# cua vs steel-browser
_Agent Infrastructure · independent comparison_

> cua and steel-browser are both open-source agent infrastructure you can self-host for free. cua has wider GitHub adoption — 21k stars vs 7.4k. Neither is universally better — pick by fit.

## Side by side

**cua**
- Open source · Infrastructure · 21k★ · Python · MIT · active today
- Best for: Background computer-use across macOS, Windows, and Linux without stealing focus.
- Avoid if: You need a runtime older than Python 3.11.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/cua) · [official](https://cua.ai)

**steel-browser**
- Open source · Infrastructure · 7.4k★ · TypeScript · Apache-2.0 · active 6 days ago
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/steel-browser) · [official](https://steel.dev)

## Key differences

- cua has wider GitHub adoption — 21k stars vs 7.4k.
- cua is written primarily in Python; steel-browser in TypeScript.
- Licensing differs: cua is MIT, steel-browser is Apache-2.0.

## Which to choose

**Choose cua if:** Background computer-use across macOS, Windows, and Linux without stealing focus.

**Choose steel-browser if:** your team works primarily in TypeScript.

## FAQ

**What's the main difference between cua and steel-browser?**
cua has wider GitHub adoption — 21k stars vs 7.4k.

**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 7.4k). Stars measure attention, not necessarily the better fit for you.

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Source: [Agent Search Engine](https://agentsearchengine.app) — https://agentsearchengine.app/compare/cua-vs-steel-browser