The Kernel Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Kernel 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.
Kernel
The Insider’s Guide
Cloud browser infrastructure for web agents and automations
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI agents, read from Kernel’s own pages.
Made by Kernel · checked Nov 13, 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 Kernel’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Kernel’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.0
GPA, above 64 of the 178 other AI agents we grade
Kernel runs sandboxed Chromium browsers in the cloud for agents and automations. It includes stealth mode with a CAPTCHA solver and managed proxy, managed authentication for agent logins, vaults and wallet-based payments, live view and session replays. The vendor describes its browser infrastructure as open source.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Kernel, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You drive it through an API and SDK, so it is a developer setup with code to write.
- 1
Best for cloud browsers for web agents
Kernel runs cloud Chromium browsers for agents, with stealth mode, managed logins and session replays.
- 2
Paid plans start at $30 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $30 per month, plus usage.
- 3
There is a free plan
$0 a month with $5 of free usage credits each month, 5 concurrent browsers, stealth mode, 3 managed auth connections and 1-day session replays.
- 4
It runs on Web
Web.
- 5
Sandboxed Chromium
Cloud browsers that start in under 30ms, according to the homepage, with browser pools and a computer controls API.
- 6
Stealth mode
A CAPTCHA solver and a Kernel-managed residential proxy are attached to browsers; the pricing FAQ says proxies are not charged separately.
- 7
Managed auth and vaults
Handles logins for agents and stores credentials in vaults, with wallet integrations such as Link by Stripe for agent checkout.
- 8
A 2.0 GPA, above 64 of 178
That is against the other AI agents we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Kernel you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Kernel at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $30 per month, plus usage
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Kernel
- Category
- AI Agents
- Our grade
- 2.0 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for cloud browsers for web agents
Kernel runs cloud Chromium browsers for agents, with stealth mode, managed logins and session replays. There is a free plan, but every plan adds per-second usage charges, and custom proxies, GPU and regional browsers wait on the $200 Start-Up plan.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Hobbyist is $30 a month plus usage, between the category's $25 middle and $50 dearer-quarter start. The $200 Start-Up plan is where proxies and GPU begin. |
| Free plan and trial | C | The free plan has $5 of usage credits a month, 5 concurrent browsers and 1-day replays. A real project will use that up. |
| Features | C | Stealth, CAPTCHA solving, managed auth, live view and replays are covered. Custom proxies, GPU and regional browsers need the $200 plan. |
| Ease of use | D | No rating on record. You drive it through an API and SDK, so it is a developer setup with code to write. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web service with an API and links to Stripe, Anthropic, 1Password and Vercel. No desktop or phone app, and it is cloud only. |
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 Kernel is for
- 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
Who it is not for
- 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
Good to know
Good for
- Developers who want hosted browsers billed by the second
- Agents that must log in to sites and handle CAPTCHAs
- Early-stage startups that qualify for the credit programs
Worth knowing
- 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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$30
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Kernel has a free plan. Paid plans start at $30 per month, plus usage.
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.
Enterprise
Custom
High browser concurrency, 99.9% SLA, SSO, 24/7 Slack support, HIPAA BAA, white-labeling and zero-data retention.
The free plan
$0 a month with $5 of free usage credits each month, 5 concurrent browsers, stealth mode, 3 managed auth connections and 1-day session replays.
Read from kernel.sh on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
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.
Stated on kernel.sh
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
Cloud browser infrastructure for web agents and automations. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, public API, workflow automation, screen recording, AI agents.
Stealth, CAPTCHA solving, managed auth, live view and replays are covered.
- 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.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Stripe
- Anthropic
- 1Password
- Vercel
Kernel is made by Kernel.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
64/178
Other AI agents it is graded above
Kernel's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 64 of the 178 other AI agents we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on platforms and integrations (B, above 47 of 178) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $30 a month, against a middle price of $25 for the category: 59 of the 98 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.0 out of 4. 53 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 179 AI agents we grade, cut by the letter each got. Kernel’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 28 of 178
- CFree plan and trialAbove 64 of 178
- CFeaturesAbove 2 of 178
- DEase of useAbove 0 of 178
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 47 of 178
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 109 AI agents. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Kernel 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 Kernel you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $360 a year. Kernel is open source, so there is a third way: take its code and run it yourself.
What you could not
- An AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
- Connections to other products, each kept working as those products change.
- Recording the screen with its sound, and somewhere to keep the video.
What this rests on. Kernel’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
Browserbase, Hyperbrowser, Anchor Browser, Steel and Browser Use
The 5 tools Kernel is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.2GPA
Browserbase
Free plan · from $20/mo
Cloud browsers and APIs for agents that use the web.
- Kernel is open source, according to its own site.
- Kernel also covers screen recording.
- 2.2GPA
Hyperbrowser
Free trial · from $30/mo
Cloud browsers, sandboxes and web APIs for AI agents.
- Kernel has a free plan. Hyperbrowser does not, though it has a free trial.
- Kernel is open source, according to its own site.
- Kernel also covers screen recording.
- 1.8GPA
Anchor Browser
Free plan · from $50/mo
Cloud browsers and authentication for computer-use agents.
- Kernel is open source, according to its own site.
- Kernel also covers screen recording.
- 1.6GPA
Steel
Free trial · from $250/mo
Open-source browser infrastructure for AI agents.
- Kernel has a free plan. Steel does not, though it has a free trial.
- Steel is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Kernel also covers workflow automation and screen recording.
- 2.6GPA
Browser Use
Free plan · from $5
Browser agents and cloud browsers for AI apps.
- Kernel also covers workflow automation and screen recording.
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 Kernel free?
Kernel has a free plan. $0 a month with $5 of free usage credits each month, 5 concurrent browsers, stealth mode, 3 managed auth connections and 1-day session replays.
How much does Kernel cost?
Kernel lists 4 plans. Free: $0 per month, plus usage.
What platforms does Kernel work on?
Kernel is available on Web.
Does Kernel offer any discounts?
Kernel publicly lists the following: Start-Up plan free for 3 months.
Does Kernel have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Kernel is listed for Web.
Does Kernel have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Kernel is listed for Web.
Is Kernel open source?
Yes. Kernel is open source, according to its own site.
Does Kernel have an API?
Yes. Kernel offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Kernel integrate with?
Kernel's listing names Stripe, Anthropic, 1Password and Vercel. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Kernel?
Kernel is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Kernel?
The closest alternatives to Kernel in our directory are Browserbase, Hyperbrowser, Anchor Browser, Steel and Browser Use.
How does Kernel compare with other AI agents?
Kernel's GPA of 2.0 is higher than 64 of the 178 other AI agents we grade, and level with 16.
Is Kernel good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Kernel C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $30 a month, against a middle price of $25 for the category: 59 of the 98 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Kernel?
To replace Kernel you would be making an AI agent, with the models and the safeguards behind it.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Kernel’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Kernel's own pages on 13 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 Kernel. Prices change, so check kernel.sh before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Kernel, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/kernel
- 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, "Kernel: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/kernel
Know someone choosing between AI agents?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/kernel/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI agents after Kernel, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- AI Agents Insider's GuideEvery one of the 179 AI agents we grade, compared
- Genspark Insider's GuideAI workspace with an agent for research, slides, sheets and docs3.2 GPA
- Manus Insider's GuideGeneral AI agent for research, slides, websites and browser tasks3.2 GPA
- OpenClaw Insider's GuideOpen-source personal AI agent you run yourself and message in chat3.2 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 Kernel’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. Kernel is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Kernel. Prices and plans change: check kernel.sh before you buy.