The Anchor Browser alternative where stealth doesn't depend on a proxy
Anchor's Extra Stealth needs an active proxy, its CAPTCHA solving needs a proxy or a saved profile, and full stealth starts on a higher plan. Browserless stealth routes run with or without a proxy, and the free plan includes stealth, proxies, and CAPTCHA solving.
Browserless
A browser you connect to and drive. Add a stealth route, a proxy, and CAPTCHA solving through the connection URL, then use it from your own script, a REST call, or an agent. Self-hosted deployment is available.
Anchor
A platform for computer-use agents. It creates a session for you, records it by default, and layers agent tasks and managed authentication on top. Full stealth starts on the Growth plan, and on-premises deployment is available on Enterprise.
Browserless vs. Anchor Browser: how they compare
Both platforms give you a cloud browser you can drive over CDP. The differences are in what each plan unlocks and what happens when your script ends.
What makes Browserless the best Anchor Browser alternative?
Anchor bundles agent features with its browsers. Browserless keeps the browser simple and puts the anti-bot controls in the connection, so you can test hard targets before you pay.
externalProxyServer parameter from the Prototyping plan ($25/mo billed annually). Anchor offers custom proxies from its Team plan ($500/mo).Use your own agent with Browserless
Browserless gives your agent framework the browser and leaves the orchestration to you. Anchor ships agent tasks and managed authentication alongside its browsers.
Moving from Anchor to Browserless
Anchor's flow is: create a session, connect, then delete the session. Browserless's is connect and then close the browser.
Replace three calls with one connection
Anchor creates a session, returns a cdp_url, and keeps the session until you delete it. On Browserless, you connect to one WebSocket URL, and close the browser to end the session.
Move the config blocks into the URL
Anchor's extra_stealth, captcha_solver, and proxy blocks map to a route and query parameters: /stealth, solveCaptchas=true, and proxy=residential.
Check what you're billed for
Remove the deleteSession call and any idle_timeout settings. Browserless bills browser time in 30-second units and ends the session when the connection closes, so set a timeout on the connection if a script could hang.
Here's the same job completed by both: a stealth session through a US residential proxy with CAPTCHA solving on, loading a page and printing its title. Anchor needs the Growth plan for extra stealth.
BeforeAnchor
Make a call that creates a session and list the settings inside it as blocks: extra_stealth, captcha_solver, and proxy. The settings are a configuration you hand over when you create the session. The session keeps running after your script ends, so the finally block deletes it.
import { chromium } from "playwright-core";
import { client, Sessions } from "anchorbrowser";
client.setConfig({ auth: () => process.env.ANCHOR_API_KEY });
const session = await Sessions.createSession({
body: {
browser: {
extra_stealth: { active: true },
captcha_solver: { active: true },
},
session: {
proxy: { active: true, country_code: "us" },
},
},
});
try {
const browser = await chromium.connectOverCDP(session.data.cdp_url);
const page = browser.contexts()[0].pages()[0] ?? (await browser.newPage());
await page.goto("https://example.com");
console.log(await page.title());
await browser.close();
} finally {
await Sessions.deleteSession({ path: { session_id: session.data.id } });
}AfterBrowserless
There's no separate create call. Your script connects to a web address, and the settings are written into that address: wss://production-sfo.browserless.io/stealth?token=...&solveCaptchas=true&proxy=residential&proxyCountry=us&timeout=300000. The timeout gives CAPTCHA solves up to five minutes, and there's no delete call: closing the browser ends the session.
import { chromium } from "playwright-core";
const TOKEN = process.env.BROWSERLESS_TOKEN;
const browser = await chromium.connectOverCDP(
`wss://production-sfo.browserless.io/stealth?token=${TOKEN}&solveCaptchas=true&proxy=residential&proxyCountry=us&timeout=300000`
);
try {
const page = await browser.newPage();
await page.goto("https://example.com");
console.log(await page.title());
} finally {
await browser.close();
}Why teams trust Browserless at scale
Anchor
Fits teams that want agent tasks and managed authentication in one platform, with SOC 2 Type II and ISO 27001 coverage on its Growth plan.
Browserless
The same endpoints in Browserless Cloud, Private Deployment, and your own Docker, so a test on the free plan carries over to production.
Security & compliance
Anchor Browser alternative FAQs
Anchor Browser alternative FAQs
Ready to try Browserless?
Start free. No credit card required. Point your Anchor script at a stealth route and see what gets through.