Browser agents · AI agent
Nanobrowser: review, pricing, security and alternatives
Nanobrowser is an open-source AI agent published by Nanobrowser, in the browser agents family. Nanobrowser is a browser extension that uses AI agents to automate tasks within the user’s authenticated browser. Its repository has 14,168 stars and its last commit is from October 24, 2026.
What Nanobrowser does
Nanobrowser 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 #12 of the 21 projects of this family listed in the directory.
You use it from: web app. Usable models: Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), DeepSeek, and local models (Ollama, llama.cpp, vLLM…). It can run on your own machine or server.
Who is Nanobrowser 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 you prefer doing everything in a browser, with no install, your data must stay on your machines, and you want the option of a local model, with no API fees.
Access and human control
According to its documentation, Nanobrowser can:
- drive a web browser
- call online services and APIs
We could not establish whether it asks for human approval before sensitive actions: test it first on an unimportant account or folder.
Nanobrowser pricing
The code is free, under the Apache-2.0 licence.
Getting started with Nanobrowser
- Install it: the project ships as a Node.js package (install with
npm, or run directly withnpx). 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).
- Give it a first playground with nothing at stake: a test folder, a secondary account or a throwaway project. Only open your real accounts once you have seen how it behaves.
- 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.
Points found for Nanobrowser:
- Outside content: it reads web pages or API responses, which may contain booby-trapped instructions (prompt injection).
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 December 31, 2024, the nanobrowser/nanobrowser repository has 14,168 stars, 1,506 forks and 25 open issues, with 395 commits in total. It received changes this month.
Over the last 52 weeks: 30 commits, an average of 0.6 per week.
16 releases in total; 3 in the last twelve months. Latest release: v0.3.0, on October 15, 2026.
Nanobrowser 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.
Nanobrowser 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nanobrowser | open source | 74 | 14.2K ★ | yes | – |
| 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 | – |
How we rated it
Score: 74/100, computed only from public, verifiable data, with no subjective testing or partnership:
- Adoption 26/40: 14,168 stars on a log scale (40 points from about 200,000).
- Activity 23/30: last commit less than a month ago, 2 releases in six months, 30 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
Nanobrowser is a serious option; check the limitations below before granting it access.
Strengths
- Very active development
- Can run on your side: data under control
- Free choice of model
- Permissive licence (Apache-2.0)
Alternatives
- Browser Use119K ★
- Stagehand25.8K ★
- Skyvern23.3K ★
- BrowserOS14.1K ★
- OpenCLI30.6K ★
- CloakBrowser32.5K ★
Learn more
Frequently asked questions
Is Nanobrowser free?
The software is free (Apache-2.0 licence). You still pay for the model calls, unless you use a local model.
Is Nanobrowser safe?
Our risk level: mid. Points found: outside content. Give it minimum rights and approve irreversible actions.
Which models does Nanobrowser use?
According to its documentation: Claude (Anthropic), GPT (OpenAI), Gemini (Google), DeepSeek, and local models (Ollama, llama.cpp, vLLM…).
Can Nanobrowser be installed on your own server?
Yes, from the nanobrowser/nanobrowser repository. Data then stays with you, but security and updates are your job.
What are the alternatives to Nanobrowser?
In the same family: Browser Use, Stagehand, Skyvern, and BrowserOS.
Nanobrowser or Browser Use: what is the difference?
Both belong to the browser agents family. Nanobrowser has 14.2K stars against 119K for Browser Use. The right choice mostly depends on the access you are willing to give it.
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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