Agent Infrastructure · Head-to-head
cua vs steel-browser
cua and steel-browser are both agent infrastructure. cua is Open-source infrastructure for Computer-Use Agents. Sandboxes, SDKs, and benchmarks to train and evaluate AI agents that can control full desktops (macOS, Linux, Windows), while steel-browser is open Source Browser API for AI Agents & Apps. Steel Browser is a batteries-included browser sandbox that lets you automate the web without worrying about infrastructure. Here's an independent, side-by-side look at how they compare — and which fits.
Open-source infrastructure for Computer-Use Agents. Sandboxes, SDKs, and benchmarks to train and evaluate AI agents that can control full desktops (macOS, Linux, Windows).
Visit cua →
Open Source Browser API for AI Agents & Apps. Steel Browser is a batteries-included browser sandbox that lets you automate the web without worrying about infrastructure.
Visit steel-browser →cua and steel-browser are both open-source agent infrastructure you can self-host for free. cua has wider GitHub adoption — 21k stars vs 7.5k. Neither is universally better — pick by fit.
Side by side
| Spec | cua | steel-browser |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Infrastructure | Infrastructure |
| Model | Open source | Open source |
| Pricing | Open source | Open source |
| GitHub stars | 21,434 | 7,496 |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Last activity | Aug 2026 | Aug 2026 |
Key differences
- cua has wider GitHub adoption — 21k stars vs 7.5k.
- cua is written primarily in Python; steel-browser in TypeScript.
- Licensing differs: cua is MIT, steel-browser is Apache-2.0.
Background computer-use across macOS, Windows, and Linux without stealing focus.
your team works primarily in TypeScript.
About cua
Open-source infrastructure for Computer-Use Agents. Sandboxes, SDKs, and benchmarks to train and evaluate AI agents that can control full desktops (macOS, Linux, Windows).
Full cua profile →About steel-browser
Open Source Browser API for AI Agents & Apps. Steel Browser is a batteries-included browser sandbox that lets you automate the web without worrying about infrastructure.
Full steel-browser profile →Frequently asked
- What's the main difference between cua and steel-browser?
- cua has wider GitHub adoption — 21k stars vs 7.5k.
- Is cua or steel-browser better?
- Neither is universally better. cua is the stronger fit for Background computer-use across macOS, Windows, and Linux without stealing focus; steel-browser for teams working primarily in TypeScript. Use the side-by-side specs to decide by your own constraints.
- Is cua or steel-browser free?
- cua is free to run and self-host; steel-browser is free to run and self-host. Both are free to self-host — you only pay for the infrastructure and any model or API usage.
- Which is more popular, cua or steel-browser?
- By GitHub stars — a proxy for open-source adoption — cua is ahead (21k vs 7.5k). Stars measure attention, not necessarily the better fit for you.