Steel Browser
Two “Steel”-Browsers to distinguish
Steel — a discontinued Android browser (by Michael Kolb / kolbysoft) active in ~2008-2009.
Steel / steel-browser (Steel.dev) — a modern open-source browser API / automation infrastructure for AI agents, scraping, etc.
I’ll give full details of both (first the historical one, then the modern).
1. Steel (Android browser) — discontinued freeware browser
Aspect—>Details
Developer / Author—>Michael Kolb (kolbysoft)
Platform / OS—>Android
Release / Timeline—>First released December 5, 2008. Latest version was 0.1.9, released December 10, 2009.
Goal / Motivation—>To offer a more “touch-friendly” UI than the default Android browser; using the same WebKit engine (Android’s default) but with UI improvements.
Programming / Technical—>Written in Java (for Android) using WebKit layout engine.
Features—> Custom UI: bottom toolbar (back, forward, zoom, bookmarks etc), top toolbar with address / refresh/stop.
Toolbars are “pull-out / semi-transparent handles” at top/bottom; they auto-hide when not in use.
Rotation / orientation switching based on accelerometer (i.e. automatic orientation) rather than manual via menu.
Virtual keyboard (modeled after iPhone’s), with vibration feedback on key presses (from version 0.0.4 onward)
Fullscreen mode, hiding status bar etc depending on toolbar status.
Reception—>Mixed but positive in some respects:
• Reviews praised UI, accelerometer rotation, virtual keyboard etc.
• Some instability / “not reliable” for everyday use in early versions.
• After 0.0.3, Steel reached #2 among communication apps in Android Market (for a time) with average rating ~4/5.
Ownership / Acquisition—>In 2010, Skyfire purchased kolbysoft (thus getting Steel browser).
Discontinuation—>It’s discontinued. No further official updates after version ~0.1.9 (2009)
2. Steel.dev / steel-browser — modern browser API for AI / automation
This is what people are usually referring to when they say “Steel Browser” in recent contexts (2024-2025+). I’ll give its history, features, architecture, etc.
Overview
What it is: An open-source browser API / automation infrastructure for AI agents and web-automation tasks. It lets you spin up browser sessions (via API or SDKs) that have persistent state (cookies, local storage), handle proxy / fingerprinting / CAPTCHAs, extract data, render JavaScript heavy pages, etc.
Purpose: Reduce the engineering burden of managing browser infrastructure — pools of browsers, proxies, fingerprinting, etc. Steel handles lots of that so developers/AI agents can focus on core logic.
Timeline / Development
Time—>Milestones / Evolution
Late 2023 / 2024—>The project develops internally, then open-sources the steel-browser repo. November 2024—>Public awareness via Reddit, community posts: open-sourced repo, motivations, features.
May 2025—>Launch-week with daily drops of features, auth/credential flows, etc.
Mid‐2025 onward—>Rapid feature additions, bug fixes. Changelogs show new features like Chrome extension support, enhanced scraping, proxy/fingerprint improvements, ARM64 Docker support, etc.
Architecture & Components
APIs and SDKs: Provides REST API, Python SDK, Node.js SDK, integrations with existing tools like Puppeteer, Playwright, Selenium.
Session Management: Sessions can persist state (cookies, local storage), support logins, multi-step workflows. Session duration up to ~24 hours.
Anti-bot / Stealth / Proxy features: Proxy chain management, fingerprint randomization / “stealth configs”, CAPTCHA solving, human-like interactions simulations.
Data extraction / content formats: Extracting content as cleaned HTML/Markdown; taking screenshots; generating PDFs; optimized content formats to economize LLM / token usage.
Self-hosted + hosted: Can run self-hosted (locally or via Docker / Kubernetes etc), or use Steel’s cloud infrastructure (“Steel Cloud”) for managed use.
UI / Debug tools: Session viewer / “live session viewer” to observe / debug browser sessions, replays etc.
Features & Capabilities
Here’s a summary of what Steel.dev offers now (as of ~2025):
Ability to start browser sessions via API/SDK quickly (sub-second startup)
Persistent state: cookies/logins etc carried over across steps/sessions
Full JS rendering (client-side), for modern websites that need dynamic rendering
Proxy & fingerprinting management (stealth mode) for avoiding detection / anti-bot measures
CAPTCHA solving / bypassing where possible
Content extraction in formats friendly for LLMs: cleaned HTML, Markdown, screenshot / PDF etc.
Extension support: ability to load Chrome extensions in sessions (added in recent versions).
Good infrastructure: Docker support, ARM64 builds, centralized API/UI deployments.
Current State, Limitations & Considerations
It is still relatively new / evolving; many features are in beta or being improved.
Some parts (like certain CAPTCHA types, fingerprint stealth) may have limitations or may require configuration.
Pricing / usage: There is a “free” / trial tier and paid plans, depending on usage hours, proxy bandwidth, etc.
Self-hosting requires infrastructure: Docker, server resources, handling scale yourself etc. For many that is fine; for others, the hosted version is easier.
Comparison / Key Differences
To help you see clearly:
Feature—>Steel (Android, 2008-09)—>Steel.dev / steel-browser (2024-)
Platform—>Android mobile device—>Cloud / self-hosted / developer machines / API infrastructure
Purpose—>User web browsing on Android, more touch-friendly UI—>Programmatic, automated browsing / scraping / AI agents / web automation
UI vs API—>Full GUI, toolbars etc—>API / SDK, optional debugging / viewer UIs but not for interactive user browsing in the usual sense
Discontinuation—>Discontinued around 2009; no further updates after Skyfire acquisition etc.—>Active development, open-source, frequent updates
Engine—>WebKit engine present in Android’s default browser backend of that time—>Likely uses Chrome (Chromium) + Puppeteer / CDP under the hood etc.
Steel Browser: Full Details
Steel is a privacy-focused, Chromium-based web browser developed by Netbox. It positions itself as a fast, secure, and efficient alternative to mainstream browsers like Google Chrome, with a strong emphasis on user privacy and a minimalistic design.
Background and Core Philosophy
Developer: Netbox (also known for the NB Browser).
Foundation: Built on the Chromium open-source project, the same foundation as Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, and Brave. This ensures compatibility with the vast ecosystem of Chrome extensions and modern web standards.
Primary Goal: To provide a browsing experience that is both high-performance and respectful of user privacy by removing Google-specific tracking and integrating privacy-enhancing features by default.
Key Features and Characteristics
Privacy and Security:
No Data Collection: The developers claim Steel does not collect, store, or transmit any user data, browsing history, or personal information to their servers.
Built-in Ad Blocker: Includes an integrated ad blocker to improve page load times, reduce data usage, and enhance security by blocking malicious ads.
Tracker Blocking: Aims to block third-party trackers from websites and social networks, preventing them from following your activity across the web.
Chromium Base: Inherits Chromium’s core security features, including sandboxing, which isolates website processes to prevent malware from affecting the rest of your system.
Performance and Efficiency:
Lightweight: Marketed as being lighter and faster than Chrome by stripping out Google-specific services and bloatware that run in the background.
Low Memory/CPU Usage: A key selling point is its optimized resource consumption, making it suitable for use on older or less powerful computers.
User Interface and Experience:
Minimalist Design: Features a clean, uncluttered interface that closely resembles Chrome, reducing the learning curve for new users.
Chrome Extension Support: Fully compatible with the Chrome Web Store, allowing users to install any extension they need.
Customizable: Includes standard browser customization options like themes and a customizable start page.
Cross-Platform Availability:
Available for the three major desktop operating systems: Windows, macOS, and Linux.
Potential Concerns and Criticisms
While Steel promotes itself as a privacy browser, users should be aware of the following points, which are common with smaller, Chromium-based browsers:
Closed Source: The Steel browser is not open-source. While it is based on the open-source Chromium, its own modifications and code are proprietary. This means the privacy and security claims cannot be independently verified by the community.
"Yet Another Chromium Browser": The market is saturated with Chromium-based browsers (Chrome, Edge, Brave, Vivaldi, Opera, etc.). Steel must differentiate itself significantly to gain traction.
Development and Updates: Its ability to keep pace with the rapid release cycle of the Chromium project is crucial for security. Users must trust that the small development team can promptly integrate security patches.
Comparison with Other Browsers
Feature—>Steel Browser—>Google Chrome—>Mozilla Firefox—>Brave Browser
Engine—>Chromium—>Chromium—>Gecko (Quantum)—>Chromium
Primary Focus—>Privacy, Performance—>Integration, Features—>Privacy, Open Web—>Privacy, Ad-Blocking
Data Collection—>Claims “None”—>Extensive—>Minimal (Telemetry)—>Minimal (Telemetry)
Ad Blocker—>Built-in—>No (extensions only)—>No (extensions only)—>Built-in (BAT-focused)
Open Source—>No (Proprietary)—>Partially (Chromium is)—>Yes—>Yes
Summary and Verdict
Steel Browser presents itself as a solid, privacy-conscious alternative for users who want the compatibility of Chrome without the Google ecosystem and resource overhead.
Its strengths lie in its claimed privacy policy, integrated ad/tracker blocker, and focus on being lightweight.
Its main weaknesses are its closed-source nature (which prevents independent audit of its claims) and the highly competitive landscape it exists in.
Conclusion: For users seeking a simple, fast, Chromium-based browser that prioritizes privacy out-of-the-box, Steel is a viable option worth testing. However, privacy-conscious users who prioritize transparency may prefer a well-established, open-source alternative like Firefox or Brave, whose codebases can be publicly scrutinized.
