Browser agents · agent framework
Browser Use: review, pricing, security and alternatives
Browser Use is an open-source agent framework published by Browser Use, in the browser agents family. A Python library for building web browser agents, accompanied by hosted browsers and a cloud agent API. Its repository has 119,041 stars and its last commit is from October 22, 2026.
What Browser Use does
Browser Use belongs to the browser agents family: agents that open pages, click, fill in forms and extract information in place of a human. On our grid it ranks #1 of the 21 projects of this family listed in the directory.
Unlike a ready-made agent, a framework provides the parts to build one: tool calling, step sequencing, memory, coordination of several agents. It is aimed at teams that want a custom agent.
You use it from: developer SDK and API. Usable models: Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), local models (Ollama, llama.cpp, vLLM…), and any OpenAI-compatible model. It can run on your own machine or server.
Who is Browser Use for?
It helps people who spend time on websites without an API: it clicks, fills in and reads pages for you. Typical tasks people give it:
- fill in repetitive forms
- collect prices or information across several sites
- test a website's user flow
- fetch documents from a customer portal
It is a good candidate if your data must stay on your machines and you want the option of a local model, with no API fees.
Access and human control
A framework has no access of its own: the tools you plug in define what the agent can do. Start with read-only tools.
We could not establish whether it asks for human approval before sensitive actions: test it first on an unimportant account or folder.
Browser Use pricing
The code is free, under the MIT licence.
Getting started with Browser Use
- Install it: the project ships as a Python package (install with
piporuv). The exact command is in the repository README. - Pick the model: an API key from a provider, or a local model if your machine has enough graphics memory (the VRAM calculator tells you).
- Start with the minimal example from the docs, then add one tool at a time and check what the agent does with it.
- Give it a short, checkable task, review the result and its action log, then raise the difficulty step by step.
Security: risk level
Every page visited may hide instructions: do not leave a browser agent logged into sensitive accounts without action approval.
Three habits: least privilege (minimal rights, dedicated keys), human approval for irreversible actions, a sandbox for code execution. The AI agent security check reviews your setup in a few minutes.
Project activity and releases
Created on October 31, 2024, the browser-use/browser-use repository has 119,041 stars, 13,222 forks and 183 open issues, with 10,432 commits in total. It received changes this month.
Over the last 52 weeks: 3,247 commits, an average of 62.4 per week.
140 releases in total; 30 in the last twelve months. Latest release: 0.13.13, on October 15, 2026.
Browser Use vs other browser agents
GitHub stars of the best-rated open-source projects in the browser agents family. Stars measure attention, not quality: a heavily promoted project collects them fast, a specialised tool will have few.
Browser Use and other browser agents at a glance
The 7 best-ranked agents in the same family, 7 of them open source. The score out of 100 only applies to open-source projects; for proprietary services we show the published entry price. A dash marks information the documentation does not state.
| Agent | Model | Score | Stars or entry price | Self-hostable | Human approval |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browser Use | open source | 92 | 119K ★ | yes | – |
| Stagehand | open source | 84 | 25.8K ★ | yes | – |
| Skyvern | open source | 83 | 23.3K ★ | yes | – |
| BrowserOS | open source | 81 | 14.1K ★ | yes | – |
| OpenCLI | open source | 80 | 30.6K ★ | yes | – |
| CloakBrowser | open source | 78 | 32.5K ★ | yes | – |
| Invisible Dots | open source | 78 | 32.2K ★ | yes | – |
| Moli | open source | 78 | 20.5K ★ | yes | – |
How we rated it
Score: 92/100, computed only from public, verifiable data, with no subjective testing or partnership:
- Adoption 37/40: 119,041 stars on a log scale (40 points from about 200,000).
- Activity 30/30: last commit less than a month ago, 17 releases in six months, 3,247 commits in a year.
- Framework 25/30: licence, default human approval, self-hosting, model choice and documentation site.
The score does not say whether the agent will succeed at your tasks: it measures how solid the project is. The full grid is on the method page.
Verdict
Browser Use is one of the most solid projects in its family: followed, active and well framed.
Strengths
- Widely followed: 119K stars
- Very active development
- Frequent releases (30 in a year)
- Can run on your side: data under control
- Free choice of model
Limitations
- Requires programming skills
Avoid if…
- You want a ready-made agent, without code
Alternatives
- Stagehand25.8K ★
- Skyvern23.3K ★
- BrowserOS14.1K ★
- OpenCLI30.6K ★
- CloakBrowser32.5K ★
- Invisible Dots32.2K ★
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is Browser Use free?
The software is free (MIT licence). You still pay for the model calls, unless you use a local model.
Is Browser Use safe?
Our risk level: low. Give it minimum rights and approve irreversible actions.
Which models does Browser Use use?
According to its documentation: Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), local models (Ollama, llama.cpp, vLLM…), and any OpenAI-compatible model.
Can Browser Use be installed on your own server?
Yes, from the browser-use/browser-use repository. Data then stays with you, but security and updates are your job.
What are the alternatives to Browser Use?
In the same family: Stagehand, Skyvern, BrowserOS, and OpenCLI.
Browser Use or Stagehand: what is the difference?
Both belong to the browser agents family. Browser Use has 119K stars against 25.8K for Stagehand. The right choice mostly depends on the access you are willing to give it.
Related articles
- Open source or proprietary AI agent: how to decideOctober 25, 2026
- AI agent vs. chatbot: what's the difference?October 24, 2026
- Autonomous AI agents: how much should you let them do?October 12, 2026
- AI agent memory: how agents remember (and forget)October 11, 2026
Neutrality. No affiliate links. No vendor pays to be reviewed, rated or ranked. Reviews are directed by François Chollet, neutral and factual, and every data point is dated and sourced. How we score