# Steel

> Apache-2.0 browser API for AI agents — self-host or cloud

**Category:** AI Agents  
**Pricing:** open-source  
**URL:** https://steel.dev  
**GitHub:** https://github.com/steel-dev/steel-browser  
**Added:** 2026-09-14

---

## The Hook

Steel is the open-source browser API for agents: sessions, CDP, stealth, and scrape helpers without owning Chromium ops.

## What's Good

Apache-2.0 (steel-dev/steel-browser). Docker one-liner for API+UI; Puppeteer/Playwright/Selenium over CDP; session state, proxies, extensions, markdown/screenshot/PDF helpers. Cloud at steel.dev when you do not want to run Chrome fleets. Built for agent automation, not generic SEO scrapers only.

## The Catch

Vs Browserbase (managed fleet), Stagehand (AI Playwright layer), Browser Use (LLM browser framework): Steel is the browser sandbox/API — bring your own agent logic. Self-host means Chrome resource cost; cloud is freemium/paid convenience. Anti-bot arms race still applies.

## Verdict

Apache-2.0 agent browser API. Self-host Steel; pay Browserbase-shaped cloud only if you must.