Agent browser infrastructure

BrowserOS neo vs Stagehand

Stagehand replaces the selector. neo replaces the script.

Stagehand is Browserbase’s open-source SDK for TypeScript and Python. Its act, extract, observe and agent primitives let you write a step as a sentence instead of a CSS selector, with a model resolving it at runtime, and extract returns data against a schema you define.

BrowserOS neo ships no SDK and no agent. It gives the agent you already use a browser that is signed in as you, driven over MCP, with its own tabs and a replay of every run.

[ 01 ]

The short version

Choose BrowserOS neo when

You would rather ask the agent you already use than write and maintain a program.
The work needs your real logins and you do not want to configure contexts.
You want to watch it happen and rewind it.
You do not want another dependency inside your application.

Choose Stagehand when

You are building a feature in a product, not doing a task today.
You want natural language but still want reviewable code in version control.
You need structured extraction typed against a schema.
You are already running on Browserbase.

[ 02 ]

Side by side

BrowserOS neo compared with Stagehand, row by row.
Dimension	BrowserOS neo	Stagehand
What you end up with	BrowserOS neoA finished task.	StagehandA program you own, review and rerun.
Who runs it	BrowserOS neoThe agent you already use, over MCP.	StagehandYour application, calling the SDK.
Language	BrowserOS neoPlain language, no code.	StagehandTypeScript or Python, with plain language inside the calls.
Logged-in sites	BrowserOS neoYour imported Chrome logins, already there.	StagehandContexts you configure, locally or on Browserbase.
Where it runs	BrowserOS neoYour machine, visible.	StagehandYour machine or Browserbase’s cloud, whichever you choose.
Running it again	BrowserOS neoAsk again. The agent may take a different route.	StagehandThe same code every run, with a model only where you put one.
Price	BrowserOS neoFree. You bring your own model keys.	StagehandSDK free. Hosted Browserbase runs are billed.

The row worth pausing on is what you end up with. Stagehand’s output is a program, reviewable and testable, and it runs the same way tomorrow.

That only pays off if there is a tomorrow for it. Most browser work is done once, behind a login, and never run again, and for that the program is overhead. neo leaves nothing behind because there was nothing worth keeping.

[ 03 ]

Most work does not deserve a codebase.

Stagehand is the right tool when the automation is a feature you will ship, review and keep. That is a small share of what people need a browser agent for.

The rest are tasks: done once, maybe twice, behind a login, never worth a file. neo handles those without leaving a program behind, using the agent already on your machine.

Ask whether you will still be running it next quarter. If the answer is no, the program was overhead rather than an asset.

[ 04 ]

Common questions

Is Stagehand free?

The SDK is open source and runs locally. Running it on Browserbase’s hosted browsers is a paid service.

What is Stagehand built on?

Stagehand v3 drives the browser directly and positions itself as an alternative to traditional frameworks rather than a layer over one. Playwright is an optional integration, not the foundation it was in earlier versions.

Does BrowserOS neo replace Stagehand?

No. There is no SDK to call from your application. If you are building a feature, use Stagehand; if you are doing a task, neo is the shorter path.

Can Stagehand use my real logins?

Yes, through a context you configure. neo differs mainly in the default: the logins are already there after a one-click import.

[ 05 ]

Check it yourself

Every claim about Stagehand here was read off these pages on 16 September 2026. If something has gone stale, tell us.

What we could not confirm

We did not run Stagehand against Browserbase’s hosted service, and make no claim about its current pricing.

[ 06 ]

Other comparisons

Give your agent a browser it can sign into.

Free, open source, and it sits beside the browser you already use.