The Browserless Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Browserless in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Browserless
The Insider’s Guide
Hosted headless browsers for scraping and automation
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among automation tools, read from Browserless’s own pages.
Made by Browserless · checked Nov 12, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Browserless’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Browserless’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 12, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 21 of the 71 other automation tools we grade
Browserless runs headless browsers as a service, so scripts written for Playwright or Puppeteer can connect to a remote endpoint instead of managing their own Chrome. It also offers REST APIs for screenshots, PDFs and scraping, plus an MCP server. Plans are priced by usage units and concurrent browsers, and self-hosting is available.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Browserless, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You drive it with code through Playwright, Puppeteer or its own query language, so it needs programming.
- 1
Best for hosted headless browsers for developers
You write the code yourself, and units are used up faster by long sessions, proxies and captchas.
- 2
Paid plans start at $25 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $25 per month, billed annually.
- 3
There is a free plan
Free plan, no card required: 1k units a month, 2 concurrent browsers and a 2-minute maximum session.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Hosted headless browsers
Remote Chrome, WebKit and Firefox sessions that connect to existing Playwright or Puppeteer scripts by changing the endpoint.
- 6
BrowserQL
A query language and editor for describing browser tasks, available on every plan including Free.
- 7
APIs for common jobs
REST endpoints for PDFs, screenshots and downloads, along with a search API and an MCP server for AI agents.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 21 of 71
That is against the other automation tools we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Browserless you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Browserless at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $25 per month, billed annually
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Browserless
- Category
- Automation
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for hosted headless browsers for developers
Browserless runs headless Chrome for you, with a free plan and paid plans from $25 a month on annual billing. You write the code yourself, and units are used up faster by long sessions, proxies and captchas.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Prototyping is $25 a month on annual billing, between the cheaper quarter ($10) and the dearer quarter ($29) of automation tools. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A free plan with no card: 1k units a month, 2 concurrent browsers and 2-minute sessions. Bigger jobs will outgrow it. |
| Features | B | Hosted browsers, BrowserQL, session replays, proxies, captcha solving and a self-hosting option. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core work. |
| Ease of use | D | You drive it with code through Playwright, Puppeteer or its own query language, so it needs programming. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web service that works with Playwright and Puppeteer. No desktop or phone app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Browserless is for
- Fits if you write scrapers or tests and do not want to run browsers
- Works for jobs that fit 2-minute sessions on the free plan
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you do not write code, as there is no point-and-click builder
- Tight if you stay free: 1k units a month and 2-minute sessions
- Watch out: residential proxies cost 6 units per MB and each captcha 10 units
- Pricey if sessions run long, as a unit is only up to 30 seconds of browser time
Good to know
Good for
- Developers who want to run Puppeteer or Playwright without hosting browsers
- Teams scraping or capturing pages at volume, with metered usage
- AI agent builders who need a real browser behind an API or MCP
Worth knowing
- A unit is up to 30 seconds of browser time, and longer sessions use another unit per 30 seconds.
- Residential proxies cost 6 units per MB, datacenter proxies 2 units per MB and each solved captcha 10 units.
- Listed prices are the annual-billing view; monthly billing is offered but its prices were not readable.
- The free plan has 1k units a month and 2-minute sessions, so larger jobs need a paid plan.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$25
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Browserless has a free plan. Paid plans start at $25 per month, billed annually.
Free
$0
1k units a month, 2 concurrent browsers, 2-minute sessions and BrowserQL. Includes captcha solving and Chrome extensions.
Prototyping
$25
per month, billed annually
20k units a month, 10 concurrent browsers (+5 on annual billing), 15-minute sessions, overage at $0.0020 per unit.
Starter
$140
per month, billed annually
180k units a month, 40 concurrent browsers (+10 on annual billing), 30-minute sessions, overage at $0.0017 per unit.
Scale
$350
per month, billed annually
500k units a month, 100 concurrent browsers (+20 on annual billing), 60-minute sessions, overage at $0.0015 per unit.
Enterprise
Custom
Private deployments or licensed self-hosting, SSO, user roles, GPU infrastructure and a dedicated account manager.
The free plan
Free plan, no card required: 1k units a month, 2 concurrent browsers and a 2-minute maximum session.
Read from browserless.io on Nov 12, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save 30% with annual billing
The pricing page says annual billing saves 30% and adds concurrency on the Prototyping, Starter and Scale plans.
Stated on browserless.io
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
1
Place it runs: Web
Hosted headless browsers for scraping and automation. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, self-hostable, public API, workflow automation, screenshots.
Hosted browsers, BrowserQL, session replays, proxies, captcha solving and a self-hosting option.
- Hosted headless browsers
- Remote Chrome, WebKit and Firefox sessions that connect to existing Playwright or Puppeteer scripts by changing the endpoint.
- BrowserQL
- A query language and editor for describing browser tasks, available on every plan including Free.
- APIs for common jobs
- REST endpoints for PDFs, screenshots and downloads, along with a search API and an MCP server for AI agents.
- Sessions and replays
- Session reconnects, persisted sessions, replays and log search, with retention that grows from 1 day on Free to 90 days on Scale.
- Proxies and captcha solving
- Residential and datacenter proxies and automatic captcha solving are metered in units; bring-your-own proxies start on Prototyping.
- Self-hosting
- Open-source and private Docker versions can be self-hosted, and Enterprise adds a commercial license with Kubernetes and GPU options.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Playwright
- Puppeteer
Browserless is made by Browserless.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
21/71
Other automation tools it is graded above
Browserless's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 21 of the 71 other automation tools we grade, and level with 18.
It stands best on features (B, above 35 of 71) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $25 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 26 of the 38 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 13 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 72 automation tools we grade, cut by the letter each got. Browserless’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 14 of 71
- CFree plan and trialAbove 15 of 71
- BFeaturesAbove 35 of 71
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 71
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 19 of 71
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 43 automation tools. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Browserless is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Browserless you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 32 of the 71 other automation tools grade higher. It costs $300 a year. Browserless is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Capture tools hooked into the operating system.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Browserless’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Axiom.ai, Browse AI, Skyvern, Ui.Vision and UiPath
The 5 tools Browserless is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.0GPA
Axiom.ai
Free trial · from $15/mo
Browser automation and web scraping bots, built without code.
- Browserless has a free plan. Axiom.ai does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Browserless lists a web app.
- Only Axiom.ai lists macOS, Windows and Linux apps.
- 2.2GPA
Browse AI
Free plan · from $19/mo
No-code web scraping and website change monitoring.
- Only Browse AI lists a browser extension.
- Browserless is open source and self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Browserless also covers screenshots.
- 2.2GPA
Skyvern
Free plan · from $29/mo
Open-source AI agents that automate workflows in the browser.
- Browserless also covers screenshots.
- Skyvern also covers AI agents and no-code.
- 3.0GPA
Ui.Vision
Free plan · from €11.90/mo
Open-source browser and desktop automation with computer vision.
- Only Browserless lists a web app.
- Only Ui.Vision lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Only Ui.Vision lists a browser extension.
- 2.6GPA
UiPath
Free plan · from $25/mo
Enterprise platform for RPA, AI agents and process orchestration.
- Only UiPath lists Windows, macOS and Linux apps.
- Browserless is open source, according to its own site.
- Browserless also covers screenshots.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Browserless free?
Browserless has a free plan. Free plan, no card required: 1k units a month, 2 concurrent browsers and a 2-minute maximum session.
How much does Browserless cost?
Browserless lists 5 plans. Free: $0.
What platforms does Browserless work on?
Browserless is available on Web.
Does Browserless offer any discounts?
Browserless publicly lists the following: Save 30% with annual billing.
Does Browserless have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Browserless is listed for Web.
Does Browserless have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 12, 2026. Browserless is listed for Web.
Is Browserless open source?
Yes. Browserless is open source, according to its own site.
Does Browserless have an API?
Yes. Browserless offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Browserless integrate with?
Browserless's listing names Playwright and Puppeteer. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Browserless?
Browserless is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Browserless?
The closest alternatives to Browserless in our directory are Axiom.ai, Browse AI, Skyvern, Ui.Vision and UiPath.
How does Browserless compare with other automation tools?
Browserless's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 21 of the 71 other automation tools we grade, and level with 18.
Is Browserless good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Browserless C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $25 a month, against a middle price of $19 for the category: 26 of the 38 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Browserless?
To replace Browserless you would be making connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Browserless’s own pages on Nov 12, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 12, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Browserless's own pages on 12 November 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Browserless. Prices change, so check browserless.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
5,038
Tools graded, in 95 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
5,038
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Browserless, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/browserless
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Browserless: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 12, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/browserless
Know someone choosing between automation tools?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/browserless/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded automation tools after Browserless, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Automation Insider's GuideEvery one of the 72 automation tools we grade, compared
- IFTTT Insider's GuideSimple trigger-and-action automations for apps and smart devices3.0 GPA
- Node-RED Insider's GuideOpen-source, flow-based programming tool for event-driven apps3.0 GPA
- Ui.Vision Insider's GuideOpen-source browser and desktop automation with computer vision3.0 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Browserless’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Browserless is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Browserless. Prices and plans change: check browserless.io before you buy.