# midscene vs nanobrowser
_Browser & Computer Use · independent comparison_

> midscene and nanobrowser are both open-source browser & computer use you can self-host for free. Licensing differs: midscene is MIT, nanobrowser is Apache-2.0. Neither is universally better — pick by fit.

## Side by side

**midscene**
- Open source · Agent · 15k★ · TypeScript · MIT · active 2 days ago
- Best for: Writing UI tests in natural language across web, iOS, and Android.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/midscene) · [official](https://midscenejs.com)

**nanobrowser**
- Open source · Agent · 14k★ · TypeScript · Apache-2.0 · active 8 months ago
- Best for: A free in-browser alternative to OpenAI Operator using your own LLM keys.
- Avoid if: You rely on small local models — they need cleaner prompts and more iterations.
- [listing](https://agentsearchengine.app/agents/nanobrowser) · [official](https://nanobrowser.ai)

## Key differences

- Licensing differs: midscene is MIT, nanobrowser is Apache-2.0.

## Which to choose

**Choose midscene if:** Writing UI tests in natural language across web, iOS, and Android.

**Choose nanobrowser if:** A free in-browser alternative to OpenAI Operator using your own LLM keys.

## FAQ

**What's the main difference between midscene and nanobrowser?**
Licensing differs: midscene is MIT, nanobrowser is Apache-2.0.

**Is midscene or nanobrowser better?**
Neither is universally better. midscene is the stronger fit for Writing UI tests in natural language across web, iOS, and Android; nanobrowser for A free in-browser alternative to OpenAI Operator using your own LLM keys. Use the side-by-side specs to decide by your own constraints.

**Is midscene or nanobrowser free?**
midscene is free to run and self-host; nanobrowser 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, midscene or nanobrowser?**
By GitHub stars — a proxy for open-source adoption — midscene is ahead (15k vs 14k). 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/midscene-vs-nanobrowser