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Browser Use vs Skyvern

Two fact sheets from our own research, side by side — pricing, platforms, API access and status re-checked by us rather than quoted from the vendors. Both start at $29. Both have a free tier. Both ship a public API.

Browser UseManaged cloud browsers driven by AI agents, from a plain-language task or from Python and TypeScript code.SkyvernOpen-source browser agent that drives websites by intent instead of CSS selectors.

Side by side

FactBrowser UseSkyvern
CategoryBrowser Automation AgentsBrowser Automation Agents
Pricing modelFreemiumFreemium
Starts at$29 month$29 month
Public APIYesYes
PlatformsWeb, APIWeb, API, Linux
CompanyBrowser UseIkonomos Inc.
Launched20242023
Last verifiedSep 6, 2026Sep 6, 2026

What our research says

Browser Use

The open-source library made the category legible, and the hosted service is the practical way to run it at scale without babysitting Chromium instances. CDP compatibility means existing Playwright or Puppeteer code points at it with a config change. The economics are metered all the way down, so a plan price tells you very little about your real bill.

Pros

  • Open-source Python library underneath, so you are not locked into the hosted service
  • CDP-compatible endpoint works with existing Playwright, Puppeteer and Selenium code
  • Residential proxies across 195-plus countries and stealth handling built in
  • Session persistence, structured outputs, workflow replay and human oversight checkpoints
  • Free tier of 10 agent tasks a month for evaluation

Cons

  • Subscription price is a credit float, not included usage — real cost depends on browser-hours, proxy GB and model tokens
  • Proxy egress at $5/GB adds up quickly on media-heavy sites
  • Company founded only in 2024, so operational track record is short
  • Free tier's 3 concurrent sessions rules out any real throughput test

Skyvern

The strongest open-source option for agentic browser work, and the intent-based targeting really does survive UI changes that break Playwright scripts. Credits, not runs, are the unit you buy, and complex pages burn them fast - the ~170 free actions go in an afternoon. Self-hosting is a genuine escape hatch, but AGPL-3.0 has licensing consequences if you embed it in a product.

Pros

  • Vision-based element targeting survives layout changes that break selector scripts
  • Python and TypeScript SDKs plus webhooks for programmatic triggering
  • Self-hostable via Docker under AGPL-3.0, with the full engine open
  • Paid tiers cover CAPTCHA solving, stored credentials, 2FA/TOTP and 1Password

Cons

  • Credit pricing makes cost per workflow hard to predict before you run it
  • Free tier's 5,000 credits are one-time, not monthly
  • Advanced CAPTCHA solving and residential proxies only start at the $149 Pro tier

Which one fits

Choose Browser Use if you need

  • Running web automation without maintaining your own browser infrastructure
  • Teams already on Playwright, Puppeteer or Selenium via the CDP endpoint
  • Agent workflows needing session persistence, replay and human checkpoints

Choose Skyvern if you need

  • Automating portals and vendor sites that have no API
  • Teams that want to self-host browser agents rather than send credentials to a SaaS
  • Invoice retrieval, form submission and recurring data pulls at moderate volume

More comparisons

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