Free Screenshot API for Domains

No API key. No signup. No credit card. Get high-quality website screenshots for any domain instantly with LinkDR's free Screenshot API. Unlike other screenshot APIs that require registration and API keys, ours works immediately - just make a request and get your screenshot.

Perfect for domain directories, link building tools, competitor analysis dashboards, and SEO tools. 100% free with automatic screenshot generation and smart caching.

🚀 Quick Start

GET https://linkdr.com/api/screenshot/{domain}

The API returns a 302 Redirect to the screenshot URL. Browsers automatically follow the redirect, making it perfect for hot-linking:

curl https://linkdr.com/api/screenshot/example.com

Why Choose Our Free Screenshot API?

• ✅ No API key required - Unlike ScreenshotOne, ScreenshotAPI.net, and others that require signup and API keys, ours works instantly
• ✅ No signup or credit card - Start using immediately, no registration needed
• ✅ 100% free - No monthly limits or hidden costs
• ✅ Automatic generation - Screenshots captured automatically if they don't exist (1350x900px WebP)
• ✅ Smart caching - 7 days CDN cache + 30 days stale-while-revalidate for instant responses
• ✅ Domain-specific - Optimized for domain screenshots with automatic normalization (handles www, protocols)
• ✅ Ad & tracker blocking - Clean screenshots without ads, cookie banners, or tracking scripts

📋 API Reference

Method: GET
URL: /api/screenshot/{domain}

Response Codes:

💡 Usage Examples

Direct Hot-Linking

<img src="https://linkdr.com/api/screenshot/example.com" alt="Screenshot" />

JavaScript/TypeScript

async function getScreenshot(domain: string) {
  const response = await fetch(`https://linkdr.com/api/screenshot/${domain}`)
 
  if (response.status === 302 || response.ok) {
    return `https://linkdr.com/api/screenshot/${domain}` // Use API URL directly
  } else if (response.status === 202) {
    // Poll again in a few seconds
    return null
  } else {
    const data = await response.json()
    throw new Error(data.error)
  }
}

React Component

function DomainScreenshot({ domain }: { domain: string }) {
  const screenshotUrl = `https://linkdr.com/api/screenshot/${domain}`
 
  return (
    <img
      src={screenshotUrl}
      alt={`Screenshot of ${domain}`}
      className="rounded-lg shadow-md"
    />
  )
}

🔄 How It Works

1. Request: API normalizes domain and checks for existing screenshot
2. Response: Returns 302 redirect to cached screenshot, or 202 if generating
3. Generation: Background task captures screenshot (10-30 seconds), stores in S3
4. Caching: Future requests return cached screenshot immediately

Screenshot specs: 1350x900px WebP, 95% quality, ad/tracker blocking enabled.

⚙️ Best Practices

Handle processing states:

• 302: Screenshot ready - use API URL directly in <img> tags
• 202: Screenshot generating - poll endpoint every 3-5 seconds
• 429: Rate limit exceeded - check Retry-After header

Polling example:

async function getScreenshotWithPolling(domain: string, maxAttempts = 5) {
  for (let i = 0; i < maxAttempts; i++) {
    const response = await fetch(`https://linkdr.com/api/screenshot/${domain}`)
 
    if (response.status === 302 || response.ok) {
      return `https://linkdr.com/api/screenshot/${domain}`
    } else if (response.status === 202) {
      await new Promise(resolve => setTimeout(resolve, 3000))
      continue
    } else {
      const data = await response.json()
      throw new Error(data.error)
    }
  }
  throw new Error('Screenshot generation timed out')
}

🔒 Rate Limits & Caching

Rate Limits:

• 60 requests per hour per IP (no monthly caps)
• Headers: X-RateLimit-Limit, X-RateLimit-Remaining, X-RateLimit-Reset

Caching:

• CDN: 7 days
• Browser: 7 days
• Stale-while-revalidate: 30 days

🆚 Comparison with Other Screenshot APIs

Best for:

• LinkDR API: Domain directories, SEO tools, quick domain previews (no setup needed)
• ScreenshotOne: Custom viewports, full-page screenshots, advanced features
• ScreenshotAPI.net: Enterprise use cases, bulk screenshots
• Thum.io: Real-time streaming screenshots, animated previews

🎯 Use Cases

Domain Directories

Build visual directories of domains with instant screenshot previews. Perfect for backlink databases, domain marketplaces, and SEO tools.

Link Building Tools

Show visual previews of potential link targets without requiring users to sign up or configure API keys.

Competitor Analysis

Quickly visualize competitor websites in your analysis dashboard. No API key management needed.

SEO Tools

Display domain screenshots in keyword analysis, backlink checkers, and domain research tools.

📚 Resources

• LinkDR Domain Explorer
• LinkDR API Documentation
• Questions? DM @illyism on X