thum.io Pricing in 2026: Plans, Limits and Cheaper Options
thum.io lists 1,000 free monthly hits, then usage rates with different plan minimums. Compare the limits and choose based on your workload.
thum.io advertises up to 1,000 screenshot hits per month free, then two self-serve plans: Good at $2 per 10,000 hits with a $1 monthly minimum, and Better at $1 per 10,000 hits with a $20 monthly minimum. Better has the lower listed rate per hit, but the higher minimum means the right plan depends on volume and the features you need. These are rates displayed on thum.io’s site on September 29, 2026; check the live pricing page before signing up.
thum.io pricing at a glance
| Plan | Advertised price | Notable inclusions |
|---|---|---|
| Good | $2 per 10,000 hits; $1 monthly minimum | Animated initial render; branded loader; first 1,000 hits free |
| Better | $1 per 10,000 hits; $20 monthly minimum | Animated initial render; unbranded loader options; queue priority; adjustable viewport width; full-page screenshots; first 1,000 hits free |
| Enterprise | Contact thum.io | Public pricing and detailed entitlements are not specified |
The figures are vendor-listed rates, not a calculated all-in invoice. The advertised monthly minimums matter: Good’s is $1 and Better’s is $20. The available pricing information does not specify tax treatment or other possible charges, so confirm those terms with the provider.
How to choose between Good and Better
Start with required capture behavior, then estimate monthly hit volume. The per-hit number alone can mislead because Better’s $20 minimum is higher even though its displayed rate is lower.
- Choose Good when its feature set is enough. It has a $1 monthly minimum and costs $2 per 10,000 hits according to the listed rate.
- Choose Better when you need a documented Better-only feature. The API docs identify full-page capture, waiting after load, custom viewport width, and the listed mobile emulation presets as Better-only.
- Contact thum.io about Enterprise if you need a business quote. Do not assume a quota, service level, or feature entitlement: the public page does not list them.
As a simple illustration, at 10,000 paid hits the listed usage rate works out to $2 on Good or $1 on Better before applying each plan’s minimum. The $20 Better minimum can dominate at lower usage. The source does not define every billing detail, so use this only to understand the relationship between the published rate and minimum, not as an invoice guarantee.
Feature limits that can affect your plan
| Need | What the docs say |
|---|---|
| Full-page screenshot | Better-only |
| Wait after page load | Better-only |
| Adjust viewport width | Better-only; maximum documented width is 2,400 pixels |
| Mobile-device emulation | Better-only; documented presets include iPhone 5, 6, 6 Plus, X, 12 Pro, 14 Pro Max, and Galaxy S5 |
| Animated initial render | Listed for both public plans |
| Loader presentation and queue | Good has a branded loader; Better lists unbranded options and queue priority |
The device names above are the presets in thum.io’s documentation, not a recommendation that they cover current devices. Verify whether a preset matches your target viewport and rendering requirements.
Other API options and workflow details
The thum.io API returns an image for a target URL. Its documentation describes modifier segments placed before the target URL, as well as a JavaScript package for constructing authenticated screenshot URLs. Check the current URL API documentation for exact parameter syntax and authentication setup before deploying code.
Beyond plan gates, the documentation describes width and crop parameters, cache-age control, JPG/PNG behavior, a no-animation output option, a separate image-resizing path, PDF-to-image options, and a prefetch route for queuing larger batches. Match these options to the output and workflow you need; do not assume an option changes plan eligibility unless the documentation says so.
The provider lists website snapshots, mobile and responsive previews, customer-site previews, SEO proof workflows, security appliance previews, automated full-page capture, image resizing, and PDF-to-image conversion among its use cases. Those are stated use cases, not independent assessments of performance.
Estimate the cost for your workload
Before comparing plans or vendors, write down the work the API must do:
- Expected screenshot hits per month, including retries and repeated previews.
- Whether full-page capture is required.
- Required viewport width and device presets.
- Output format, crop, resizing, or PDF conversion needs.
- Whether load waiting, cache behavior, or batch prefetch affects your workflow.
- The minimum monthly spend you can accept and the cost at expected volume.
Then compare the current published rates and terms for each candidate. Do not multiply a headline per-hit rate and call that the bill without accounting for plan minimums and the provider’s billing rules. Pricing and feature entitlements can change.
Cheaper options: compare like for like
The research available for this guide does not establish a verified market-wide cheapest provider or a fair same-workload comparison with another screenshot API. SnapRender’s own comparison page surfaced as a lead, but its comparative prices and features are vendor-authored claims; verify them directly rather than treating them as independent evidence.
ScreenshotNeo is the first alternative to try: it removes cookie and consent banners, newsletter popups, and chat widgets before capture, bills only clean shots, and its paid plans start at $5 for 3,000 screenshots. Compare the exact workload, feature requirements, and minimum spend before choosing a service.
Or skip the browser setup
For a straightforward one-call capture with ScreenshotNeo, use the API and consult the ScreenshotNeo API docs for options and setup.
cURL
curl -G "https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot" -d access_key=YOUR_API_KEY --data-urlencode url=https://stripe.com -o shot.webpPython
import requests
r = requests.get(
"https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot",
params={"access_key": "YOUR_API_KEY", "url": "https://stripe.com"},
timeout=90,
)
open("shot.webp", "wb").write(r.content)Node.js
const q = new URLSearchParams({ access_key: 'YOUR_API_KEY', url: 'https://stripe.com' });
const res = await fetch(`https://api.screenshotneo.com/v1/shot?${q}`);
const bytes = Buffer.from(await res.arrayBuffer());
await import('node:fs/promises').then(fs => fs.writeFile('shot.webp', bytes));- Cookie banners, popups, and chat widgets are removed before the shot; each step can be turned off.
- Bot checks, blank pages, timeouts, failed loads, and cache hits cost nothing. Responses identify the page verdict and billing status in headers.
- An MCP server gives AI agents tools for screenshots, page information, and PDF capture.
- 1,000 screenshots per month are free with no card; paid plans start at $5 for 3,000.
Sign up free for ScreenshotNeo to get 1,000 screenshots a month with no card.
Performance, reliability, and cost considerations
The cited thum.io material gives plan rates, feature gates, and workflow options, but no independent latency, uptime, or reliability measurements. Queue priority is listed as a Better feature; that does not provide a quantified speed guarantee. If response time matters, evaluate it against your own pages and workload, and confirm any service commitments directly with the provider.
For cost control, estimate expected hits rather than only successful captures, understand how retries and cache behavior are counted, and confirm the current terms. The available sources do not specify all billing semantics for failures or cache hits. Use prefetch for larger batches only after checking its current documented behavior and how queued work is accounted for.
Troubleshooting plan and capability questions
| Symptom | Likely explanation | What to check |
|---|---|---|
| Full page or wait behavior is unavailable | The docs mark these as Better-only | Confirm the active plan and current feature entitlements |
| Requested viewport is rejected or clipped | The documented maximum width is 2,400 pixels | Reduce width and verify the exact parameter syntax |
| Mobile preview does not match a current phone | The documented preset list includes older named devices | Check available presets and use an appropriate viewport setting if supported |
| Image appears animated or includes loader presentation | Both public plans list animated initial render; loader branding differs by plan | Review no-animation and loader options in the current docs |
| Unexpected spend despite low usage | A plan minimum may determine the charge | Compare the applicable monthly minimum and confirm billing terms |
| Batch job workflow is unclear | Prefetch is a separate documented route | Review the current API docs for queue behavior and request format |
Frequently asked questions
Does thum.io offer a free tier?
Its homepage advertised up to 1,000 impressions per month without signup when the pricing information was retrieved. Confirm the current offer on the live page.
Is Better always cheaper than Good?
No conclusion follows from the per-hit rate alone. Better lists a $20 monthly minimum versus Good’s $1 minimum, so compare expected usage and required features.
What is the maximum documented viewport width?
The URL API documentation lists 2,400 pixels.
Is Enterprise pricing public?
No. The public information directs businesses to contact thum.io and does not give a price or detailed entitlement list.
Which screenshot API is cheapest?
The evidence here does not support a verified universal winner. Compare current plan minimums, rates, feature gates, and billing rules for your workload.
Sources and freshness
Plan prices and stated features are from the thum.io pricing page; API gates and options are from the thum.io URL API documentation and JavaScript API documentation. Pricing was observed on September 29, 2026, and can change. SnapRender’s comparison page was treated as a vendor claim, not neutral verification.
