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Steel is an open-source browser API with managed sessions for agents and support for Playwright, Puppeteer, and Selenium. Its listed starting price is $250, alongside a free plan. Teams comparing alternatives should first separate interactive browser sessions from web-data collection: scraping APIs and Actor platforms may cost less to start, but they are not necessarily drop-in replacements for persistent browser sessions. Check usage pricing and migration requirements against your workload before switching.
01Why people leave Steel
Lower starting price
Several alternatives list lower starting prices than Steel. Compare the billable unit and expected volume, not just the entry price.
Match the tool to the workload
A scraping API or Actor platform may fit web-data collection better than renting persistent browser sessions.
Own more of the stack
If you want to host browser infrastructure yourself, compare self-hosting options and open-source projects with managed services.
02The alternatives, ranked by fit
- Ready-made web scrapers
ApifyApifyApify is a hosted Actor platform for ready-made web scrapers and custom Actors, making it a better fit when the job is collecting web data rather than maintaining interactive browser sessions. Its listed starting price is $19, with a free plan. Model usage and concurrency limits before moving a workload; adapting a browser-session flow to an Actor may require application changes.
Trade-off: Actor workloads are not a direct replacement for persistent browser sessions.
7.7/10from
$19/mofree plan - Agent-ready web data
FirecrawlFirecrawlFirecrawl is an API for turning live web pages into Markdown or JSON, which can simplify an agent's data input without managing a browser session for every task. It is open source and lists a $16 starting price with a free plan. Treat migration as a change in interface and output, not a drop-in replacement for Steel's browser API.
Trade-off: Page extraction does not replace general interactive browser control.
7.4/10from
$16/mofree plan - Hosted browser access
BrowserbaseBrowserbaseBrowserbase is the closest fit when the workload still needs hosted interactive browser access. Its stack combines browsing with Search and Fetch, so it may suit agents that need more than a persistent session. The listing shows a free plan but no starting price; compare the usage model with Steel before porting session management.
Trade-off: The listed starting price is not available for comparison.
7.0/10from
Freefree plan - Hosted Chrome sessions
HyperbrowserHyperbrowserHyperbrowser offers hosted Chrome sessions and tools for browser-based agents, with a listed starting price of $30 and a free plan. It may fit teams replacing Steel's managed browser infrastructure while adding workflows that combine browsing and extraction. Confirm portability and how usage is charged, then plan to adapt the integration rather than assume Steel compatibility.
Trade-off: Usage costs and portability need checking before migration.
7.1/10from
$30/mofree plan - Managed scraping stack
ZyteZyteZyte combines scraping access, structured extraction, and managed delivery, which suits teams outsourcing collection rather than operating agent browser sessions. It lists open-source availability and a starting price of $0.06. Confirm the billing unit and estimate costs for your targets. A move from Steel will likely mean changing the collection workflow, not just the endpoint.
Trade-off: Managed data collection is a different model from browser sessions.
7.7/10from
$0.06/mo - Self-hostable browser layer
BrowserlessBrowserlessBrowserless is a managed browser layer for Puppeteer or Playwright teams and is listed as self-hostable. That makes it worth considering if you want browser tooling while retaining an option to run infrastructure yourself. Its listed starting price is $25 with a free plan; verify self-hosting terms and estimate unit use before migrating.
Trade-off: Confirm self-hosting terms and usage units with the vendor.
7.4/10from
$25/mofree plan
03Side by side
| Tool | Score | From | Free plan | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 Steel Steel (current) | 7.8 | $250/mo | Yes | Agents that need persistent browser sessions |
| Apify Apify | 7.7 | $19/mo | Yes | Teams needing ready-made web scrapers |
| Firecrawl Firecrawl | 7.4 | $16/mo | Yes | AI agents that need live web data |
| Browserbase Browserbase | 7.0 | Free | Yes | Agents that need interactive browser access |
| Hyperbrowser Hyperbrowser | 7.1 | $30/mo | Yes | Teams building browser-based AI agents |
| Zyte Zyte | 7.7 | $0.06/mo | No | Teams scraping varied website types |
| Browserless Browserless | 7.4 | $25/mo | Yes | Puppeteer or Playwright teams |
Questions people ask
Which Steel alternative is cheapest?
Among these options, Firecrawl lists a $16 starting price, Apify $19, and Browserless $25; each also lists a free plan. Zyte starts at $0.06, but confirm its billing unit before comparing. These entry prices do not establish which will cost less at your usage.
Which Steel alternatives are open source or self-hostable?
Firecrawl and Zyte are listed as open source. Browserless is listed as self-hostable. Steel is also open source and self-hostable, so compare licensing and hosting terms directly before switching; do not assume an open-source label means every managed feature can be run locally.
Can I replace Steel without changing my integration?
Do not assume a drop-in migration. Steel provides browser sessions, while Firecrawl focuses on page extraction and Apify on Actors; those approaches change how an application gets web data. Browserbase, Hyperbrowser, and Browserless are browser-oriented alternatives, but check their API behavior and session requirements against your code before committing.