Browser Use vs Chrome DevTools MCP

We make Yab, the third column.facts checked Oct 9 ↓

Browser Use is an open-source Python library, command line and MCP server for building browser agents, with a paid cloud for running many browsers at once.

Chrome DevTools MCP is Google’s free, open-source MCP server and command line that gives a coding agent Chrome’s DevTools: the console, network, screenshots and performance traces.

The short answer

Pick Browser Use

if you build your own browser agents in Python
if you run many browser sessions in the cloud, with proxies
if you want Claude Code or Codex to use your running Chrome through its command line

Pick Chrome DevTools MCP

if you debug web apps with an agent reading the console, network and traces
if you want your coding agent to check its own front-end changes in Chrome
if you do performance work with traces next to real-user data

Or Yabours

if you already pay for Claude or ChatGPT and want it to work in your signed-in tabs
if you want Claude Code, Codex or Cursor to drive a real browser over MCP

At a glance

Browser Use and Chrome DevTools MCP, with Yab beside them for a Mac.

Browser Use vs Chrome DevTools MCP
What	Browser Use	Chrome DevTools MCP	Yab
Made by	Browser Use	Google (Chrome DevTools team)	Serafim Korablev
Status	Updated	Updated	Updated
Runs on	Mac, Windows and Linux	Mac, Windows and Linux	Mac
Price	Library free (MIT); cloud pay as you go, from $0.02 per browser hour	Free and open source; you pay only for your agent’s model	Free; its AI runs on your own Claude or ChatGPT plan
Drives	Your running Chrome, a local browser or cloud browsers	Google Chrome	Yab itself, a browser on your Mac
Your sign-ins	Browser Use’s command line attaches to your running Chrome, with your sign-ins.	Chrome DevTools MCP uses a profile of its own by default, and your Chrome 144 or later once you turn on remote debugging.	Yab is the browser you sign in to, so agents work with your sign-ins.
Works with	Claude Code, Codex and Cursor through its command line, and any MCP client	any MCP client, like Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot or Gemini CLI	yab mcp and the yab command, for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and any MCP client
Open source	Yes	Yes	No

Checked October 9, 2026 on each maker’s own pages, linked under Sources. Prices are per month, in US dollars.

Where they differ

What separates them, area by area. Where one plainly has more, it says who; where it comes down to taste, it says so.

What it drivesa matter of taste

Browser Use is an open-source agent that drives your running Chrome, a local browser or cloud browsers, on your OpenAI or Anthropic key, its own model or a local one. Chrome DevTools MCP has no model of its own: it gives your agent Chrome’s DevTools plus clicks and forms, in its own Chrome profile or, with Chrome 144 and remote debugging on, in your Chrome.

Your sign-insa matter of taste

Browser Use’s command line attaches to your running Chrome, with your sign-ins. Chrome DevTools MCP uses a profile of its own by default, and your Chrome 144 or later once you turn on remote debugging.

Which agents can use iteven

Browser Use works with Claude Code, Codex and Cursor through its command line, and any MCP client. Chrome DevTools MCP works with any MCP client, like Claude Code, Cursor, Copilot or Gemini CLI.

PriceBrowser Use leads

Browser Use: Library free (MIT); cloud pay as you go, from $0.02 per browser hour. Chrome DevTools MCP: Free and open source; you pay only for your agent’s model.

Where it runseven

Both run on Mac, Windows and Linux.

What their pages don’t lead with

Real limits, from the makers’ own words and our own use.

Browser Use

The library is free; models and cloud browsers cost money
Telemetry is on by default and can include task text and addresses
Reusing your real Chrome profile can mean quitting Chrome first

Chrome DevTools MCP

Supports only Google Chrome and Chrome for Testing
Its own profile has none of your sign-ins; your Chrome needs version 144 and remote debugging
Sends usage statistics to Google by default
Brings no model: needs an MCP client and Node.js

Yab, honestly

Mac only: macOS 15.4 or later, no Windows, iPhone or Android
New: first released in September 2026
Its AI needs a Claude or ChatGPT plan; ChatGPT’s free plan may work with low limits
WebKit, as in Safari: a site tested only in Chrome can misbehave
Closed source

What changed lately

June 2, 2026Chrome DevTools MCP: MCP server and CLI declared stable in Chrome 149
December 11, 2025Chrome DevTools MCP: Added auto-connect to a running Chrome session (Chrome 144)
September 23, 2025Chrome DevTools MCP: Released as a public preview
March 23, 2025Browser Use: Raised a $17M seed round led by Felicis

Questions

Is Browser Use free?

Yes, with limits on its AI. Library free (MIT); cloud pay as you go, from $0.02 per browser hour.

Is Chrome DevTools MCP free?

Yes. Free and open source; you pay only for your agent’s model.

Which one works in my signed-in browser, Browser Use or Chrome DevTools MCP?

Do Browser Use and Chrome DevTools MCP run on Windows?

Yes, both. Browser Use runs on Mac, Windows and Linux; Chrome DevTools MCP on Mac, Windows and Linux.

Is there a third option on a Mac?

Yab, Yet Another Browser, is a free Mac browser that Claude Code, Codex and any MCP client can drive through yab mcp, in your own signed-in profile, with Send, Pay and Delete held for your yes. It has an agent of its own too, on your Claude or ChatGPT plan. It is Mac only, and new.

More comparisons

Browser Use vs Claude in Chrome Browser Use vs Playwright MCP Browser Use vs Codex Browser Use alternatives Yab vs Browser Use Chrome DevTools MCP vs Claude in Chrome Chrome DevTools MCP vs Playwright MCP Chrome DevTools MCP vs Codex Chrome DevTools MCP alternatives Yab vs Chrome DevTools MCP

Yab, Yet Another Browser.

Free for the Mac. Arc’s sidebar, your own Claude or ChatGPT as the agent, Chrome extensions on WebKit.

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