Comparison
Browserbase vs Steel
Browserbase and Steel both rent your agent a browser. Browserbase is a hosted platform that adds search, fetch, and an agent runtime around cloud sessions. Steel is the open-source browser API you can self-host, with Steel Cloud as the hosted version of the same API.
Side by side
| Dimension | Browserbase | Steel |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Usage based | Open source |
| License / terms | Not open source | Apache-2.0 |
| Deployment | cloud | cloud, self_hosted |
| MCP support | Browserbase tooling is reachable from MCP-capable agents through its SDKs and Stagehand; check the official docs for the current MCP setup. | Steel is commonly driven through its API and CDP by MCP-capable agents; check current docs for the supported server setup. |
| Authentication | api_key | api_key |
| Vendor | Browserbase | Steel |
AgentsUse has not run a head-to-head benchmark, so this page claims no winner. It maps the differences your job has to price.
Every cell comes from the verified profiles, which trace to the official repository, package page, and documentation checked on the dates shown there. Pricing cells name the model, not a price: vendor prices change, so check each profile for the sourced pricing summary and official pricing link.
Differences that decide the choice
- Ownership: Browserbase is hosted only. Steel open-sources the browser service, so self-hosting and later migration to cloud keep the same API.
- Surroundings: Browserbase bundles Search and Fetch APIs and a sandbox runtime. Steel concentrates on the browser session itself.
- Control layer: Browserbase agents usually drive sessions through Stagehand. Steel sessions accept any CDP client, with documented pairings for computer-use models.
Choose Browserbase when
Choose Browserbase when you want the platform pieces (search, fetch, runtime) under one account and no browser operations at all.
Choose Steel when
Choose Steel when self-hosting is on the table, or you want the browser layer decoupled from the rest of the platform.
Sources and freshness
Compared from the verified profiles for Browserbase (checked 2026-10-07) and Steel (checked 2026-10-07). AgentsUse has not run a head-to-head benchmark, so this page claims no winner. It maps the differences your job has to price. Spotted an error? Send a correction.