Scrnpix
Animation API

Scrolling GIF API for animated page capture

Use Scrnpix when a static screenshot is not enough. Call the animate endpoint to generate a GIF that scrolls through a public page with predictable viewport, duration, easing, and frame controls.

Get API KeyTry in Playground

Good fit

  • Generating product-page walkthrough GIFs from public URLs.
  • Adding animated page capture to docs, launch posts, dashboards, or content workflows.
  • Running repeatable animation jobs without managing Chromium, frame capture, or GIF encoding.

Not a fit

  • Recording arbitrary user sessions or authenticated flows behind login.
  • Creating MP4/WebM video files; the animate endpoint returns GIF output.
  • Replacing a manual design-review process where people still need to approve every frame.

Exact GIF API request

This request calls the hosted animate endpoint directly and returns GIF bytes. The free tool uses capped anonymous requests; production usage sends your API key in the X-KEY header.

curl "https://api.scrnpix.com/animate?url=https%3A%2F%2Fexample.com&width=800&height=600&scroll_duration=5000&scroll_easing=ease-in-out-cubic&frame_delay=100&max_frames=30" \
  -H "X-KEY: your-api-key" \
  -o scrolling-page.gif

API workflow, not just a free tool

Both entry points create scrolling GIFs, but they are built for different jobs.

Use the API for production capture

The scrolling GIF API is for repeatable jobs in your app, CI pipeline, documentation workflow, or content system. It uses your API key, exposes the full animate endpoint, and returns image/gif bytes that your code can store or process.

Use the free tool for one-off previews

The free scrolling GIF tool is an anonymous browser workflow with tighter caps. It is useful for testing a URL and tuning speed or easing before you automate the same request through the API.

Open Free Tool

Supported parameters

url

https://example.com

The public page to animate.

width

800

Viewport width used while capturing GIF frames.

height

600

Viewport height used while the page scrolls.

scroll_duration

5000

Total scroll time in milliseconds. Use this when you want a predictable animation length.

scroll_easing

ease-in-out-cubic

Controls the scroll motion curve. Use linear for utility captures or eased curves for polished demos.

frame_delay

100

Delay between GIF frames in milliseconds.

max_frames

30

Caps how many frames the API captures before encoding the GIF.

scroll_back

true

Optionally return to the top to create a looping showcase animation.

Sample output

  • Returns GIF bytes directly as `image/gif`.
  • Uses the `/animate` endpoint with the same `X-KEY` authentication header as screenshot requests.
  • Animations cost 1 credit per second of GIF duration, with the exact cost returned in the `X-Credit-Cost` header.

Known boundaries

  • Scrnpix captures public URLs only. Pages that require cookies or login need a different capture flow.
  • GIF output is limited to 256 colors per frame, so photo-heavy pages can produce larger or less detailed files than static screenshots.
  • Longer duration, more frames, and larger viewports increase file size and credit cost.

Related docs and tools

Use these resources to validate the endpoint behavior, capture mode, and production workflow before automating it.

Basic scroll GIF recipe

See the smallest animate request and common fixes when a page does not scroll.

Read Recipe

Scrolling GIF tool

Try the anonymous tool first, then move the tuned parameters into the API request.

Use Free Tool

Animation playground

Run authenticated animation requests with the same parameters shown in the example.

Open Playground

Pricing examples

Scrnpix charges in credits. Screenshots cost 1 credit. Animations cost 1 credit per second of GIF duration (minimum 1).

Free

Use the monthly credits to test short GIF captures before wiring them into a workflow.

Basic

Useful for recurring marketing, documentation, or internal demo captures with modest volume.

Growth

Better for teams generating animated previews across many public pages or deploy previews.

No automatic overage billing is exposed in the current product. When you outgrow a monthly credit bucket, move up to the next plan instead of relying on surprise overage charges.

Frequently asked questions

Which endpoint generates scrolling GIFs?

Use `/animate`. It returns GIF bytes and accepts animation-specific parameters such as `scroll_duration`, `scroll_easing`, `frame_delay`, `max_frames`, and `scroll_back`.

How is this different from the free scrolling GIF tool?

The free tool is an anonymous, capped browser workflow for one-off captures. The API is authenticated, scriptable, and intended for production jobs where your application stores or processes the returned GIF.

Can I create a fixed-length animation?

Yes. Set `scroll_duration` in milliseconds and pair it with `frame_delay` and `max_frames` to control the pacing and upper bound of the GIF.

Get an API key and test the flow end to end

Start with the free tier, verify the capture shape you need, then move up when the workflow becomes recurring.

Get API KeyReview Pricing