Honest Comparison
Why SnapshotAI?
A technical, unbiased comparison with Puppeteer, Playwright, and other screenshot services. We'll show you the pros and cons of each approach.
Feature Comparison
Compare features across different solutions
| Feature | SnapshotAI Modern API-first service | Puppeteer DIY Node.js library | Playwright E2E testing framework | Screenshotmachine Legacy screenshot API | ScreenshotAPI Automated screenshot service |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Core Features | |||||
| Full-page screenshots | |||||
| Custom viewports | |||||
| JavaScript rendering | |||||
| AI-powered content blocking | |||||
| Video recording | |||||
| Screenshot templates | |||||
| Infrastructure | |||||
| Managed infrastructure | |||||
| Auto-scaling | |||||
| Global CDN | |||||
| Built-in storage | |||||
| 99.99% uptime SLA | |||||
| Developer Experience | |||||
| RESTful API | |||||
| Official SDKs (5+ languages) | |||||
| Webhooks | |||||
| No server setup required | |||||
Performance Benchmarks
Real-world performance metrics measured in production
| Metric | SnapshotAI | Puppeteer | Playwright | Screenshotmachine | ScreenshotAPI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Average API Response Time (P50) | 1.2s | Variable* | Variable* | 2.8s | 2.1s |
| P95 Response Time | 2.1s | Variable* | Variable* | 4.5s | 3.8s |
| Success Rate | 99.8% | Depends | Depends | 98.5% | 99.2% |
| Concurrent Requests | Unlimited | Your limit | Your limit | 10/min | 30/min |
| Global Edge Network | Yes (CDN) | DIY | DIY | No | Limited |
Methodology: Response times measured from 1000+ production requests (Jan-Nov 2025). P50 = median, P95 = 95th percentile. Puppeteer/Playwright vary by infrastructure. Tests run on 1920x1080 viewport with standard websites.
Pricing Comparison
Compare costs across different solutions
| Provider | Free Tier | Starter Plan | Pro Plan | What's Included |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SnapshotAI | 100/month | $17/mo 2K screenshots | $79/mo 10K screenshots | Includes CDN storage & webhooks |
| Puppeteer | Unlimited | $50-200/mo Server costs | $200-500/mo Server + DevOps | Infrastructure + maintenance costs |
| Playwright | Unlimited | $50-200/mo Server costs | $200-500/mo Server + DevOps | Infrastructure + maintenance costs |
| Screenshotmachine | 100/month | $39/mo 5K screenshots | $99/mo 25K screenshots | Basic features, no storage |
| ScreenshotAPI | 100/month | $29/mo 10K screenshots | $89/mo 100K screenshots | Standard API, no storage |
Honest Pros & Cons
Every solution has trade-offs. Here's our honest take.
SnapshotAI
Pros
- Modern API with all features built-in
- AI-powered content blocking (unique)
- Includes CDN storage (no S3 needed)
- Consistent sub-2s performance (P50: 1.2s)
- Great developer experience with SDKs
Cons
- Pay-per-use pricing model
- Requires active internet connectivity
- Best value at higher usage tiers
Puppeteer
Pros
- Free and open-source
- Full browser control
- Huge community and resources
- No usage limits
- Battle-tested at scale
Cons
- Requires server setup and maintenance
- You handle infrastructure scaling
- Cold start times can be slow
- Complex to deploy and monitor
Playwright
Pros
- Free and open-source
- Multi-browser support (Chrome, Firefox, Safari)
- Excellent for E2E testing
- Modern API design
- Microsoft backing
Cons
- Primarily designed for testing, not screenshots
- Requires infrastructure management
- Learning curve for screenshot use case
- Need to handle scaling yourself
Screenshotmachine
Pros
- Simple API
- No infrastructure needed
- Established service (10+ years)
Cons
- Slower response times (~800ms)
- Limited features vs modern APIs
- No built-in storage
- Outdated dashboard
- Limited documentation
ScreenshotAPI
Pros
- Simple REST API
- Good documentation
- Webhook support
- Stable service
Cons
- No built-in storage
- Limited concurrent requests (30/min)
- No AI-powered features
- No video recording
When to Use What?
Honest recommendations based on your needs
Choose SnapshotAI if you want:
- A managed service with zero infrastructure setup
- Consistent performance (P50: 1.2s, P95: 2.1s) with 99.8% success rate
- Built-in CDN storage and modern features (AI blocking, templates)
- Great developer experience with SDKs and webhooks
Choose Puppeteer/Playwright if you:
- Need complete browser control beyond screenshots
- Have infrastructure team to manage servers
- Want zero per-screenshot costs (pay for servers only)
- Already using them for E2E testing
Try SnapshotAI
Start with 100 free screenshots per month. No credit card required.