Cua vs Kernel (2026): which should you pick?

Pick Cua if

• Fits if you want to watch and take over what a coding agent does on a computer
• Works for developers who already own or rent the machines to run it on

Look elsewhere if

• Watch out: Cua does not rent computers, so the VMs are billed by your cloud provider
• Skip it if you are not on Apple silicon with macOS 26 and want a Mac Space
• Not for you if you need audit history or SSO today, which are listed as coming soon or not included
• Too light for phones, as there is no mobile app
• Watch out: anonymous usage data is collected by default, per the vendor's FAQ

Pick Kernel if

• Fits if you run web agents and need hosted browsers with logins that persist
• Works for developers who want session replays to see what an agent did

Look elsewhere if

• Skip it if you want a point-and-click tool, as this is an API and SDK
• Tight if you stay free: $5 in credits, 5 browsers and 1-day replays
• Pricey if you need custom proxies, GPU or regional browsers, which start at $200 a month
• Watch out: usage is billed on top of every plan, and the monthly credits do not cover the plan fee
• Watch out: the homepage links a notice about a security incident dated around November 2026

Cua

• Cua does not rent computers: Spaces run on machines you own or rent, and your cloud provider bills those VMs.
• Running a Mac Space needs macOS 26 or later on Apple silicon; the Windows app is a preview.
• Share links that expire and 90-day audit history are listed as coming soon, and SSO and audit export as not yet included.
• There is no trial. Anonymous usage data is collected by default, per the vendor's FAQ.

Kernel

• Every plan adds usage costs: headless browsers are $0.0000166667 per second, headful $0.0001333336 and headful with GPU $0.0008000016; idle time is not charged.
• Included monthly credits apply to usage only, not to the plan fee.
• Custom proxies, GPU acceleration, regional browsers and unlimited extensions need Start-Up ($200 a month).
• The homepage links a public notice of a security incident dated around November 2026; read it before choosing.

Cua

Spaces

A Space is a full desktop, a virtual machine or container, that agents can use and people can watch, running on your Mac, your own computers or your own cloud.

Teleport

Packs an app's session (open tabs, profile, sign-ins) into a bundle and moves it into a Space after the user approves it on a consent screen.

Shared control

Share a Space with named people as viewer or editor. Each person and each agent gets its own cursor, so someone can step in and hand the desktop back.

Cua Driver

An MIT-licensed driver that lets an agent operate native apps on macOS, Windows and Linux without taking over the user's cursor or keyboard.

Agent connections

Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Cline, Kiro and OpenClaw connect through the Cua MCP server.

Kernel

Sandboxed Chromium

Cloud browsers that start in under 30ms, according to the homepage, with browser pools and a computer controls API.

Stealth mode

A CAPTCHA solver and a Kernel-managed residential proxy are attached to browsers; the pricing FAQ says proxies are not charged separately.

Managed auth and vaults

Handles logins for agents and stores credentials in vaults, with wallet integrations such as Link by Stripe for agent checkout.

Live view and replays

Watch a session live and record it as an MP4 for debugging; replay retention runs from 1 to 30 days by plan.

GPU and regional browsers

GPU acceleration for memory-heavy or canvas-based sites and browsers run in the nearest region, on the Start-Up plan and above.

Cua

• Free$0

  No account needed to start. Up to 2 computers in use at once and 20 remote hours a month through the relay.

• Pro$15

  per month, billed annually ($18 billed monthly)

  For one person: up to 5 computers in use at once and 200 remote hours a month. Billed $180 a year.

• Teams$25

  per seat / month, billed annually ($30 billed monthly)

  1 to 100 seats. Each seat adds 5 computers at once and 200 remote hours to a shared pool, plus shared team computers, roles and device approval.

Kernel

• Free$0

  per month, plus usage

  $5 in monthly credits, 5 concurrent browsers, stealth mode, 3 managed auth connections, 3 vaults and 1-day replays.

• Hobbyist$30

  per month, plus usage

  $10 in monthly credits, 10 concurrent browsers, unlimited proxy usage, unlimited auth connections and vaults, 7-day replays.

• Start-Up$200

  per month, plus usage

  $50 in monthly credits, 150 concurrent browsers, custom proxies, GPU acceleration, regional browsers, 30-day replays.

• EnterpriseCustom

  High browser concurrency, 99.9% SLA, SSO, 24/7 Slack support, HIPAA BAA, white-labeling and zero-data retention.

Cua

• Annual discount

  Two months free on yearly billing

  Pro is $180 a year ($15 a month) against $18 a month; Teams is $300 per seat a year against $30 per seat a month.

Kernel

• Startups

  Start-Up plan free for 3 months

  New-to-Kernel companies under 2 years old that have raised $1M or more get the $200 plan free for 3 months with $50 a month in credits. A larger tier gives $5,000 in credits to companies backed by listed funds.