# RenderForm Alternative – No Watermarks, Better Editor > Switch from RenderForm to Orshot. No watermarks, images never expire, video generation included. White-label embed, multi-page templates. Start free - **Author**: Rishi Mohan - **Published**: 2026-01-18 - **Updated**: 2026-03-25 - **Tags**: Alternative - **Read time**: 7 min read - **URL**: https://orshot.com/blog/renderform-api-alternative --- RenderForm offers a straightforward image generation API. They've built something functional - design templates, call the API, get images. The basics work. But if you've been using RenderForm, you've noticed some friction. Watermarks on free tier images that make testing awkward. Images that disappear after 14 days on lower plans. A template editor that feels dated compared to modern design tools. The pay-as-you-go pricing that seems cheap until you do the monthly math. I built Orshot because I needed something more complete. Same core concept (turn templates into API endpoints), but with an editor that feels like Figma and pricing without the gotchas. [**Try Orshot Free**](https://orshot.com/pricing "target=_blank") **(60 free renders, no watermarks, no card needed)** ![](https://orshot.com/blog/canva-alternative-tools/orshot.jpeg) ## What's Different If you're on RenderForm, here's what changes when you switch: | Feature | Orshot | RenderForm | | :----------------------- | :---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- | :------------------------- | | **Watermarks** | Never, even on free tier | Yes, on free tier | | **Image Retention** | Permanent (or bring your own S3/R2) | 14 days on free tier | | **Video Generation** | MP4/WebM/GIF with per-layer controls | No | | **Multi-page Templates** | Carousels, PDFs & videos in [one API call](https://orshot.com/blog/introducing-carousel-templates) | No | | **Embed Editor in App** | [White-label Studio Embed](https://orshot.com/blog/orshot-studio-embed) | No | | **Free Tier** | 60 renders, no watermarks, all features | Watermarked images only | | **Starter Plan** | \$30/month for 3,000 renders | €9/month for 250 credits | | **Mid Plan** | \$75/month for 10,000 renders | €89/month for 10,000 (Pro) | | **Template Editor** | [Orshot Studio](https://orshot.com/studio) - Figma-like with [Smart Stacking](https://orshot.com/blog/smart-stacking) | RenderForm Editor | | **Template Import** | [Canva](https://orshot.com/solutions/canva-template-to-api), [Figma](https://orshot.com/solutions/figma-automation-via-rest-api), [AI](https://orshot.com/features/ai-template-generator) | Editor only | | **Own Storage** | AWS S3, Cloudflare R2, Dropbox, Google Drive | RenderForm hosting only | | **Social Publishing** | [Built-in — 13+ platforms](https://orshot.com/docs/publish/introduction) | No | ## The Real Problems with RenderForm Based on what I've seen from users switching over: ### 1. Watermarks on Free Tier RenderForm's free tier adds watermarks to your images. If you're testing with real use cases or need to show stakeholders, watermarked images don't work. You're forced to pay before you can properly evaluate. Orshot's free tier gives you 50 images with all features, no watermarks. Test with real content, show real results. ### 2. Images Disappear After 14 Days On RenderForm's free and lower tiers, your generated images are deleted after 14 days. If you're using images for anything long-term - blog posts, product pages, documentation - this is a dealbreaker. Orshot images are permanent. Or bring your own S3/R2 storage if you want full control. ### 3. No Video Generation RenderForm is images only. No animated exports, no GIFs, no video. If your workflow needs motion, you need another tool. Orshot does images, PDFs, and video (MP4, WebM, GIF) with per-layer controls for trimming, muting, and looping. ### 4. No Multi-Page Templates Need Instagram carousels, LinkedIn slideshows, or multi-page PDFs? RenderForm can't do it. You'd generate each page separately and combine them yourself. Orshot has native [multi-page template support](https://orshot.com/blog/introducing-carousel-templates). Design once, generate the whole carousel with one API call. ### 5. No Embeddable Editor Want to let your users design their own images within your app? RenderForm doesn't offer this. Orshot's [Studio Embed](https://orshot.com/blog/orshot-studio-embed) lets you integrate a full white-label design editor into your product - complete with custom branding, permission controls, and webhook events. ### 6. Pay-As-You-Go Gets Expensive RenderForm's pay-as-you-go seems flexible: €9 for 250 credits, €19 for 500, up to €349 for 25,000. But do the math: - 1,500 images/month = roughly €55-60 in credits - 5,000 images/month = €180-200 Orshot's subscription model is cleaner: $30 for 1,500, $75 for 5,000. Predictable costs, better value at volume. ## What You Get Extra with Orshot Beyond solving RenderForm's limitations: **No watermarks ever** - Free tier, paid tier, doesn't matter. Your images are clean. **Permanent storage** - Images don't expire. Or use your own S3/R2 for complete control. **Modern editor** - [Orshot Studio](https://orshot.com/studio) feels like Figma or Canva. Drag-and-drop, [Smart Stacking](https://orshot.com/blog/smart-stacking) for relative positioning, keyboard shortcuts. Your designers can use it directly. **White-label embed** - [Studio Embed](https://orshot.com/blog/orshot-studio-embed) is a full Canva-like editor you can drop into your app. Custom branding, permission controls, webhook events. **Multi-page templates** - Create carousels, multi-page PDFs, and multi-page videos. [See how it works](https://orshot.com/blog/introducing-carousel-templates). **Video generation with animations** - Export to MP4, WebM, or GIF. Control each video layer with `.trimStart`, `.trimEnd`, `.muted`, and `.loop` parameters. Add [per-layer animations](https://orshot.com/blog/introducing-animations-in-studio) like fade in, slide, and scale with visibility timing and staggered choreography. Support for multiple videos per page, multiple pages per template - generate all with one API call. [Learn more](https://orshot.com/docs/dynamic-parameters/video) **More integrations** - [MCP Server](https://orshot.com/docs/integrations/mcp-server) for AI apps, [CLI](https://orshot.com/docs/integrations/orshot-cli) for terminal workflows, plus Make, Zapier, n8n. [Full list here](https://orshot.com/integrations). **Import from design tools** - Clone from Canva, import from Figma, or use AI to generate templates. Way faster than starting from scratch. **Social Publishing** - Render and [publish to 13+ social platforms](https://orshot.com/docs/publish/introduction) in one API call. No need for a third-party scheduler — post instantly, schedule, or save as draft. **Actual support** - I respond to chat messages. Usually within an hour. Sometimes I'll hop on a call if something's complicated. ![](https://orshot.com/blog/mihai-testimonial.png) ## Utility Templates (The Handy Extras) We've got pre-built API templates that solve common problems: - [Twitter Screenshot API](https://orshot.com/templates/tweet-image) - Clean tweet screenshots with customization - [Website Screenshot API](https://orshot.com/templates/website-screenshot) - Full page captures, any viewport - [Dynamic Image Resizer API](https://orshot.com/templates/dynamic-image-resizer) - Resize on the fly These work great on their own or combined with your custom templates. ## Switching from RenderForm Here's how most people do it: ### Step 1: Recreate Your Templates (15-30 min) **Use the visual editor** - Open [Orshot Studio](https://orshot.com/studio) and recreate your designs. The editor is more capable, so you might actually improve your templates in the process. **Use AI** - Screenshot your RenderForm output, drop it into the [AI Template Generator](https://orshot.com/features/ai-template-generator). It'll recreate the layout, you fine-tune. **Import from design tools** - If you have source files in Canva or Figma: - [Clone from Canva](https://orshot.com/solutions/canva-template-to-api) - [Import from Figma](https://orshot.com/solutions/figma-automation-via-rest-api) You can create multi-page templates, [share through public links or embeds](https://orshot.com/blog/sharing-orshot-templates) like the one below with different view modes. You can also [invite your team to collaborate](https://orshot.com/features/team-collaboration) on design + template integration. ### Step 2: Update Your API Calls (10 min) Here's what changes: **RenderForm API Call:**```javascript const response = await fetch("https://get.renderform.io/api/v2/render", { method: "POST", headers: { "X-API-KEY": "YOUR_RENDERFORM_API_KEY", "Content-Type": "application/json", }, body: JSON.stringify({ template: "renderform_template_id", data: { title: { text: "Hello World" }, image: { src: "https://example.com/photo.jpg" }, }, }), }); ```**Orshot API Call:**```javascript const response = await fetch("https://api.orshot.com/v1/studio/render", { method: "POST", headers: { Authorization: "Bearer YOUR_ORSHOT_API_KEY", "Content-Type": "application/json", }, body: JSON.stringify({ templateId: "orshot_template_id", modifications: { title: "Hello World", image: "https://example.com/photo.jpg", // Dynamic parameters - override any style property // Docs: https://orshot.com/docs/dynamic-parameters "title.fontFamily": "Space Mono", "image.borderRadius": "32px", }, response: { type: "url", // url, base64, binary format: "png", // png, jpg, webp, avif, pdf, mp4, webm, gif }, }), }); ```**Main differences:** - Bearer token authentication (industry standard) - Flat modifications object (simpler) - Explicit response format specification **Helpful docs:** - [API Reference](https://orshot.com/docs/api-reference) - Complete API documentation - [Render from Template](https://orshot.com/docs/api-reference/render-from-studio-template) - Main endpoint you'll use - [SDKs](https://orshot.com/docs/sdks) - Node, Python, Ruby, PHP libraries - [Setting Parameters](https://orshot.com/docs/orshot-studio/setting-parameters) - How to make templates dynamic ### Step 3: Test It (5 min) 1. Make a few test calls 2. Compare the output 3. Tweak styling if needed in Studio 4. Deploy You can run both RenderForm and Orshot in parallel. Most people switch fully within a day or two. ### Need Help? Just hit the chat button on bottom right. I or someone from the team will help you migrate templates, check your API calls, whatever you need. ## Common Questions ## Pricing (The Real Comparison) Here's what you're actually paying (Orshot counts 1 image = 2 renders internally, so 3k renders = 1.5k images): | Monthly Volume | RenderForm (Subscription) | Orshot | Yearly Savings | | -------------- | ------------------------- | ------------------------------- | -------------- | | Testing | Free (watermarked) | Free (50 images, no watermarks) | - | | 1,500 images | ~€55/month pay-as-you-go | \$30/month | \$300+ | | 5,000 images | €89/month (~\$97) Pro | \$75/month | \$264 | | 25,000 images | Custom | \$160/month | Significant | | 50,000 images | Custom | \$280/month | Significant | | 100,000 images | Custom | \$349/month | Significant | Note: RenderForm's pay-as-you-go is more expensive per image than subscription. Also worth noting: - 60 free renders to test, no watermarks, no card required - Images never expire - All features available on all plans (including free) - Video generation included - White-label embed included on all paid plans [Full pricing details here](https://orshot.com/pricing) ## The Editor ![](https://orshot.com/blog/orshot-studio.png) [Orshot Studio](https://orshot.com/studio) is more capable than RenderForm's editor. **Key features:** - **[Smart Stacking](https://orshot.com/blog/smart-stacking)** - Position elements relative to each other. They auto-adjust when content changes - **Brand Assets** - Save your logos, colors, and fonts. Use across all templates for consistency - **Custom Fonts** - Upload any font. No limits on typography - **Personalization** - Make any element dynamic - text, images, colors, styling - **[Studio Embed](https://orshot.com/blog/orshot-studio-embed)** - Integrate the editor into your own app with custom branding - **Multi-page Support** - Create carousels and PDF templates with different pages ## How It Works Every template becomes an API endpoint. You can: - Generate templates with AI or import from Canva/Figma - Automate with REST API, SDKs, Zapier, Make, n8n, or [Dynamic URLs](https://orshot.com/docs/integrations/dynamic-urls) - Bulk generate with parallel processing - Generate multi-page PDFs and carousels - Export video (MP4, WebM, GIF) If there's an integration missing, just ask. We'll probably add it. ## Examples and Tutorials ### Carousel Templates How to create multi-page templates and automate them: ### Import from Canva Clone your existing Canva designs and [turn them into API endpoints](https://orshot.com/solutions/canva-template-to-api): ### Import from Figma [Use the Figma plugin](https://orshot.com/solutions/figma-automation-via-rest-api) to import your designs directly: ### eCommerce Automation Example workflow - [automating product images](https://orshot.com/blog/automate-ecommerce-product-images) from your data sources: ### Dynamic URLs Generate images just by changing URL parameters - no API calls needed: ## Bottom Line RenderForm works for basic image generation, but the watermarks, expiring images, and lack of video/embed features hold it back. Orshot does the same core thing (turn templates into API endpoints) but with a modern Figma-like editor, white-label embed capabilities, video generation, and pricing without gotchas. The switch takes a couple hours. You can test everything free with 50 images, no watermarks. ## Try It 1. [Sign up](https://orshot.com/pricing) - no card needed 2. Recreate one of your templates (or use AI to do it) 3. Test with your actual data 4. See if it works for you If you get stuck, hit the chat button. I'll help you out.