CurlShot, a Microlink alternative for screenshots
Pick CurlShot if screenshots, PDFs and videos are all you need and you want a lower entry plan with a fixed number of screenshots a month, and HTML input and bulk calls (neither is on Microlink's pricing page). Pick Microlink if you also want link metadata, logos, Markdown or text extraction and embeds from the same API, or a lower price per request at its 46,000-request plan: its free plan (25 requests a day) is also larger per month than the 100 screenshots here. Both render in a real browser, block ads and cookie banners, make PDFs and cache results.
Facts about Microlink checked on .
Features, side by side
Show the features table (16 rows)
| Feature | CurlShot | Microlink |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan, no card | 100 screenshots a month | 25 requests a day |
| Screenshots | Yes | Yes |
| Screenshot of one element (CSS selector) | Yes | Yes |
| PDF output | Yes | Yes |
| Short video of a page | Scrolling video: MP4, WebM or GIF | Animated screenshots |
| Block ads and cookie banners | Yes | Yes |
| Configurable cache lifetime | Yes | Yes |
| Custom cache key | Yes | Yes |
| Custom request headers | Yes | Yes |
| HTML or Markdown as input | Yes | Not on its pricing page |
| Many pages in one call | Up to 100 per call | Not on its pricing page |
| Webhook when an async render is done | Paid plans | Not on its pricing page |
| Failed renders not counted | Yes | Not on its pricing page |
| Link metadata, logo, Markdown and text extraction | No | Yes |
| SDK | Code samples in six languages | Yes |
| Invoice and contract plans | Contact us | Business and Enterprise |
What it costs per month
Monthly plans, billed monthly, before tax. The last column is the plan price divided by the screenshots it includes.
Show the prices (5 rows)
| Product and plan | Per month | Screenshots a month | Per 1,000 |
|---|---|---|---|
| CurlShot Free | Free | 100 | Free |
| CurlShot Starter | $19 | 3,000 | $6.33 |
| CurlShot Growth | $79 | 15,000 | $5.27 |
| CurlShot Scale | $249 | 60,000 | $4.15 |
| Microlink Pro | $49 | 46,000 | $1.07 |
Microlink counts requests, not screenshots. Read the per-1,000 figures as a guide, not an exact match.
Sources: Microlink pricing, and the CurlShot pricing page.
Pick CurlShot when
- You want a lower entry plan for screenshots only: paid plans here start below Microlink’s $49 Pro plan (see the table)
- You send HTML or Markdown to render, or screenshot lists of pages in one bulk call
- You want to know the bill in advance: CurlShot plans stop at their quota unless you turn on prepaid, capped overage
- Failed renders and cache hits do not count against your plan
Pick Microlink when
- You also need link metadata, logos, Markdown or text extraction, or embeds from one API
- You want a lower price per request at volume: its Pro plan lists about $1.07 per 1,000 requests at 46,000 requests a month
- You want a free plan of 25 requests a day, which adds up to more per month than 100 screenshots
- You buy on invoice with a contract, a DPA and a named contact (Business and Enterprise)
Move a request over, parameter by parameter
Every CurlShot option is described in the options reference.
Show the parameters table (9 rows)
| To do this | CurlShot | Microlink |
|---|---|---|
| Page address | url | url |
| One element only | selector | element |
| Image quality | image_quality | quality |
| Pixel density | device_scale_factor | viewport.deviceScaleFactor |
| Mobile viewport | viewport_mobile | viewport.isMobile |
| Block ads | block_ads | adblock |
| Cache lifetime | cache_ttl | ttl |
| Cache key | cache_key | cacheKey |
| Custom request headers | headers | headers |
Questions people ask
Is CurlShot a good Microlink alternative?
If you use Microlink for screenshots and PDFs, yes: CurlShot does only that, with a fixed number of screenshots per plan and a lower entry price. If you also use its metadata, logo, Markdown or text extraction, you would still need another tool for that part.
How does Microlink count requests?
As of the date on this page, one request is one API call to a Microlink endpoint, whether it is a screenshot, a PDF or a metadata call. Responses served from its cache do not count. Its Pro plan lists 46,000 requests a month for $49.
Does Microlink have a free plan?
Yes. Its pricing page lists a free plan of 25 requests a day with no card, and says every Pro feature is included on it. At the date on this page that is a larger monthly allowance than the 100 screenshots in the free plan here.
Sources: Microlink pricing, Microlink screenshot parameter. Checked on 9 November 2026; prices and features change, so check them before you decide.
Try it on your own pages
- Screenshot APIA screenshot API for developers. One HTTP request turns a URL, HTML or Markdown into a PNG, JPEG, WebP or PDF. Full page, devices, blocking, cache, MCP.
- Web page to PDFTurn a web page into a PDF document from its address. Real pages, working links and selectable text. Paste the address, nothing to install. Also an API.
- Bulk screenshotsScreenshot a whole list of web pages at once. Start up to 100 screenshots with one API call, then collect the results by webhook or one status request.