Browserbase vs Browserless for browser agents.

Browserbase starts with managed sessions. Browserless starts with several browser interfaces. Both can run existing automation code.

Deployment creates the clearest divide. Browserless publishes cloud and Docker options. Browserbase says it offers no on-prem deployment.

Control preferences shape later costs. Broader interfaces require more operating choices. Managed conventions reduce some infrastructure choices.

Begin with one real workflow. Mark every required execution surface. Then assign each operational owner.

Both platforms expose remote browser sessions. Both document Playwright and Puppeteer connections. Neither connection proves workflow parity.

Browserbase returns a session connection URL. Browserless exposes WebSocket and HTTP surfaces. Browserless also publishes BrowserQL and BAP.

Each interface carries different coupling. Standard library calls remain more portable. Proprietary workflows require deliberate exit plans.

Inventory calls before choosing. Separate browser control from surrounding services. Count every vendor-specific state transition.

Browserbase sells monthly plans with included browser hours. Overage costs $0.12 or $0.10 per hour. Each session bills at least one minute.

Browserless sells monthly unit allowances. One unit covers up to 30 seconds. Reconnects start a fresh unit. Annual billing lowers prices and raises concurrency.

Retention also differs by plan. Browserless keeps sessions and replays 1 to 90 days. Browserbase's pricing page lists 30 days on Developer. Its plans doc lists 7 days. Confirm retention before storing evidence there.

Free tiers carry tight limits. Browserbase Free caps sessions at 15 minutes. Browserless Free rejects requests past 1,000 units.

The vendors publish different billing units. Browserbase meters browser time by minutes. Browserless meters thirty-second browser units.

Browserless also converts proxy traffic into units. Browserbase prices proxy bandwidth separately. Direct plan-price comparisons obscure this difference.

Use identical session traces. Preserve failures, retries, and idle waits. Apply current plan rules afterward.

Run together, the traces need about 92 Browserbase hours. Developer includes 100 hours and 1 GB of proxy traffic. Browserless needs 14,000 to 22,000 units. Prototyping includes 20,000.

The worksheet formulas produce comparable inputs. They do not predict final invoices. Negotiated credits remain outside this worksheet.

Live continuity and saved identity differ. Browserbase contexts persist browser data across sessions. Browserless offers several persistence mechanisms.

Browserless standard reconnection preserves a running browser. Its persisted sessions can survive browser restarts. Authenticated profiles provide another reusable snapshot.

Browserbase contexts preserve cookies and application storage. Persistence requires the context configuration. Context reuse follows session closure and synchronization.

Test state transitions explicitly. Record creation, detach, reconnect, persist, and deletion. Never infer one mechanism from another.

Both vendors document hosted MCP servers. Browserless also documents a local npx server. Browser work stays on vendor or self-hosted browsers.

Browserbase exposes session-oriented browser actions. Its tools include navigation, actions, observation, extraction, and lifecycle controls. Explicit session identifiers support reattachment.

Browserless pairs one stateful tool with eight stateless tools. Its browser agent is one-shot by default. Multi-turn work must opt in on the first call.

Compare tool contracts carefully. Count model turns and browser starts. Track which component stores active-session identity.

Browserbase documents logs, metrics, live inspection, and replays. Browserless documents request logs and session replays. The artifacts answer different questions.

Request logs explain API lifecycle events. Visual replays explain browser behavior. Network and console evidence supports deeper debugging.

Browserbase keeps recordings up to 30 days. Downloaded MP4 files outlast that window. Browserless replay works on every plan, including Free.

Define one failed-run packet. Include identifiers, timestamps, browser evidence, and costs. Confirm both platforms can assemble it.

Browserless publishes an open-source Docker deployment. Its core image includes common libraries and REST endpoints. Advanced capabilities differ by edition.

Self-hosting transfers important work. Teams own capacity, upgrades, storage, monitoring, and access. An image started without a token leaves endpoints unauthenticated.

Browserless also sells a commercial self-hosting license. Review license terms before closed-source use.

Browserbase positions its browser platform as managed. Its pricing FAQ rules out on-prem deployment. Large enterprises can ask about private cloud options.

Price every responsible team. Include on-call time and upgrades. Include incident evidence and capacity planning.

Both vendors support familiar automation libraries. That makes a controlled adapter trial possible. It does not guarantee identical behavior.

Keep task logic unchanged initially. Replace session creation and connection code. Disable optional vendor features during baseline runs.

Next compare state behavior. Then compare failure evidence. Finally apply plan and traffic costs.

A rollback path reduces switching fear. Preserve the prior adapter temporarily. Remove it only after acceptance.

Legba publishes an agent skill, HTTP sessions, and hosted MCP. Its hosted browser runs on Legba's infrastructure. A person can take control, then hand it back.

Remote CDP, Playwright, and Puppeteer attachment remain undocumented. Do not plan a drop-in migration. The hosted browser needs a paid Legba plan.

Broader infrastructure buyers should verify both vendors. Agent builders needing human handoff can inspect Legba. Validate one reversible workflow first.