LightBurn REST API vs Vextrify API

They automate different things. LightBurn's REST API, new in 2.2, lets other programs on your network talk to the running LightBurn app, for example to follow job progress. Vextrify's API takes the customer photo itself: it prepares it for the chosen material and size online and returns a laser-ready file, so a shop order can turn into a prepared file before anyone opens a laser program.

• LightBurn: talk to the running app on the laser computer
• Vextrify: send a photo, get a prepared PNG back
• Both can sit in one workflow

LightBurn announced a local and network-available REST API in the 2.2 early access releases, described as an interface for communication between applications, with job progress reporting. It lives in the LightBurn app on the computer that runs the laser, so that computer and LightBurn have to be running. Detailed public documentation was not available when we checked on 6 October 2026.

• Early access in 2.2 (September 2026)
• Part of the running LightBurn app
• Job status and app communication

Vextrify's API is an online HTTP endpoint. A shop, order system or script sends a photo with an access key to POST /v1/prepare, optionally with material, laser type, image type, goal, width (5 to 1200 mm) and DPI (50 to 2000). The answer contains a job ID, the prepared PNG and the settings that were applied, and registered webhooks receive job.completed or job.failed with a signature. We measured 4.1 seconds per photo at 100 mm.

• POST /v1/prepare with an access key
• Same engine and recipes as Photo Studio
• Signed webhooks: job.completed, job.failed

With an online preparation API, an order from a web shop can arrive in the workshop already prepared: the shop or an automation tool sends the photo, the PNG comes back, and in the morning the files are ready to engrave. The laser computer can be off overnight. The API is part of the Studio Pro and Business plans.

• Orders arrive already prepared
• The workshop computer can be off
• Studio Pro and Business plans