When building screenshot automation, you can choose between using a screenshot API like PeekShot or running headless browsers yourself. This guide compares both approaches to help you make the right decision.
Comparison: API vs Self-Hosted
Screenshot API (PeekShot)
Managed service that handles screenshot capture for you.
Headless Browsers (Puppeteer, Playwright, Selenium)
Open-source tools you run and manage yourself.
Pros and Cons
Screenshot API Advantages
No infrastructure: No servers, maintenance, or scaling to manage
Reliability: Managed infrastructure with high uptime
Consistency: Same rendering environment for all requests
Scalability: Handles high volume automatically
Features: Built-in scheduling, webhooks, project organization
Support: Managed service with support
Updates: Browser updates and improvements handled automatically
Screenshot API Disadvantages
Cost: Per-screenshot pricing vs. fixed infrastructure costs
Control: Less control over browser configuration
Customization: Limited to API features
Dependency: Relies on external service
Headless Browsers Advantages
Full control: Complete control over browser and configuration
Cost: Fixed infrastructure costs (may be cheaper at very high volume)
Customization: Can customize everything
No external dependency: Runs entirely in your infrastructure
Headless Browsers Disadvantages
Infrastructure: Need to provision and manage servers
Maintenance: Browser updates, security patches, scaling
Reliability: You're responsible for uptime and failures
Complexity: More complex to set up and maintain
Scaling: Need to handle scaling yourself
Time investment: Significant engineering time required
When to Use API
Choose a screenshot API when:
You want to focus on your core product: Don't want to maintain screenshot infrastructure
You need reliability: Can't afford downtime or inconsistent results
You need to scale: Volume varies or grows over time
You want features: Need scheduling, webhooks, project organization
You have limited engineering resources: Can't dedicate time to infrastructure
You need consistency: Same results across all environments
When to Use Headless Browsers
Choose headless browsers when:
You need full control: Specific browser configurations or custom requirements
Very high volume: Fixed infrastructure costs are lower than API costs
You have infrastructure expertise: Team can manage and maintain servers
Custom requirements: Need features not available in APIs
Compliance: Must run entirely in your own infrastructure
Cost Considerations
API Costs
Pay per screenshot
Scales with usage
No infrastructure costs
Predictable per-screenshot pricing
Self-Hosted Costs
Fixed server costs
Scaling infrastructure costs
Engineering time for maintenance
May be cheaper at very high, consistent volume
Break-even analysis: Calculate your expected volume and compare API costs vs. infrastructure + engineering time costs.
Decision Framework
Ask yourself:
Do I want to manage infrastructure? No → API
Do I need specific browser configurations? Yes → Headless browsers
Is my volume very high and consistent? Yes → Consider self-hosted
Do I need scheduling and webhooks? Yes → API
Do I have engineering resources for maintenance? No → API
Is reliability critical? Yes → API (managed service)
Hybrid Approach
You can use both:
API for production, reliable workflows
Headless browsers for development, testing, or specific use cases
Combine strengths of both approaches