The Stagehand Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Stagehand 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.
Stagehand
The Insider’s Guide
Open-source SDK for browser agents, from Browserbase
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among AI agents, read from Stagehand’s own pages.
Made by Browserbase · 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 Stagehand’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Stagehand’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
3.0
GPA, above 171 of the 178 other AI agents we grade
Stagehand is an MIT-licensed SDK for controlling a browser from agents, with Playwright-style methods plus natural-language Act, Observe and Extract primitives. It is available for TypeScript, Python and Go, and can run against a local browser or be deployed to Browserbase. The SDK is free; cloud browsers are a separate Browserbase service.
To get you started, here are 8 things to know about Stagehand, taken from its own pages and our grades.
You install a package and write code, and supply your own model keys.
- 1
Best for open-source browser agent SDK
It is a library with no dashboard, and cloud browsers at scale mean a separate Browserbase account.
- 2
It is free
Stagehand has no paid plan at all. The SDK is free and MIT-licensed. You supply your own model API keys.
- 3
It runs on Web
Web.
- 4
Act, Observe and Extract
Natural-language primitives for clicking and typing, finding elements on a page, and pulling structured data that matches a schema.
- 5
Self-healing actions
The site says Stagehand detects when a page changes and refreshes how a cached action is carried out.
- 6
Playwright-style API
Familiar goto, click, locator and screenshot methods, with support for out-of-process iframes and closed Shadow DOMs.
- 7
A 3.0 GPA, above 171 of 178
That is against the other AI agents we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 8
Keep it
Stagehand is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
Stagehand at a glance
- Pricing
- Free
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- None stated
- Runs on
- Web
- Made by
- Browserbase
- Category
- AI Agents
- Our grade
- 3.0 GPA, very good
The report card
Best for open-source browser agent SDK
Stagehand is an MIT-licensed SDK that lets you control a browser with Playwright-style code or plain-language commands, in TypeScript, Python or Go. It is a library with no dashboard, and cloud browsers at scale mean a separate Browserbase account.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A | The SDK is free under the MIT licence and runs against a local browser. You only pay for the model you plug in. |
| Free plan and trial | A | There is no paid plan for the SDK and no cap on it. Model API costs and any Browserbase account are yours to pay. |
| Features | B | Act, Observe and Extract commands, self-healing actions and a Playwright-style API in three languages. The listing shows no gap in the core job, though scaling needs another product. |
| Ease of use | D | No rating on record. You install a package and write code, and supply your own model keys. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Runs wherever your code does, with Playwright, Browserbase and MCP links. No app of its own on desktop or phones. |
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 Stagehand is for
- Fits if you write TypeScript, Python or Go and automate sites with no API
- Works for developers already using Playwright who want plain-language steps
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you do not code, because it is a library with no interface
- Not for you if you need hosted browsers at scale, as that is a separate Browserbase account
- Tight if model costs worry you: natural-language actions call a model you pay for
- Watch out: the speed and token figures on the site are the vendor's own benchmarks
Good to know
Good for
- Developers adding AI-driven actions to browser automation
- Teams that want an open-source SDK rather than a hosted agent
- Projects in TypeScript, Python or Go
Worth knowing
- It is a code library with no dashboard of its own; running it at scale in the cloud means a separate Browserbase account.
- Natural-language actions call an AI model you provide, so model costs are yours.
- Speed and token figures on the site are the vendor's own benchmarks.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
Free
No paid plan at all
Stagehand is free to use.
The SDK is free under the MIT licence and runs against a local browser.
Open source SDK
$0
Install from npm (or the Python and Go packages) and run it against a local browser; no paid plan for the SDK itself.
The free plan
The SDK is free and MIT-licensed. You supply your own model API keys.
Read from stagehand.dev on Nov 13, 2026.
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
Open-source SDK for browser agents, from Browserbase. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: open source, public API, workflow automation, AI agents.
Act, Observe and Extract commands, self-healing actions and a Playwright-style API in three languages.
- Act, Observe and Extract
- Natural-language primitives for clicking and typing, finding elements on a page, and pulling structured data that matches a schema.
- Self-healing actions
- The site says Stagehand detects when a page changes and refreshes how a cached action is carried out.
- Playwright-style API
- Familiar goto, click, locator and screenshot methods, with support for out-of-process iframes and closed Shadow DOMs.
- Token-trimmed page context
- A trimmed accessibility tree is passed to the model; the site shows 7.4k tokens against 35.7k for Playwright on one extract task.
- Controls for production
- WebMCP support, domain allowlists and blocklists, batched commands and built-in OpenTelemetry tracing.
Where it runs
- Web
What it works with
- Playwright
- Browserbase
- MCP
Stagehand is made by Browserbase.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
171/178
Other AI agents it is graded above
Stagehand's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 171 of the 178 other AI agents we grade, and level with 4.
It stands best on free plan and trial (A, above 167 of 178) and worst on ease of use (D, above 0).
Stagehand has no paid plan.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. Nothing scores higher for less, though at least one tool matches that score at a lower price.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 179 AI agents we grade, cut by the letter each got. Stagehand’s own letter is outlined.
- AValue for moneyAbove 161 of 178
- AFree plan and trialAbove 167 of 178
- BFeaturesAbove 133 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. Stagehand 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
Stagehand is free, so making your own would save you nothing.
And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces. It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 3.0 is higher than 171 of the 178 other AI agents we grade.
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.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Stagehand’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
Browser Use, Browserbase, Hyperbrowser, Kernel and Steel
The 5 tools Stagehand is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Browser Use
Free plan · from $5
Browser agents and cloud browsers for AI apps.
- Stagehand also covers workflow automation.
- 2.2GPA
Browserbase
Free plan · from $20/mo
Cloud browsers and APIs for agents that use the web.
- Stagehand is open source, according to its own site.
- 2.2GPA
Hyperbrowser
Free trial · from $30/mo
Cloud browsers, sandboxes and web APIs for AI agents.
- Stagehand has a free plan. Hyperbrowser does not, though it has a free trial.
- Stagehand is open source, according to its own site.
- Hyperbrowser also covers screenshots.
- 2.0GPA
Kernel
Free plan · from $30/mo
Cloud browser infrastructure for web agents and automations.
- Kernel also covers screen recording.
- 1.6GPA
Steel
Free trial · from $250/mo
Open-source browser infrastructure for AI agents.
- Stagehand has a free plan. Steel does not, though it has a free trial.
- Steel is self-hostable, according to its own site.
- Stagehand also covers workflow automation.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
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 Stagehand free?
Yes. Stagehand is free to use.
How much does Stagehand cost?
Stagehand lists one plan. Open source SDK: $0.
What platforms does Stagehand work on?
Stagehand is available on Web.
Does Stagehand have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Stagehand is listed for Web.
Does Stagehand have an iPhone app?
No iPhone app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Stagehand is listed for Web.
Is Stagehand open source?
Yes. Stagehand is open source, according to its own site.
Does Stagehand have an API?
Yes. Stagehand offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Stagehand integrate with?
Stagehand's listing names Playwright, Browserbase and MCP. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Who makes Stagehand?
Stagehand is made by Browserbase.
What are the alternatives to Stagehand?
The closest alternatives to Stagehand in our directory are Browser Use, Browserbase, Hyperbrowser, Kernel and Steel.
How does Stagehand compare with other AI agents?
Stagehand's GPA of 3.0 is higher than 171 of the 178 other AI agents we grade, and level with 4.
Is Stagehand good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Stagehand A for value for money. Stagehand has no paid plan.
Could I make my own version of Stagehand?
Stagehand is free, so making your own would save you nothing. And it is not the kind of software a weekend replaces.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Stagehand’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 Browserbase'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 Browserbase. Prices change, so check stagehand.dev 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
- Stagehand, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/stagehand
- 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, "Stagehand: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/stagehand
Know someone choosing between AI agents?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/stagehand/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded AI agents after Stagehand, 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 Stagehand’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. Stagehand is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Browserbase. Prices and plans change: check stagehand.dev before you buy.