Steel
UnclaimedOpen-source headless browser API for controlling cloud-based browser fleets.
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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
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
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
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.
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Steel FAQ
How does Steel handle CAPTCHAs during automated browser sessions?
Steel includes built-in CAPTCHA solving capabilities. This feature ensures that your automation workflows continue uninterrupted, even when encountering CAPTCHA challenges on websites.
What is the typical session start time for a Steel browser instance?
Steel boasts an average session start time of less than one second. This quick-start performance is achieved when the client is located in the same geographical region as the Steel infrastructure.
Can I integrate my existing Puppeteer, Playwright, or Selenium scripts with Steel?
Yes, Steel is designed for easy integration with popular browser automation frameworks. You can run your Puppeteer, Playwright, or Selenium scripts in the cloud with just a one-line code change.
How does Steel help prevent automated sessions from being flagged as bots?
Steel provides simple controls for proxy and browser fingerprinting. These features allow you to manage and customize the identity of your automated browsers, reducing the likelihood of detection and flagging by websites.
What is the maximum duration a single Steel browser session can run?
Each individual Steel browser session can run for an extended period, supporting durations of up to 24 hours. This allows for long-running automation tasks, from quick interactions to multi-hour operations.
How can I manage and reuse browser context across multiple sessions?
Steel allows you to manage and reuse browser context by saving and injecting cookies and local storage. This functionality enables you to pick up automation tasks exactly where you left off in previous sessions.
Source: steel.dev