Browser Use vs Stagehand
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Open-source Python library that lets an AI agent control a web browser to complete tasks.
Open source · MIT
TypeScript, Python and Go SDK for letting AI control a web browser to act on and extract data from sites.
The short answer
Choose Browser Use if you need…
- Python developers who want to prototype an AI agent that operates websites
- Teams automating repetitive multi-step web tasks such as lookups or form filling
- People who want to run the agent locally with their own LLM API key
- Users who need a cloud browser for environments without Chrome, such as Docker or CI
Choose Stagehand if you need…
- Developers building browser agents that must work on sites they do not control
- Teams extracting structured data from web pages that lack an API
- Engineers who already know Playwright and want AI-assisted steps
- Projects needing TypeScript, Python or Go bindings of the same workflow
Side-by-side
| Browser Use | Stagehand | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 120k | 25.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | Python | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
Browser Use
Browser Use is a Python library that connects a language model to a web browser so an AI agent can click, type, and navigate pages to finish a task you describe in plain language. You can run it locally with your choice of model, or use a cloud browser service from the same project. The README's example task is looking up a repository's star count, and a demo shows the agent booking a driving test.
Stagehand
Stagehand is an SDK that lets code drive a real web browser using plain-language instructions alongside Playwright-style methods. You can ask it to observe elements, act on a page (such as clicking a button), or extract data into a schema you define. Sessions such as login cookies can persist between runs.
Best for
Browser Use
- Python developers who want to prototype an AI agent that operates websites
- Teams automating repetitive multi-step web tasks such as lookups or form filling
- People who want to run the agent locally with their own LLM API key
- Users who need a cloud browser for environments without Chrome, such as Docker or CI
Stagehand
- Developers building browser agents that must work on sites they do not control
- Teams extracting structured data from web pages that lack an API
- Engineers who already know Playwright and want AI-assisted steps
- Projects needing TypeScript, Python or Go bindings of the same workflow
Strengths
Browser Use
- Works with a chosen LLM provider, and the README shows OpenAI as an example
- Same agent code runs locally or on a cloud browser with a single change
- MIT licensed and actively pushed
Stagehand
- Familiar Playwright-style API for developers already using it
- Returns schema-validated data from extract() calls
- Available in TypeScript, Python and Go with MIT license
Not ideal for
Browser Use
- Non-programmers who want a no-code tool; the README's main path is Python code or an agent prompt
- Projects needing fully deterministic scripts, since the agent's behavior depends on a language model
- Anyone unwilling to pay for cloud browsers or manage API keys for the hosted options
Stagehand
- People who only need fixed scripted browser tests with no AI, since the README centers on model-driven steps
- Non-programmers, because the examples require writing code and an API key for a model provider
- Users without Chrome installed for local runs, since the README says local runs need it
Trade-offs
Browser Use
- Depends on a paid or API-keyed language model and, for cloud features, a Browser Use API key
- Cloud browser pricing and hosted features are described by the vendor and sit outside the open-source code
- The README is truncated, so some details of setup and configuration are not confirmed here
Stagehand
- Relies on a third-party model provider and its API key, so usage has external cost and data flow
- README is truncated, so full feature and configuration details could not be verified here
- Model-driven actions can behave differently across sites and runs
Getting started
Stagehand
Install TypeScript package
pnpm add @browserbasehq/stagehand 'zod@~4.4.3'Install Python package
pip install stagehandFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Browser Use and Stagehand?
Browser Use: Open-source Python library that lets an AI agent control a web browser to complete tasks. Stagehand: TypeScript, Python and Go SDK for letting AI control a web browser to act on and extract data from sites. Browser Use suits python developers who want to prototype an ai agent that operates websites, while Stagehand suits developers building browser agents that must work on sites they do not control.
Are Browser Use and Stagehand free?
Browser Use: Free and open source. Stagehand: Free and open source.
Is Browser Use or Stagehand more popular?
Browser Use has more GitHub stars (120k) than Stagehand (25.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Browser Use and Stagehand?
Other options people compare them with include Browser Harness, CloakBrowser, Page Agent, LangGraph, PageIndex.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.