Ceki vs Steel.dev: Real Browsers vs Cloud API

Real browsers from human hosts vs cloud Chrome instances. P2P marketplace vs SaaS API.

Feature Comparison

FeatureCekiSteel.dev
Pricing modelPer-minute, no subscription$29-499/mo + $0.05-0.10/hr
Browser typeReal browsers of real peopleCloud Chrome instances (Docker)
FingerprintsHardware-authentic (genuine)Randomized/generated
MCP supportNativeYes (Steel MCP Server)
Crypto paymentsYes (USDT, USDC)No
Open sourceNoYes (Apache 2.0)
Self-hostingNo (P2P marketplace)Yes (Docker)
CAPTCHA solvingHuman-in-the-loopAutomated (~70% success)
Minimum commitmentNone$29/month
Geo coverageWorldwide (residential IPs)US-based by default

Why switch to Ceki

  • ✓ Real hardware fingerprints pass anti-bot checks that cloud Chrome fails — no randomization needed
  • ✓ No monthly subscription — pay only for active session time
  • ✓ Human-in-the-loop CAPTCHA solving with near-100% success vs ~70% automated
  • ✓ Residential IPs worldwide by default — no separate proxy charges
  • ✓ Crypto payments for instant settlement without bank delays

When Steel.dev is better

We believe in honest comparisons. Here's where Steel.dev has an edge:

  • Open-source — self-host for free if you have your own infrastructure
  • Lower per-minute cost ($0.001/min) for high-volume cloud scraping where fingerprint authenticity is not critical
  • Sub-second session startup — optimized cold-start performance
  • Session persistence (Profiles API) for long-running browser state

When to Use Each

Self-hosted browser automation

Steel.dev is open-source (MIT). Deploy on your own infrastructure, no per-minute fees beyond compute. Ceki can't compete on self-hosted cost — but self-hosting means maintaining infra, and cloud instances still get detected by anti-bot systems.

Verdict: Steel.dev wins for self-hosting. Ceki wins if anti-bot matters.

Quick prototyping (free tier)

Steel's free tier gives 100 browser hours/month — generous for testing. Ceki has no free tier but charges from $0.02/min. For initial development, Steel is cheaper. For production with anti-bot needs, Ceki delivers what cloud instances can't.

Verdict: Steel.dev wins for free prototyping. Ceki wins in production.

AI agent with anti-bot requirements

Steel.dev runs cloud Chrome instances — detectable by fingerprinting. No MCP support. Ceki provides real browsers with MCP-native integration. For agents targeting protected sites, Ceki is the only option that consistently passes detection.

Verdict: Ceki wins. Real fingerprints + MCP vs cloud instances.

Migration Guide: Steel.dev → Ceki

Replace Steel's CDP session creation with Ceki's SDK. No WebSocket URL management needed.

Before
# Steel.dev (Python):
from steel import Steel
client = Steel(steel_api_key="steel_...")
session = client.sessions.create()
# Use Playwright CDP:
browser = await pw.chromium.connect_over_cdp(
    session.ws_url
)
After (Ceki)
# Ceki (Python):
from ceki_sdk import CekiClient
ceki = CekiClient(api_key="ag_...")
session = ceki.rent(geo="US")
session.goto("https://example.com")

Cost Comparison

50 tasks/day, 5 min each, anti-bot sites

CekiSteel.dev
Monthly minutes7,500 min (125 hrs)7,500 min (125 hrs)
Included—Plan hours (varies)
Cost7,500 × $0.05 = $375/mo~$29/mo + overage
Anti-bot pass rate~99%~60-75%
Failed tasks (retries)~1%~25-40%
Effective cost/success$0.05/min~$0.07-0.10/min (with retries)

Verdict: Steel.dev is dramatically cheaper if anti-bot isn't a factor. When anti-bot matters, retry costs close the gap significantly.

Try Ceki

Per-minute pricing, no contracts. See for yourself.

Get Started →
Pricing·API Docs·For AI Agents

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Frequently Asked Questions

Steel.dev vs. Real Browser Rental: Open-Source Cloud vs. Human-Hosted Marketplace

Show Less

Steel.dev is an open-source cloud browser API — you can self-host it or use their managed service. Ceki is a peer-to-peer marketplace connecting you to real people's browsers. Both serve AI agents, but the trade-offs are different.

Cloud vs. peer-to-peer

Steel runs Chrome instances in Docker containers. You get fast, consistent, scalable browser access. But the instances run on cloud hardware with datacenter IPs and generated fingerprints. Ceki connects you to Chrome sessions on real consumer hardware. Startup may be slightly slower, but the session is indistinguishable from a real user because it IS a real user's browser.

Open-source advantage

Steel's biggest draw is open-source: you can self-host, customize, and audit the code. For teams that need full control over their browser infrastructure, this is compelling. Ceki is a managed marketplace — you trust the platform to handle session isolation and billing.

Fingerprint quality

Steel generates random fingerprints from cloud hardware (typically NVIDIA data center GPUs, not consumer GPUs). The WebGL renderer, Canvas hash, and AudioContext won't match any consumer device. Ceki's fingerprints are genuine because they come from consumer devices. An Intel UHD 630 fingerprint from a host's laptop is identical to any other Intel UHD 630 laptop — because it IS an Intel UHD 630 laptop.

CAPTCHA handling

Steel uses automated CAPTCHA solving (~70% success rate for reCAPTCHA). Ceki uses human-in-the-loop solving (the host solves it manually — near 100% success rate). For workflows where CAPTCHA failure means task failure, human solving is more reliable.

Pricing

Steel managed: $29-499/month + per-hour usage. Self-hosted: your infrastructure costs. Ceki: $0.02-$0.10/minute, no subscription.