{ "data": { "a": { "slug": "agent-browser", "name": "agent-browser", "vendor": "Vercel Labs", "vendorUrl": "https://agent-browser.dev", "kind": "mcp", "category": "browser", "summary": "agent-browser is an open-source command-line tool from Vercel Labs that lets AI agents drive Chrome through accessibility-tree snapshots and element refs. It runs locally as a Rust binary and includes a stdio MCP server.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/agent-browser.json", "repo": "https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser", "license": "Apache-2.0", "transports": [ "stdio" ], "packages": [ { "registry": "npm", "name": "agent-browser" } ], "auth": "none", "authNotes": "No account or key. The CLI and its daemon run on the owner's machine. Site logins are held in a local auth vault encrypted with AES-256-GCM, in saved state files (plaintext unless `AGENT_BROWSER_ENCRYPTION_KEY` is set) or in a reused Chrome profile. Cloud browser providers and the optional `chat` command need their own keys in environment variables.", "pricing": "free", "pricingNotes": "Free and open source under Apache-2.0, with nothing to buy and no hosted service. The optional `chat` command and dashboard chat bill the user's own Vercel AI Gateway key, and cloud browser providers bill separately (checked 2026-10-08).", "priceSummary": "Free · OSS", "where": "local", "x402": { "level": "no", "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the README, the docs or the source (checked 2026-10-08).", "endpoints": [] }, "toolCount": 158, "popularity": { "githubStars": 43679, "npmWeekly": 2069828, "pypiWeekly": null, "asOf": "2026-10-08" }, "docsUrl": "https://agent-browser.dev", "llmsTxt": "https://agent-browser.dev/llms.txt", "capabilities": [ "browser.control", "browser.debug" ], "tags": [ "official", "local", "open-source", "browser", "cli", "mcp", "rust", "no-auth", "llms-txt" ], "lastRelease": "2026-10-01", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 66.6, "grade": "B", "agentReady": false, "rank": 263, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 842, "categoryRank": 10, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 78, "maintenance": 70, "payments": 60, "reliability": 48, "schema": 84, "security": 67, "transparency": 61 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-08" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "Snapshots with element refs, a 29-tool default MCP profile and opt-in domain allowlists, action policies and content boundary markers suit agent use. The project is at 0.38.2 with no stable release, the ten most recent CI runs on main failed between 1 and 8 October 2026, and every security control is off by default.", "bestFor": "Coding agents with a shell that want short commands and compact snapshots.", "strengths": [ "Accessibility-tree snapshots give each element a ref such as `@e2`, with `-i`, `-c`, `-d` and `--delta` to cut the output", "The stdio MCP server loads 29 tools by default and 158 with `--tools all`, each with a typed schema and `readOnlyHint`", "Domain allowlist, action policy, action confirmation and content boundary markers are documented with a threat model and known limitations", "19 tagged releases between 13 July and 1 October 2026, each with a changelog entry", "llms.txt and a Markdown copy of every docs page at agent-browser.dev, plus bundled skills served by `agent-browser skills get`" ], "weaknesses": [ "The ten most recent CI runs on main, 1 to 8 October 2026, all concluded in failure. In the newest, Windows Rust tests and native end-to-end tests failed", "Version 0.38.2 with a Vercel Labs badge and no stable release or deprecation policy", "All security controls are opt-in. By default there is no limit on navigation, actions or output", "crates.io holds 0.19.0 from 14 March 2026, although the README lists `cargo install agent-browser` as an install route", "No SECURITY.md in the repository, and 840 open issues and pull requests, with most of the newest issues unlabelled and unanswered" ], "agentNotes": [ "Run `agent-browser install` once after `npm install -g agent-browser`. It downloads Chrome for Testing", "Take a fresh `snapshot -i` after any navigation. Refs survive same-document changes only", "Pass `--json` for machine-readable results and `--max-output` to cap page text", "Set `--allowed-domains`, `--action-policy` and `--content-boundaries` for untrusted sites. None is on by default, and the allowlist rejects `--profile`, `--cdp` and `--restore`", "Start MCP with `agent-browser mcp`, and add profiles such as `--tools core,network` only when needed" ], "metrics": { "kind": "local", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "B", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 66.6 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 78, "maintenance": 70, "payments": 60, "reliability": 48, "schema": 84, "security": 67, "transparency": 68 }, "provenanceScore": 53 }, "connect": { "install": "npm install -g agent-browser \u0026\u0026 agent-browser install", "config": { "mcpServers": { "agent-browser": { "args": [ "mcp" ], "command": "agent-browser" } } } }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/browser.control", "tool": "https://letme.dev/agent-browser" }, "area": "developer", "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Vercel Inc.", "domain": "agent-browser.dev", "domainRegistered": "2026-01-13", "domainNote": "The LICENSE file reads Copyright 2025 Vercel Inc., and the repository sits in the vercel-labs organisation on GitHub. agent-browser.dev has no security.txt (HTTP 404). vercel.com's is valid until 28 September 2027 and names HackerOne.", "endpointOnVendorDomain": null, "terms": "", "privacy": "", "statusPage": "", "changelog": "https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md", "securityTxt": "none", "checked": "2026-10-08", "notes": [ "No terms or privacy document governs this software beyond the Apache-2.0 licence, so `terms` and `privacy` are left out." ], "score": 53 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser.json" }, "answer": "Steel scores 70.4 (BB) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on security \u0026 auth.", "b": { "slug": "steel", "name": "Steel", "vendor": "Nen Labs, Inc.", "vendorUrl": "https://steel.dev", "kind": "http-api", "category": "browser", "summary": "Steel runs cloud browser sessions for AI agents, controlled through a REST API, a CDP WebSocket, SDKs, a CLI and an official MCP server. Its browser runtime, steel-browser, is open source and can be self-hosted.", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/steel", "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/steel.md", "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/steel.min.md", "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/steel.json", "repo": "https://github.com/steel-dev/steel-browser", "license": "Proprietary cloud service under Steel's terms. steel-browser and the Node and Python SDKs are Apache-2.0. The MCP server and the CLI are MIT", "transports": [ "http", "stdio" ], "remoteUrl": "https://api.steel.dev", "packages": [ { "registry": "npm", "name": "steel-sdk" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "steel-sdk" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@steel-dev/cli" } ], "auth": "api-key", "authNotes": "Self-serve API key from the dashboard at app.steel.dev, sent in the `steel-api-key` header. Keys are named, shown once and revoked by deletion, and the dashboard shows when each was last used. A global key covers the whole organisation, and `POST /v1/api-keys` lets a global key create keys bound to one project. No per-permission scopes were found. CDP connections pass the key as the `apiKey` query parameter on `wss://connect.steel.dev`. The x402 endpoints need no key. A self-hosted steel-browser needs no key.", "pricing": "freemium", "pricingNotes": "Launch is $0 plus usage with $30 of one-time credit valid for 90 days, and the quickstart says no card is required. Browser time is $0.10 an hour on Launch and $0.08 on Scale ($250 a month with $100 of monthly credit), billed by the minute and rounded up. Proxy traffic is $10 or $6 a GB, CAPTCHA solves $3 or $1 per 1,000, and scrape, screenshot and PDF calls $5 per 1,000. CAPTCHA solving and managed proxies on Launch need $10 of paid balance. The same three calls cost $0.01 each by x402. Enterprise is priced through sales. Self-hosted steel-browser is free (https://docs.steel.dev/overview/pricinglimits, checked 2026-10-08).", "priceSummary": "$0.01 / call", "where": "both", "x402": { "level": "yes", "evidence": "x402 version 2 on https://x402.steel.dev for scrape, screenshot and PDF at $0.01 a call in USDC on Base or Solana, with no account or API key (https://docs.steel.dev/integrations/x402). An unpaid POST to /v1/scrape on 2026-10-08 returned 402 with a payment-required header for 10000 base units on eip155:8453 and Solana mainnet. The header names https://api.paysponge.com/v1/scrape as the resource, so a third party appears to run the payment layer. Browser sessions and api.steel.dev aren't covered.", "endpoints": [ { "url": "https://x402.steel.dev/v1/scrape", "priceUsd": 0.01, "network": "eip155:8453" }, { "url": "https://x402.steel.dev/v1/screenshot", "priceUsd": 0.01, "network": "eip155:8453" }, { "url": "https://x402.steel.dev/v1/pdf", "priceUsd": 0.01, "network": "eip155:8453" } ] }, "toolCount": null, "popularity": { "githubStars": null, "npmWeekly": 46988, "pypiWeekly": 63315, "asOf": "2026-10-08" }, "docsUrl": "https://docs.steel.dev", "llmsTxt": "https://docs.steel.dev/llms.txt", "openapi": "https://docs.steel.dev/openapi.json", "capabilities": [ "browser.control", "browser.hosted", "browser.debug", "web.scrape", "web.fetch", "scraping.proxies", "scraping.anti-bot", "pdf.generate" ], "tags": [ "official", "hosted", "self-hosted", "open-source", "freemium", "no-card", "x402", "openapi", "llms-txt", "mcp", "python", "typescript", "proxies", "status-page" ], "lastRelease": "2026-10-02", "graded": true, "anchor": { "graded": true, "score": 70.4, "grade": "BB", "agentReady": true, "rank": 149, "ranked": true, "rankOf": 842, "categoryRank": 5, "methodology": "0.4", "run": "2026-10-01", "scores": { "ergonomics": 79, "maintenance": 82, "payments": 75, "reliability": 58, "schema": 86, "security": 56, "transparency": 64 }, "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "assessment": { "confidence": "medium", "date": "2026-10-08" }, "negative": 0, "verdict": "The hosted API has a public OpenAPI document, per-unit prices, $30 of starting credit and x402 payment for scrape, screenshot and PDF calls. The status page records three API or session-creation incidents of more than an hour in 90 days, and the documented CDP connection puts the API key in the URL.", "bestFor": "Agents that need a real cloud browser with persistent profiles, stored logins, CAPTCHA solving and a human takeover path, and teams that want an open-source runtime they can also self-host.", "strengths": [ "OpenAPI 3.0.3 document with 75 operations, llms.txt and a Markdown twin of every docs page", "x402 at x402.steel.dev for scrape, screenshot and PDF at $0.01 a call in USDC on Base or Solana, with no account", "Per-unit prices published without login, and $30 of one-time credit on the Launch plan", "Official MCP server with 16 annotated tools, a three-tool scrape profile and page content fenced as untrusted", "steel-browser, the browser runtime, is Apache-2.0 and self-hostable with Docker" ], "weaknesses": [ "Three incidents of more than an hour hit the API or session creation in the 90 days to 8 October 2026, the longest 5 hours 41 minutes", "The documented CDP connection passes the API key as `apiKey` in the `wss://connect.steel.dev` URL", "x402 covers the three one-shot endpoints only, so a browser session needs an account and a key", "The MCP server is not on npm or in the MCP registry, and `mcp.steel.dev` is not live per its README", "No deprecation policy or security.txt found, and the trust centre did not render for our reader" ], "agentNotes": [ "Use `POST /v1/scrape` for pages you only need to read. It starts no session and costs $5 per 1,000 calls, or $0.01 a call by x402", "Release every session with `POST /v1/sessions/{id}/release` and set `inactivityTimeout`. Browser time bills by the minute, rounded up", "Build the CDP URL as `wss://connect.steel.dev?apiKey=\u003ckey\u003e\u0026sessionId=\u003cid\u003e` and keep it out of logs, because it carries the key", "Launch sessions end after 15 minutes at most, and `timeout` cannot be changed on a live session", "CAPTCHA solving and Steel's managed proxies on Launch need $10 of paid balance. Free credit does not count" ], "metrics": { "kind": "remote", "measured": false }, "reviewCount": 0, "avgRating": 0, "history": [ { "basis": "public evidence", "confidence": "medium", "grade": "BB", "methodology": "0.4", "pending": [ "performance", "tasks" ], "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run", "score": 70.4 } ], "editorialScores": { "ergonomics": 79, "maintenance": 82, "payments": 75, "reliability": 58, "schema": 86, "security": 56, "transparency": 52 }, "provenanceScore": 75 }, "connect": { "install": "npm install steel-sdk", "http": "curl -X POST https://api.steel.dev/v1/scrape -H \"steel-api-key: YOUR_KEY\" -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" -d '{\"url\": \"https://example.com\"}'", "claudeCode": "claude mcp add steel -e STEEL_API_KEY=your-steel-api-key -- npx -y github:steel-dev/steel-mcp-server", "config": { "mcpServers": { "steel": { "args": [ "-y", "github:steel-dev/steel-mcp-server" ], "command": "npx", "env": { "STEEL_API_KEY": "\u003cyour-steel-api-key\u003e" } } } }, "x402": "curl -i -X POST https://x402.steel.dev/v1/scrape -H \"Content-Type: application/json\" -d '{\"url\": \"https://example.com\", \"format\": [\"markdown\"]}'" }, "letme": { "capability": "https://letme.dev/browser.control", "tool": "https://letme.dev/steel" }, "area": "developer", "unitPrices": [ { "item": "Browser, Launch plan", "unit": "browser-hour", "usd": 0.1, "note": "Billed by the minute, rounded up" }, { "item": "Browser, Scale plan", "unit": "browser-hour", "usd": 0.08 }, { "item": "Proxy traffic, Launch", "unit": "gb", "usd": 10 }, { "item": "Proxy traffic, Scale", "unit": "gb", "usd": 6 }, { "item": "Scrape, screenshot or PDF", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 5 }, { "item": "Scrape, screenshot or PDF by x402", "unit": "call", "usd": 0.01, "note": "USDC on Base or Solana, no account" }, { "item": "CAPTCHA solves, Launch", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 3 }, { "item": "CAPTCHA solves, Scale", "unit": "1k-requests", "usd": 1 }, { "item": "Scale plan", "unit": "month", "usd": 250, "note": "$100 of usage credit each month" }, { "item": "Dedicated IP, Scale", "unit": "month", "usd": 5, "note": "Per IP" } ], "provenance": { "legalEntity": "Nen Labs, Inc.", "domain": "steel.dev", "domainRegistered": "2024-07-22", "endpointOnVendorDomain": true, "terms": "https://steel.dev/terms", "privacy": "https://steel.dev/privacy", "statusPage": "https://status.steel.dev", "changelog": "https://docs.steel.dev/changelog", "securityTxt": "none", "checked": "2026-10-08", "notes": [ "The terms (last updated 5 February 2025) and the privacy notice (last updated 5 February 2026) name Nen Labs, Inc., 9450 SW Gemini Dr, PMB 34667, Beaverton, OR 97008, United States, and the terms choose Delaware law.", "The docs Legal page links to Google Docs copies of the terms and privacy policy and not to steel.dev/terms and steel.dev/privacy. We read the steel.dev pages.", "The API answers at api.steel.dev, CDP at connect.steel.dev and x402 at x402.steel.dev. The x402 payment header names api.paysponge.com as the resource.", "steel.dev/.well-known/security.txt and docs.steel.dev/.well-known/security.txt both return 404. The site footer's Security link goes to a Vanta trust centre at trust.steel.dev.", "RDAP for steel.dev gives a registration date of 2024-07-22.", "Changelog entries are numbered and carry dates in page metadata. Number 038 is dated 2 October 2026." ], "score": 75 }, "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/steel.json", "live": { "slug": "steel", "probe": { "target": "https://api.steel.dev", "method": "get", "lastAt": "2026-10-09T11:46:41.864757339Z", "lastOk": true, "lastStatus": 200, "lastMs": 164, "authRequired": false, "uptime24h": 100, "uptime30d": 100, "p50ms24h": 424, "p95ms24h": 575, "samples24h": 218, "samples30d": 218, "days": [ { "date": "2026-10-08", "probes": 93, "ok": 93 }, { "date": "2026-10-09", "probes": 125, "ok": 125 } ] }, "vendorStatus": { "page": "https://status.steel.dev", "indicator": "unknown", "summary": "no machine-readable status found", "checkedAt": "2026-10-09T07:58:33.559056203Z" }, "versions": [ { "registry": "github", "name": "steel-dev/steel-browser", "version": "v0.5.4-beta", "released": "2026-08-25", "seenAt": "2026-10-08T16:30:24.00662318Z" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "@steel-dev/cli", "version": "0.3.1", "seenAt": "2026-10-08T16:30:22.800432877Z" }, { "registry": "npm", "name": "steel-sdk", "version": "0.18.0", "seenAt": "2026-10-08T16:30:21.796405435Z" }, { "registry": "pypi", "name": "steel-sdk", "version": "0.19.0", "released": "2026-06-23", "seenAt": "2026-10-08T16:30:22.613655125Z" } ], "githubStars": 7756, "npmWeekly": 46988, "pypiWeekly": 63315, "securityTxt": { "url": "https://steel.dev/.well-known/security.txt", "state": "none", "checkedAt": "2026-10-08T15:38:32.828125596Z" }, "pages": [ { "url": "https://docs.steel.dev/changelog", "kind": "changelog", "status": 404, "checkedAt": "2026-10-08T18:19:29.693209384Z", "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z" }, { "url": "https://docs.steel.dev/overview/pricinglimits", "kind": "pricing", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-10-08T18:19:31.90717024Z", "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "fingerprint": "b8c6356ee458" }, { "url": "https://steel.dev/privacy", "kind": "privacy", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-10-08T18:24:47.574475358Z", "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "fingerprint": "574556e30b0e" }, { "url": "https://steel.dev/terms", "kind": "terms", "status": 200, "checkedAt": "2026-10-08T18:24:50.029723662Z", "changedAt": "0001-01-01T00:00:00Z", "fingerprint": "d797ea62e1fb" } ], "updatedAt": "2026-10-09T11:46:41.864757339Z" } }, "facts": [ { "a": "MCP server", "b": "HTTP API", "name": "Kind" }, { "a": "Vercel Labs", "b": "Nen Labs, Inc.", "name": "Vendor" }, { "a": "no (local only)", "b": "https://api.steel.dev", "name": "Hosted endpoint" }, { "a": "stdio", "b": "HTTP, stdio", "name": "Transports" }, { "a": "None", "b": "API key", "name": "Auth" }, { "a": "Free", "b": "Freemium", "name": "Pricing" }, { "a": "no", "b": "yes, from $0.01/call", "name": "x402" }, { "a": "Apache-2.0", "b": "Proprietary cloud service under Steel's terms. steel-browser and the Node and Python SDKs are Apache-2.0. The MCP server and the CLI are MIT", "name": "Licence" }, { "a": "158", "b": "none", "name": "Tools exposed" }, { "a": "no", "b": "no", "name": "Read-only variant documented" }, { "a": "yes", "b": "yes", "name": "llms.txt" }, { "a": "2026-10-01", "b": "2026-10-02", "name": "Last release" }, { "a": "no document linked", "b": "2025-02-05", "name": "Terms last updated" }, { "a": "no document linked", "b": "2026-02-05", "name": "Privacy policy last updated" }, { "a": "", "b": "not found in the text", "name": "Customer content may train models" }, { "a": "", "b": "yes", "name": "Terms restrict automated access" }, { "a": "", "b": "yes", "name": "Terms restrict benchmarking" }, { "a": "", "b": "yes", "name": "Terms or service can change without notice" }, { "a": "", "b": "yes", "name": "Arbitration or class-action waiver" }, { "a": "44k stars, 2.1M npm/wk", "b": "47k npm/wk, 63k PyPI/wk", "name": "Popularity" } ], "faq": [ { "answer": "Steel scores 70.4 (BB) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on security \u0026 auth.", "question": "Which is better for AI agents, agent-browser or Steel?" }, { "answer": "agent-browser needs no key. Steel needs an API key. An agent can also pay Steel per call over x402, with no account.", "question": "Do agent-browser and Steel need an API key?" }, { "answer": "agent-browser runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed. Steel has a hosted endpoint at https://api.steel.dev.", "question": "Can an agent call agent-browser and Steel without installing anything?" }, { "answer": "Yes. agent-browser is open source (Apache-2.0). Steel is open source (Proprietary cloud service under Steel's terms. steel-browser and the Node and Python SDKs are Apache-2.0. The MCP server and the CLI are MIT).", "question": "Are agent-browser and Steel open source?" } ], "goodFor": [ { "aheadOn": [ "Security \u0026 auth, 67 against 56" ], "also": [ "No key needed to call it" ], "goodFor": "Coding agents with a shell that want short commands and compact snapshots.", "slug": "agent-browser", "watchFor": "The ten most recent CI runs on main, 1 to 8 October 2026, all concluded in failure. In the newest, Windows Rust tests and native end-to-end tests failed" }, { "aheadOn": [ "Reliability, 58 against 48", "Payments \u0026 pricing, 75 against 60", "Maintenance \u0026 community, 82 against 70" ], "also": [ "Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better", "An agent can pay per call over x402, with no account", "A hosted endpoint, with nothing to install", "Free to start without a card" ], "goodFor": "Agents that need a real cloud browser with persistent profiles, stored logins, CAPTCHA solving and a human takeover path, and teams that want an open-source runtime they can also self-host.", "slug": "steel", "watchFor": "Three incidents of more than an hour hit the API or session creation in the 90 days to 8 October 2026, the longest 5 hours 41 minutes" } ], "job": { "capability": "browser.control", "name": "Browser automation" }, "others": [ { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-airtop.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Airtop", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-airtop" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-anchor-browser.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Anchor Browser", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-anchor-browser" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browser-use.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Browser Use", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browser-use" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserbase.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Browserbase", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserbase" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserless.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Browserless", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserless" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-chrome-devtools-mcp.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Chrome DevTools MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-chrome-devtools-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-hyperbrowser.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Hyperbrowser", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-hyperbrowser" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-notte.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Notte", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-notte" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-playwright-mcp.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Playwright MCP", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-playwright-mcp" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-puppeteer-reference-server-archived.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Puppeteer (archived MCP reference server)", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-puppeteer-reference-server-archived" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-skyvern.json", "title": "agent-browser vs Skyvern", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-skyvern" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-tinyfish.json", "title": "agent-browser vs TinyFish", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-tinyfish" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/airtop-vs-steel.json", "title": "Airtop vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/airtop-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anchor-browser-vs-steel.json", "title": "Anchor Browser vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anchor-browser-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browser-use-vs-steel.json", "title": "Browser Use vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browser-use-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserless-vs-steel.json", "title": "Browserless vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserless-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/chrome-devtools-mcp-vs-steel.json", "title": "Chrome DevTools MCP vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/chrome-devtools-mcp-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hyperbrowser-vs-steel.json", "title": "Hyperbrowser vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hyperbrowser-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/notte-vs-steel.json", "title": "Notte vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/notte-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-steel.json", "title": "Playwright MCP vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/puppeteer-reference-server-archived-vs-steel.json", "title": "Puppeteer (archived MCP reference server) vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/puppeteer-reference-server-archived-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/skyvern-vs-steel.json", "title": "Skyvern vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/skyvern-vs-steel" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/steel-vs-tinyfish.json", "title": "Steel vs TinyFish", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/steel-vs-tinyfish" }, { "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserbase-vs-steel.json", "title": "Browserbase vs Steel", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserbase-vs-steel" } ], "scores": [ { "agent-browser": 48, "by": 10, "edge": "steel", "key": "reliability", "name": "Reliability", "steel": 58, "weight": 16 }, { "key": "performance", "name": "Performance", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "agent-browser": 84, "by": 2, "edge": "steel", "key": "schema", "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation", "steel": 86, "weight": 13 }, { "agent-browser": 78, "by": 1, "edge": "steel", "key": "ergonomics", "name": "Agent ergonomics", "steel": 79, "weight": 13 }, { "agent-browser": 67, "by": 11, "edge": "agent-browser", "key": "security", "name": "Security \u0026 auth", "steel": 56, "weight": 14 }, { "agent-browser": 60, "by": 15, "edge": "steel", "key": "payments", "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing", "steel": 75, "weight": 10 }, { "key": "tasks", "name": "Task success", "pending": true, "weight": 10 }, { "agent-browser": 70, "by": 12, "edge": "steel", "key": "maintenance", "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community", "steel": 82, "weight": 7 }, { "agent-browser": 61, "by": 3, "edge": "steel", "key": "transparency", "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust", "steel": 64, "weight": 7 } ], "summary": "Steel scores 70.4 (BB) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on security \u0026 auth. Both do browser automation. Steel accepts x402. agent-browser doesn't.", "verdicts": { "agent-browser": "Snapshots with element refs, a 29-tool default MCP profile and opt-in domain allowlists, action policies and content boundary markers suit agent use. The project is at 0.38.2 with no stable release, the ten most recent CI runs on main failed between 1 and 8 October 2026, and every security control is off by default.", "steel": "The hosted API has a public OpenAPI document, per-unit prices, $30 of starting credit and x402 payment for scrape, screenshot and PDF calls. The status page records three API or session-creation incidents of more than an hour in 90 days, and the documented CDP connection puts the API key in the URL." } }, "kind": "anchor.page", "links": { "api": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/index.json", "html": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel", "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel.json", "llms": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/llms.txt", "markdown": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel.md", "slim": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel.min.md" }, "markdown": "Steel scores 70.4 (BB) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on security \u0026 auth. Both do browser automation. Steel accepts x402. agent-browser doesn't.\n\n- agent-browser: grade B, 66.6/100, rank #263 of 842. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/agent-browser.json\n- Steel: grade BB, 70.4/100, rank #149 of 842. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/steel.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/steel.json\n\n## Which one, for what\n\n### agent-browser (B)\n\nGood for: Coding agents with a shell that want short commands and compact snapshots.\n\nAhead on:\n- Security \u0026 auth, 67 against 56\n\nAlso in its favour:\n- No key needed to call it\n\nWatch for: The ten most recent CI runs on main, 1 to 8 October 2026, all concluded in failure. In the newest, Windows Rust tests and native end-to-end tests failed\n\n### Steel (BB)\n\nGood for: Agents that need a real cloud browser with persistent profiles, stored logins, CAPTCHA solving and a human takeover path, and teams that want an open-source runtime they can also self-host.\n\nAhead on:\n- Reliability, 58 against 48\n- Payments \u0026 pricing, 75 against 60\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 82 against 70\n\nAlso in its favour:\n- Agent-ready, a grade of BB or better\n- An agent can pay per call over x402, with no account\n- A hosted endpoint, with nothing to install\n- Free to start without a card\n\nWatch for: Three incidents of more than an hour hit the API or session creation in the 90 days to 8 October 2026, the longest 5 hours 41 minutes\n\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | agent-browser | Steel | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 48 | 58 | Steel +10 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 84 | 86 | Steel +2 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 78 | 79 | Steel +1 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 67 | 56 | agent-browser +11 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 60 | 75 | Steel +15 |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 70 | 82 | Steel +12 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 61 | 64 | Steel +3 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **66.6 · B** | **70.4 · BB** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | agent-browser | Steel |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | MCP server | HTTP API |\n| Vendor | Vercel Labs | Nen Labs, Inc. |\n| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | `https://api.steel.dev` |\n| Transports | stdio | HTTP, stdio |\n| Auth | None | API key |\n| Pricing | Free | Freemium |\n| x402 | no | yes, from $0.01/call |\n| Licence | Apache-2.0 | Proprietary cloud service under Steel's terms. steel-browser and the Node and Python SDKs are Apache-2.0. The MCP server and the CLI are MIT |\n| Tools exposed | 158 | none |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | no |\n| llms.txt | yes | yes |\n| Last release | 2026-10-01 | 2026-10-02 |\n| Terms last updated | no document linked | 2025-02-05 |\n| Privacy policy last updated | no document linked | 2026-02-05 |\n| Customer content may train models | | not found in the text |\n| Terms restrict automated access | | yes |\n| Terms restrict benchmarking | | yes |\n| Terms or service can change without notice | | yes |\n| Arbitration or class-action waiver | | yes |\n| Popularity | 44k stars, 2.1M npm/wk | 47k npm/wk, 63k PyPI/wk |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**agent-browser.** Snapshots with element refs, a 29-tool default MCP profile and opt-in domain allowlists, action policies and content boundary markers suit agent use. The project is at 0.38.2 with no stable release, the ten most recent CI runs on main failed between 1 and 8 October 2026, and every security control is off by default.\n\n**Steel.** The hosted API has a public OpenAPI document, per-unit prices, $30 of starting credit and x402 payment for scrape, screenshot and PDF calls. The status page records three API or session-creation incidents of more than an hour in 90 days, and the documented CDP connection puts the API key in the URL.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### agent-browser\n\n1. Run `agent-browser install` once after `npm install -g agent-browser`. It downloads Chrome for Testing\n2. Take a fresh `snapshot -i` after any navigation. Refs survive same-document changes only\n3. Pass `--json` for machine-readable results and `--max-output` to cap page text\n4. Set `--allowed-domains`, `--action-policy` and `--content-boundaries` for untrusted sites. None is on by default, and the allowlist rejects `--profile`, `--cdp` and `--restore`\n5. Start MCP with `agent-browser mcp`, and add profiles such as `--tools core,network` only when needed\n\n### Steel\n\n1. Use `POST /v1/scrape` for pages you only need to read. It starts no session and costs $5 per 1,000 calls, or $0.01 a call by x402\n2. Release every session with `POST /v1/sessions/{id}/release` and set `inactivityTimeout`. Browser time bills by the minute, rounded up\n3. Build the CDP URL as `wss://connect.steel.dev?apiKey=\u003ckey\u003e\u0026sessionId=\u003cid\u003e` and keep it out of logs, because it carries the key\n4. Launch sessions end after 15 minutes at most, and `timeout` cannot be changed on a live session\n5. CAPTCHA solving and Steel's managed proxies on Launch need $10 of paid balance. Free credit does not count\n\n## Questions\n\n### Which is better for AI agents, agent-browser or Steel?\n\nSteel scores 70.4 (BB) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on security \u0026 auth.\n\n### Do agent-browser and Steel need an API key?\n\nagent-browser needs no key. Steel needs an API key. An agent can also pay Steel per call over x402, with no account.\n\n### Can an agent call agent-browser and Steel without installing anything?\n\nagent-browser runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed. Steel has a hosted endpoint at https://api.steel.dev.\n\n### Are agent-browser and Steel open source?\n\nYes. agent-browser is open source (Apache-2.0). Steel is open source (Proprietary cloud service under Steel's terms. steel-browser and the Node and Python SDKs are Apache-2.0. The MCP server and the CLI are MIT).\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"agent-browser\", \"b\": \"steel\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare agent-browser steel`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/agent-browser.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/steel.json\n\n## Other comparisons with agent-browser or Steel\n\n- [agent-browser vs Airtop](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-airtop.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Anchor Browser](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-anchor-browser.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Browser Use](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browser-use.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Browserbase](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserbase.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Browserless](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserless.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Chrome DevTools MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-chrome-devtools-mcp.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Hyperbrowser](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-hyperbrowser.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Notte](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-notte.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Playwright MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-playwright-mcp.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Puppeteer (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-puppeteer-reference-server-archived.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Skyvern](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-skyvern.md)\n- [agent-browser vs TinyFish](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-tinyfish.md)\n- [Airtop vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/airtop-vs-steel.md)\n- [Anchor Browser vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anchor-browser-vs-steel.md)\n- [Browser Use vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browser-use-vs-steel.md)\n- [Browserless vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserless-vs-steel.md)\n- [Chrome DevTools MCP vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/chrome-devtools-mcp-vs-steel.md)\n- [Hyperbrowser vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hyperbrowser-vs-steel.md)\n- [Notte vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/notte-vs-steel.md)\n- [Playwright MCP vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-steel.md)\n- [Puppeteer (archived MCP reference server) vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/puppeteer-reference-server-archived-vs-steel.md)\n- [Skyvern vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/skyvern-vs-steel.md)\n- [Steel vs TinyFish](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/steel-vs-tinyfish.md)\n- [Browserbase vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserbase-vs-steel.md)\n", "meta": { "attribution": "Anchor Terminal (https://www.anchorterminal.com)", "docs": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/docs/", "generatedAt": "2026-10-09", "license": "CC-BY-4.0", "method": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/benchmark/", "methodology": "0.4", "openapi": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/openapi.json", "preview": false, "run": "2026-10-01", "runLabel": "October 2026 research run" }, "page": { "breadcrumbs": [ { "name": "Home", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/" }, { "name": "Compare", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/" }, { "name": "agent-browser vs Steel", "url": "" } ], "description": "Steel scores 70.4 (BB) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 6 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on security \u0026 auth. Both do browser automation. Steel accepts x402. agent-browser doesn't. Category scores, facts, verdicts and agent notes side…", "facts": [ "agent-browser B 66.6", "Steel BB 70.4", "scores" ], "h1": "agent-browser vs Steel", "image": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/assets/og/compare-agent-browser-vs-steel.png", "path": "/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel", "published": "2026-10-01", "section": "tools", "title": "agent-browser vs Steel for AI agents, B 66.6 vs BB 70.4", "toc": null, "updated": "2026-10-09", "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel" }, "tokens": { "markdown": 2500, "slim": 730 }, "version": 1 }