API Comparison
Choose the right Browserless API for your use case:
- Use BrowserQL for stealth automation and CAPTCHA solving
- Use BaaS v2 to run Puppeteer/Playwright code with full browser control
- Use REST APIs for simple one-off operations like screenshots and PDFs
Browserless Offerings
Browserless provides multiple APIs for different use cases, all using the same cloud infrastructure:
BrowserQL (BQL) – GraphQL API for browser automation with built-in stealth and CAPTCHA solving. Includes a web IDE and declarative query language.
BaaS v2 – Connect Puppeteer or Playwright to managed browsers over WebSocket. Run your existing code by changing the connection URL.
REST APIs – HTTP endpoints for common tasks like PDFs, screenshots, and content extraction. Simple integration without browser automation libraries.
AI Integrations – Pre-built integrations with n8n, Browser Use, Vercel AI SDK, and Langchain.
Enterprise – Self-hosted browser automation infrastructure with Docker deployment, real-time monitoring, and enterprise-grade security.
Authentication
All Browserless APIs require an API token. Include your token as a query parameter:
?token=YOUR_API_TOKEN_HERE
Get your API token from the Browserless dashboard.
Feature Comparison
Compare BrowserQL, BaaS v2, and REST APIs:
| Feature | BrowserQL | BaaS v2 | REST APIs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Connection | HTTPS | WebSocket | HTTPS |
| Usage | GraphQL mutations | Puppeteer/Playwright | HTTP requests |
| Stealth | Built-in stealth, CAPTCHA solving, and human-like behavior | Browser-level stealth, proxies, and launch flags | Basic launch flags and request controls |
| Flexibility | High (declarative language) | Highest (full browser control) | Limited (predefined endpoints) |
| State Management | Yes (reconnect mutation) | Yes (persistent sessions) | No (stateless) |
| Best For | Bot detection bypass | Custom automation scripts | Simple one-off tasks |
When to Use Each API
Use BrowserQL when you need to:
- Bypass sophisticated bot detection systems
- Solve CAPTCHAs automatically
- Mimic human-like browser behavior
- Build stealth-first automation at scale
Use BaaS v2 when you need to:
- Run existing Puppeteer or Playwright code
- Keep full browser control for complex workflows
- Use custom launch options, proxies, and persistent browser sessions
- Build multi-step automation sequences in the library you already use
Use REST APIs when you need to:
- Take screenshots or generate PDFs
- Extract content from simple pages
- Integrate browser functionality via HTTP
- Perform one-off tasks without maintaining state