Steel
by Steel
Open source browser API for AI agents
Reviewed by the the30top research team · Last reviewed 2026-10-27
Overview
Steel lets agents spin up real browser sessions over a standard CDP connection and works with Playwright, Puppeteer, Selenium and its own Node and Python SDKs. Steel Browser is the open source server on GitHub, and Steel Cloud adds scale, stealth, proxies and CAPTCHA solving. The hosted Launch and Scale plans do not include the stealth browser, which is reserved for Enterprise.
Our verdict
Steel is a clean, developer friendly browser API with honest pricing and a self-host path. Serious bot evasion needs the Enterprise tier.
Best for
Developers who want a browser API with an open source escape hatch.
Avoid if
You need stealth on a self-serve plan.
Pros
- Open source server you can run yourself
- Public per unit rates on every plan
- $30 of free credits and no credit card
Cons
- Stealth browser is Enterprise only
- Launch sessions cap at 15 minutes
- You write the agent logic yourself
Key capabilities
Frequently asked questions
Is Steel open source?
Steel Browser is the open source server on GitHub. Steel Cloud is the managed version.
How much does Steel cost?
Launch is $0 a month plus usage with $30 of one-time credits. Scale is $250 a month plus usage.
Does Steel offer a BAA?
The Scale plan lists a HIPAA-ready BAA.