Steel
UnclaimedOpen-source headless browser API for controlling cloud-based browser fleets.
Visit WebsiteFreemiumVisit Website
Tracked since2026
0 reviews trackedThe Bottom Line
Entry price
Free plan available, paid tiers above
Biggest pro
Simplifies complex browser automation tasks
Biggest con
Requires development knowledge to implement
TL;DR - Steel
- Open-source headless browser API for cloud-based browser automation.
- Enables building AI agents, web scrapers, and RPA with robust browser control.
- Features include auto CAPTCHA solving, proxy management, and fast, long-running sessions.
Pricing: Free plan available
Best for: Growing teams
What is Steel?
Steel is an open-source headless browser API designed to enable developers to control fleets of browsers in the cloud. It provides the infrastructure necessary to run browser automations at scale, making it suitable for a variety of tasks from large-scale web scraping to building fully autonomous web agents.
This tool is ideal for developers and organizations looking to integrate browser automation into their applications, especially those working with AI agents, foundational model training, AI shopping assistants, RPA software, sales automation, QA software, and customer service agents. Steel simplifies complex browser interactions, offering features like automatic CAPTCHA solving, proxy and browser fingerprinting management, and quick session starts to ensure smooth and efficient operations.
Key benefits include the ability to spin up on-demand browser sessions via a simple API, maintain long-running sessions (up to 24 hours), and manage and reuse browser context (like cookies and local storage) to pick up automations where they left off. Its focus on speed and reliability, with average session start times under 1 second, makes it a powerful solution for high-performance browser automation needs.
Available on: Web
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Simplifies complex browser automation tasks
- High performance with fast session start times
- Built-in features like CAPTCHA solving and bot detection avoidance
- Flexible session duration for various use cases
- Ability to maintain and reuse browser state
Cons
- Requires development knowledge to implement
- Reliance on cloud infrastructure for browser fleets
- Specific pricing details are not explicitly listed on the main page, only a 'Start For Free' button
Preview
Key Features
Open-source headless browser APIControl fleets of browsers in the cloudOn-demand browser sessions via APIAutomatic CAPTCHA solvingProxy and browser fingerprinting managementAverage session start time under 1 secondUp to 24-hour long sessionsManage and reuse browser context (cookies, local storage)
Pricing Plans
Pricing checked May 27, 2026
Hobby
Free
- $10 in Credits per month
- 100 Browser Hours
Starter
$29
- $29 in Credits per month
- 290 Browser Hours
- 2.9 GB Proxy Bandwidth
- 7.2k Captcha Solves
Developers
$99
- $99 in Credits per month
- 1,238 Browser Hours
- 12 GB Proxy Bandwidth
- 28k Captcha Solves
Startups
$499
- $499 in Credits per month
- 9,980 Browser Hours
- 166 GB Proxy Bandwidth
- 166k Captcha Solves
Enterprise
Custom Pricing
- Higher Limits
- Discounted Rates
- Dedicated Clusters & APIs
- Unlimited Session Concurrency
How Steel's pricing compares
At $29/mo, Steel is the most affordable of its 3 direct competitors.
Entry paid plan, monthly. Pricing checked May 27, 2026.
Reviews
$99Free with your review
Write a reviewReview Steel, get a free AI guide
Share your experience and we will send you Improve Your Thinking Patterns Using ChatGPT, free.
Best Steel Alternatives
Top alternatives based on features, pricing, and user needs.
ApifyFreemium
Build, run, and scale web scraping and automation workflows
ZenRowsFreemium
Web scraping API for bypassing anti-bot measures and extracting data reliably.
ScrapingBeeFreemium
The best web scraping API to avoid getting blocked, with AI-powered data extraction and headless browser management.
ChecklyFreemium
API and synthetic monitoring for developers
PlaywrightFree
Automate modern web testing across browsers with auto-waiting
PuppeteerFree
Control headless Chrome for testing, screenshots, and crawling
Still deciding?
Most buyers shortlist 2 or 3 tools before committing. Pull a side-by-side comparison or browse the full alternatives shortlist below.
Explore More
Steel FAQ
How does Steel facilitate large-scale web scraping operations?
Steel enables large-scale web scraping by providing an open-source headless browser API that controls fleets of browsers in the cloud. It supports spinning up on-demand browser sessions and managing browser context, which allows for efficient and continuous data extraction. Features like automatic CAPTCHA solving and proxy management further streamline these operations.
How does Steel compare to Puppeteer for browser automation?
Steel, unlike Puppeteer, is designed to control cloud-based browser fleets via a simple API, offering built-in features like automatic CAPTCHA solving and bot detection avoidance. It focuses on providing infrastructure for scalable, high-performance browser automation with quick session starts and long-running sessions. Puppeteer is a Node.js library that provides a high-level API to control Chrome or Chromium over the DevTools Protocol.
What are the main limitations of using Steel for browser automation?
A primary limitation of Steel is that it requires development knowledge to implement and integrate into existing applications. Additionally, its operation relies on cloud infrastructure for managing browser fleets, which means users are dependent on external services for its core functionality. Specific pricing details are also not explicitly listed, though a free tier is available.
Which teams would benefit most from implementing Steel?
Teams involved in AI agent development, foundational model training, AI shopping assistants, RPA software, sales automation, QA software, and customer service agents would benefit most from Steel. It is ideal for developers and organizations needing to integrate scalable and efficient browser automation into their applications.
How is Steel priced?
Steel is available on a free tier, allowing users to start without initial cost. For users requiring more extensive usage and additional features, paid plans are offered to accommodate their needs.
Can Steel maintain browser sessions for extended periods?
Yes, Steel is designed to maintain long-running browser sessions for up to 24 hours. This capability allows for complex or multi-step automations to be completed without interruption, ensuring continuity in tasks like data collection or agent training.
Does Steel offer features to avoid bot detection during automation?
Yes, Steel includes built-in features specifically designed to help avoid bot detection. These features encompass automatic CAPTCHA solving and advanced proxy and browser fingerprinting management, which contribute to more robust and stealthy automation processes.
Source: steel.dev