Kernel vs SteelBrowser Benchmark Comparison
Kernel was ahead in both shared browser benchmarks.
- Shared benchmarks
- 2
- Last run
- October 30, 2026
Scorecard
Median of each benchmark's primary metric; lower is better for Browser lifecycle and higher is better for Browser throughput. Medians within 5% count as roughly even, and a benchmark gets no verdict when either provider completed fewer than 50% of runs.
| Benchmark | Kernel | Steel | Result | Ratio |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Browser lifecycle Total lifecycle time · Run October 30, 2026 | 0.22s 100% success | 1.23s 98% success | Kernel faster | 5.69x |
| Browser throughput Actions per second · Run October 30, 2026 | 5.86 actions/s 99% success | 3.64 actions/s 92% success | Kernel higher throughput | 1.61x |
Browser lifecycle
Run October 30, 2026Time to create, connect to, navigate and release a headless browser session, over 100 iterations per run.
Total lifecycle time
Kernel had a 5.69x lower median total lifecycle time (0.22s vs 1.23s for Steel).
Median total lifecycle time over time
80 runs from May 5, 2026 to October 30, 2026.
Browser throughput
Run October 30, 2026Sequential actions completed per second inside a running headless browser session: 10 actions across 100 sessions.
Actions per second
Kernel
99% successSteel
92% successKernel had a 1.61x higher median actions per second (5.86 actions/s vs 3.64 actions/s for Steel).
Median actions per second over time
29 runs from June 24, 2026 to October 30, 2026.
Methodology
- One workload, every provider. The same script, payload, and model hit every provider, addressed the way its own API expects. Nobody gets a tuned or special path.
- Repeated on a schedule. Every suite runs many iterations per provider, automated on a recurring schedule, so results reflect steady state rather than one lucky request.
- Raw results published. Every run is committed as JSON to the public benchmarks repo, next to the code that produced it. Nothing is cherry-picked or held back.
- How this comparison is built. Each benchmark compares the two providers' medians; results within 5% count as roughly even. A comparison is published only when both providers completed at least 50% of runs in 2 or more shared benchmarks run in the last 30 days.
Frequently asked questions
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Kernel was ahead in both shared browser benchmarks. In Browser lifecycle (October 30, 2026), Kernel had a median total lifecycle time of 0.22s versus 1.23s for Steel, 5.69x faster. In Browser throughput (October 30, 2026), Kernel had a median actions per second of 5.86 actions/s versus 3.64 actions/s for Steel, 1.61x higher throughput.