Website Thumbnail Generation API
Generate website thumbnails for directories, dashboards, and link previews. One call per URL, WebP output, and an edge cache so a listing of 200 sites is not 200 browser launches.
Generate website thumbnails for directories, dashboards, and link previews. One call per URL, WebP output, and an edge cache so a listing of 200 sites is not 200 browser launches.
Why render from HTML at all
Thumbnail generation is deceptively expensive at scale: a directory refreshing 10,000 listings is 10,000 page loads, each waiting on third-party ads and cookie walls that are not part of the product being previewed. RenderKit blocks that chrome before capture and serves repeat requests from the edge, so a nightly refresh mostly hits cache rather than re-rendering the unchanged half of your catalogue.
The request
curl https://api.renderkit.tech/v1/screenshot \
-H "x-api-key: $RENDERKIT_API_KEY" \
-H "content-type: application/json" \
-d '{ "url": "https://example.com", "full_page": true, "block_ads": true }'Options that matter here
block_adsandblock_cookie_bannerskeep consent walls out of the thumbnail- WebP output at small viewports — usually a fraction of the equivalent PNG
- Edge cache with a TTL you set, so re-renders happen on your schedule
- Viewport capture by default, so you get the fold rather than a three-metre page
More
Full screenshot API reference · API docs · compare RenderKit vs ScreenshotOne.
Common questions
Call /v1/screenshot once per URL with a small viewport and WebP output. Cache the signed URL against your listing record and only re-render when the source changes or your TTL expires.
Set block_cookie_banners, and usually block_ads too. RenderKit suppresses the common consent and advertising frames before the capture is taken.
One render from your monthly meter, and cache hits are not re-billed. Plans start at $9/mo with 500 free renders to test the volume you actually need.
RenderKit starts at $9/mo with 500 free renders, and screenshots, PDFs, and markdown extraction all draw from the same meter — there is no separate per-primitive plan.
Ship your first render in 60 seconds.
500 free renders to start. No card. Cancel by ignoring it.