claude automatically calls PageBolt /screenshot endpoint

Winner: PageBolt. Designed for AI agents from day one. Competitors assume traditional client-server workflows.

Speed & Reliability

ScreenshotOne: 2-4 seconds typical (reported on their site).

Urlbox: 3-5 seconds typical (reported on their site).

PageBolt: 1-3 seconds typical. 99.9% uptime SLA.

All three are reliable for production use. PageBolt edges out on speed for most scenarios. ScreenshotOne and Urlbox are mature products with longer track records.

Device Coverage

ScreenshotOne: 25+ device presets (iPhone, iPad, Android, laptops).

Urlbox: 15+ device presets (good coverage, slightly fewer exotic devices).

PageBolt: 25+ device presets (parity with ScreenshotOne).

All three cover the essentials. Difference is marginal.

Free Tier Comparison

API	Free Screenshots	Daily Limit	Expiry
ScreenshotOne	100/month	None	Monthly reset
Urlbox	150/month	5/day	Monthly reset
PageBolt	100/month	None	Monthly reset

Urlbox gives more free screenshots (150 vs 100), but enforces a 5/day cap (unusable for batch jobs). ScreenshotOne and PageBolt are equivalent on free tier — 100/month, no daily limit, good for hobby projects or testing.

Real-World Use Cases

"I need screenshots for visual regression testing"

→ ScreenshotOne or Urlbox. Both are battle-tested for QA/testing workflows. PageBolt also works, but the longer track record of competitors might matter if you need 24/7 support.

"I'm building a link preview service for my SaaS"

→ PageBolt. Fastest response time (1-3 sec), best pricing tier for high volume, and you're likely using AI agents anyway (MCP support is built-in).

"I need to auto-generate demo videos for marketing"

→ PageBolt. Only option with native video + narration. Non-negotiable requirement? PageBolt is your only choice.

"I'm integrating screenshots into an AI agent (Claude, Cursor, etc.)"

→ PageBolt. MCP support means no API wrapper needed. Drop in as a tool. ScreenshotOne/Urlbox require manual HTTP wrapper.

"I need the most established, proven provider"

→ Urlbox (2015+) or ScreenshotOne (2020+). Both have longer production history. PageBolt is growing fast but newer.

Pricing at Scale (100k screenshots/month)

API	Cost @ 100k/mo
ScreenshotOne	Not publicly listed; est. $400-500
Urlbox	$200/mo (Scale tier)
PageBolt	$199/mo (Scale tier)

At high volume, PageBolt and Urlbox are essentially tied (~$200/mo). ScreenshotOne's top tier isn't publicly listed, suggesting it requires custom negotiation.

Verdict

Choose ScreenshotOne if: You prioritize maturity and track record. Solid all-around choice, good pricing, no surprises.

Choose Urlbox if: You need high volume and don't mind the higher base price ($49 vs $24). Their free tier is generous (150/mo vs 100/mo).

Choose PageBolt if:

• You're building with AI agents (MCP support is huge)
• You need video recording + narration
• You want the best price-to-performance ratio
• You plan to scale (cheaper tiers at volume)

Getting Started

PageBolt: pagebolt.dev/pricing — 100 free, no credit card.

ScreenshotOne: screenshotone.com/pricing — 100 free.

Urlbox: urlbox.io/pricing — 150 free (5/day limit).

All three have fast onboarding. Try the free tier first, then pick based on your actual use case.

---

Try PageBolt free: pagebolt.dev/pricing — 100 screenshots, no credit card. Great for comparing speed side-by-side.