---
canonical: 'https://htmlcsstoimage.com/compare/screenshot-machine'
title: 'HTML/CSS to Image vs Screenshot Machine: Features & Pricing'
description: 'Screenshot Machine is a low-cost API for screenshots of existing pages, priced in euros. HTML/CSS to Image adds HTML/CSS rendering, templates, and image reuse.'
---

# HTML/CSS to Image vs Screenshot Machine

Screenshot Machine is a no-frills, inexpensive way to screenshot existing webpages, with a free plan and a separate PDF API. HTML/CSS to Image also renders your own HTML/CSS and adds templates and image reuse.

[View this comparison on the website](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/compare/screenshot-machine)

## The short answer

**Choose HTML/CSS to Image if:**

- You have HTML/CSS to render, not just a URL to capture.
- You're designing images, with templates, variables, a visual editor, and signed template URLs.
- You need one image in several sizes or formats without paying again.
- You want clear scaling without per-minute or concurrency limits.

**Choose Screenshot Machine if:**

- You want the lowest price for screenshots of existing pages: €9/month for 2,500.
- You also want website-to-PDF, or an SLA with compensation on Pro and Enterprise.

## At a glance

| Capability | HTML/CSS to Image | Screenshot Machine |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Render controls | Very flexible (90/100) | Limited (45/100) |
| Hosted image URLs | Yes | Yes — 14-day cache, hot-linking allowed |
| PDF rendering | Partial — Paid plans | Yes — Separate PDF API |
| Overages | Optional — $10/1,000, or $50/10,000 on Scale | Partial — €0.002–0.004 each on paid plans |
| Native SDKs | Yes — Several languages | Partial — Node.js and PHP packages, code samples |
| Cookie-banner blocking | Yes | Partial — Manual click and hide selectors |
| Extra features | Render your own HTML/CSS<br>Visual template editor<br>Dynamic OG images without API calls<br>Resize and reformat without new credits | Free online screenshot and PDF tools<br>Custom error images on paid plans<br>SLA compensation on Pro and Enterprise |

## Where they overlap

Both capture webpages from a URL, with controls for size, full-page capture, delays, and element selection, and both let you put a screenshot URL straight into an image tag with optional signing. Neither charges twice for the same capture: Screenshot Machine serves cached screenshots for 14 days without billing them, and HTML/CSS to Image reuses existing images.

## A URL to capture, or HTML to render

Screenshot Machine's API requires a URL, so everything it captures has to be a live page first. For a product graphic or a social card, that means building and hosting a page for each design.

HTML/CSS to Image renders the HTML/CSS you send, a URL, or a saved template with new values. With the template editor and signed template URLs, you can generate each variation without hosting a page at all.

## Paying for the same image twice

Screenshot Machine only bills fresh screenshots, and it keeps cached ones for 14 days. A different size or crop counts as a different capture.

HTML/CSS to Image keeps each image at its hosted URL, and serves resized, cropped, or reformatted versions without new credits.

## Bursts of requests

Screenshot Machine doesn't publish rate or concurrency limits, so check with them before you send a large job. HTML/CSS to Image has no per-minute or concurrency limits on creating and rendering images, and paid plans accept batches of 25 to 100.

## Where Screenshot Machine wins

For plain screenshots, it's hard to beat on price. Basic is €9/month for 2,500 screenshots and Pro is €59 for 20,000, with extras billed in blocks of 1,000, rounded down. There's a free plan with 100 screenshots a month, a separate website-to-PDF API with paper and print options, and an SLA on Pro and Enterprise that pays out in bonus screenshots.

## Pricing

Screenshot Machine is cheaper for plain captures, and it's priced in euros. HTML/CSS to Image adds HTML/CSS rendering, templates, and image reuse.

HTML/CSS to Image prices are in USD, and Screenshot Machine prices are in EUR. EU VAT may apply for non-business customers. Monthly billing, distinct screenshots, and no cache reuse. Screenshot Machine bills extras in blocks of 1,000, rounded down.

### Getting started

Entry paid plans, with their actual included allowances.

**HTML/CSS to Image:** $14/month for 1,000 images on Basic.

Includes templates, the visual editor, and hosted image delivery. A free plan includes 50 images per month.

**Screenshot Machine:** €9/month for 2,500 screenshots on Basic.

The free Starter plan includes 100 screenshots a month, with no credit card required.

Screenshot Machine includes more screenshots for less, in euros.

### At 10,000 images per month

Distinct standard screenshots, monthly pricing with overages.

**HTML/CSS to Image:** $69/month for 10,000 images on Basic.

Optional overages cost $10 per 1,000 images. Includes templates, hosted image delivery, storage destinations, and bring-your-own proxies at this volume.

**Screenshot Machine:** €37 for the month: €9 + €28 for extra screenshots on Basic.

Extras cost €0.004 each and are billed in blocks of 1,000, rounded down, so 7,500 extra screenshots bill as 7,000. Pro costs €59 for 20,000.

Screenshot Machine costs less for plain captures at this volume.

## Common questions

### Is Screenshot Machine cheaper than HTML/CSS to Image?

Yes, for plain screenshots. Screenshot Machine's Basic plan is €9/month for 2,500 screenshots, and 10,000 captures come to about €37 with overages, versus $69 on HTML/CSS to Image. Screenshot Machine prices are in euros, and EU VAT may apply.

### Can Screenshot Machine render HTML?

No. Its API requires a URL, so the page has to be hosted first. HTML/CSS to Image renders HTML/CSS you send directly, as well as URLs and saved templates.

### Does Screenshot Machine have rate limits?

Screenshot Machine doesn't publish rate or concurrency limits. HTML/CSS to Image has no per-minute or concurrency limits on creating and rendering images.

### What's the best Screenshot Machine alternative for generating images?

HTML/CSS to Image, if you're making images rather than capturing existing pages. It renders HTML/CSS or saved templates, hosts the result, and serves resized or reformatted versions without new credits.

## Comparison details

### Rendering inputs

**HTML/CSS to Image:** Render HTML/CSS or URLs with viewport, scale, selector, timing, font, and other controls. Convenience options include google_fonts and a ScreenshotReady() signal for your page's JavaScript.

The same options apply whether you send HTML/CSS or a URL.

**Screenshot Machine:** Capture a webpage from its URL, with dimensions, device, delay, zoom, crop, element selection, cookies, and user agent options.

The API requires a hosted webpage URL.

HCTI also renders HTML/CSS you send directly.

### Caching and delivery

**HTML/CSS to Image:** Hosting and CDN delivery are included. Application-level caching keeps an existing image URL reusable, even after a CDN cache miss, without consuming another image credit.

Paid plans keep images while your account is active. Custom-storage-only images use your own delivery.

**Screenshot Machine:** Cached screenshots are kept for 14 days and aren't billed again. cacheLimit adjusts how long a cached screenshot is used.

Only fresh screenshots count against your allowance.

HCTI keeps reusable images beyond a 14-day screenshot cache.

### Image variants

**HTML/CSS to Image:** Re-render, resize, crop, or change formats using the same image URL, without spending more credits.

Changing the source HTML or creation parameters creates a new image.

**Screenshot Machine:** Set dimensions, zoom, crop, and format as capture options.

A distinct combination of capture options counts as a fresh screenshot unless cached.

HCTI includes output variants of an existing image.

### Concurrency and rate limits

**HTML/CSS to Image:** Send image creation and rendering requests in parallel, with no concurrency caps or per-second or per-minute rate limits.

Image credits and plan limits still apply.

**Screenshot Machine:** Rate and concurrency limits aren't published.

Availability has not been verified.

HCTI has no per-minute or concurrency limits.

## Research and sources

Last reviewed: 2026-09-30

Reviewed Screenshot Machine's public API, PDF API, pricing, and SLA pages alongside HCTI documentation and pricing. Screenshot Machine publishes prices in EUR, so they are shown in EUR rather than converted. Costs are calculated examples, not invoices. No rendering, performance, or visual-quality tests were performed. Rate limits, batch requests, teams, and MCP support are not published by Screenshot Machine and are left out rather than marked unsupported.

- [HCTI API reference](https://docs.htmlcsstoimage.com/getting-started/using-the-api/) (checked 2026-09-22)
- [HCTI render readiness](https://docs.htmlcsstoimage.com/parameters/render_when_ready/) (checked 2026-09-22)
- [Screenshot Machine website screenshot API](https://www.screenshotmachine.com/website-screenshot-api.php) (checked 2026-09-30)
- [HCTI plans and pricing](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/pricing) (checked 2026-09-30)
- [HCTI storage destinations](https://docs.htmlcsstoimage.com/guides/advanced/storage-destinations/) (checked 2026-09-22)
- [Screenshot Machine pricing](https://www.screenshotmachine.com/pricing.php) (checked 2026-09-30)
- [Screenshot Machine website to PDF API](https://www.screenshotmachine.com/website-to-pdf-api.php) (checked 2026-09-30)
- [HCTI SDKs and example code](https://docs.htmlcsstoimage.com/example-code/) (checked 2026-09-30)
- [HCTI signed image URLs](https://docs.htmlcsstoimage.com/getting-started/create-and-render/) (checked 2026-09-30)
- [HCTI MCP tools](https://docs.htmlcsstoimage.com/integrations/mcp/) (checked 2026-09-22)
- [Screenshot Machine SLA](https://www.screenshotmachine.com/sla.php) (checked 2026-09-30)
- [HCTI rate and usage limits](https://docs.htmlcsstoimage.com/getting-started/using-the-api/rate-limits/) (checked 2026-09-22)

## Try it out

[Try the live image demo](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/compare/screenshot-machine#demo)

## Related comparisons

- [HTML/CSS to Image vs ScreenshotOne](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/compare/screenshotone.md)
- [HTML/CSS to Image vs URL2PNG](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/compare/url2png.md)
- [HTML/CSS to Image vs ApiFlash](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/compare/apiflash.md)
- [HTML/CSS to Image vs Vercel OG](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/compare/vercel-og.md)
- [HTML/CSS to Image vs Cloudflare Browser Run](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/compare/cloudflare-browser-run.md)
- [HTML/CSS to Image vs Bannerbear](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/compare/bannerbear.md)

## Get started

[Start creating free](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/join) · [Pricing](https://htmlcsstoimage.com/pricing.md) · [Documentation](https://docs.htmlcsstoimage.com)

We tried to make this an honest and fair comparison. We last updated the details on September 30, 2026. If you represent Screenshot Machine and want to correct the record, please [email us](mailto:support@htmlcsstoimage.com).