Browserbase vs Axiom: Which Browser Automation Tool Fits Your Needs? (December 2025)

Suchintan Singh

13 Dec 2025 • 7 min read

You need browser automation, and you're weighing Browserbase vs Axiom to figure out which one fits. As 66% of businesses automate at least one process and the automation market grows from $13 billion in 2024 to a projected $23.9 billion by 2029, the real question isn't which is better overall, it's which is better for your specific situation. Are you a developer who needs API access and infinite scaling, or are you looking for a visual tool that requires zero coding? Browserbase connects your Playwright or Puppeteer scripts to cloud-based browsers. Axiom records your browser actions and replays them through a Chrome extension. One requires code, the other doesn't. One scales infinitely, the other has tier-based limits. Let's compare them directly.

TLDR:

Browserbase offers cloud browser infrastructure for developers using code-based frameworks
Axiom provides no-code Chrome extension automation through visual workflow recording
Browserbase scales to thousands of concurrent sessions; Axiom limits depend on subscription tier
Both require manual updates when websites change unless you implement AI-driven automation
Skyvern uses LLMs and computer vision to automate workflows that adapt to website changes

What Browserbase Is and How It Works

Browserbase provides cloud-based headless browser infrastructure for developers building web automation workflows and AI agents. Instead of managing your own browser instances, you connect to Browserbase's servers through APIs and access remote browsers that run in their cloud environment. The service integrates with existing automation frameworks like Playwright, Puppeteer, and Selenium. You write code using these frameworks as usual, but instead of spinning up local browsers, your scripts connect to Browserbase's managed infrastructure.

Browserbase targets developers who need to run browser automation at scale. It handles infrastructure challenges like browser session management, proxy rotation, and anti-bot detection measures. You get API access to configure and control browser sessions, but there's no visual interface or no-code builder. Everything happens through code and API calls.

What Axiom Is and How It Works

Axiom is a Chrome extension for browser automation that works through visual workflow building. You record actions by clicking through websites, and the extension captures these steps for later replay. The tool serves non-technical users who need to automate repetitive web tasks without writing code. Marketers scraping lead data, researchers collecting information, and business teams filling out forms can build workflows through a visual interface.

You click a record button, perform actions in your browser, and Axiom captures each step. The extension identifies elements you interact with and converts them into a workflow. You can add logic, loops, and conditions through dropdown menus and form fields.

Workflows run directly in your browser tab, executing as if you were manually clicking through pages. The extension handles data extraction, form filling, and multi-page navigation by simulating user behavior. This recording and playback model works well for straightforward, repetitive tasks on familiar websites.

Technical Implementation Requirements

Selecting a browser automation tool, though, requires an understanding of the requirements for implementation. If getting the tool up-and-running exceeds the skills (or available time) of your internal engineers, you might be better served with a different tools. So how difficult, or easy, are Browserbase and Axiom to get implemented?

Browserbase requires programming knowledge and familiarity with existing automation frameworks. You need to set up an API key, configure connection endpoints, and write code that directs your Playwright, Puppeteer, or Selenium scripts to remote browser instances instead of local ones. This approach gives developers full control over browser behavior, custom logic, and complex workflows. You can programmatically handle edge cases, integrate with other systems, and build sophisticated automation pipelines. Non-technical team members can't contribute or modify workflows without coding skills.
Axiom eliminates technical barriers by requiring only a Chrome extension installation. You interact with a visual interface where clicks, form fills, and navigation steps are recorded automatically. Building workflows happens through dropdown menus and configuration panels, not code editors. The accessibility comes with limitations. You're fenced in by what the visual builder supports. Custom logic, complex conditionals, and integration with external systems become difficult or impossible.

Scalability and Execution Limitations

When using browser automation, scalability is a major concern. So how do these two solutions handle scale?

Browserbase's serverless architecture spins up thousands of browsers in milliseconds, allocating 4 vCPUs per instance. Multiple browser sessions run concurrently without manual server management. If you're processing hundreds or thousands of tasks simultaneously, Browserbase handles the infrastructure. Browserbase suits developers building automation products that need elastic scaling. Your code triggers browser sessions on demand, and infrastructure scales based on workload. This matters when automation volume fluctuates or grows unexpectedly.
Axiom's Chrome extension runs automations locally in your browser or through cloud execution. Runtime limits and concurrent bot restrictions depend on your subscription tier. Lower tiers cap workflow runs at specific time limits, while higher tiers allow longer execution windows and more simultaneous bots. Axiom works for defined, predictable automation needs. You schedule workflows to run at specific intervals or trigger them manually. Your subscription tier determines concurrent bot capacity and execution duration. Growing automation requirements means upgrading plans instead of elastic resource allocation.

Handling Website Changes and Maintenance

Websites change all the time. That's why pegging automation scripts to specific structural elements is a recipe for disaster, as explained in our guide on browser automation. Good browser automation tools will adjust dynamically to shifting layouts and website designs. This allows your automation scripts to work unhindered even when websites change.

Browserbase provides infrastructure for automation frameworks, supporting both traditional selector-based scripts and newer AI-driven approaches. If your Playwright script uses fixed selectors, you'll face the same maintenance burden as Axiom when websites change. The infrastructure allows you to switch to AI agents that adapt to layout changes without rewriting selectors.
AI-powered automation uses visual understanding and reasoning instead of predetermined element paths. When websites update, these systems identify elements through context, not fixed identifiers. The tradeoff is occasional hallucinations where AI agents misinterpret pages or take incorrect actions. Traditional scripts never hallucinate but require constant updates.

Authentication and Complex Workflow Support

Lots of websites include authentication and other elements that complicate the workflow. Understanding how your browser automation tool can support those complex workflows is critical to selecting the right tool.

Browserbase supports 2FA, TOTP authentication, and proxy networks with geographic targeting. Developers code authentication flows directly into their scripts, controlling credential handling, authentication challenge triggers, and workflow responses to different states. This coded approach handles complex scenarios like conditional 2FA, device fingerprinting workflows, and multi-system login sequences. You write the logic, test edge cases, and build error handling for your specific requirements.
Axiom handles authentication through its visual builder. You record login sequences, store credentials in the workflow, and configure form-filling steps through dropdown menus. The extension automates basic username and password flows, with webhooks available for external system integration. Complex authentication becomes challenging without code. Multi-factor authentication requiring dynamic token generation, conditional login flows based on account state, or authentication sequences that vary by user type strain the visual builder. You're limited to menu configurations instead of programmed logic.

For straightforward login automation across consistent websites, Axiom's visual approach works. When authentication involves multiple steps, conditional logic, or integration with security systems, Browserbase's coded infrastructure provides the needed flexibility.

Skyvern: AI-Powered Browser Automation That Adapts

We built Skyvern to close the gap between API-only infrastructure and visual automation tools. Our API includes an AI automation layer that uses LLMs and computer vision to identify elements visually, not through selectors that break when websites update.

Skyvern handles complex reasoning through API calls without visual builder constraints. You can automate 2FA flows, chain multi-step workflows, and extract data with structured schemas. The same workflow works across multiple websites without prior testing.

We offer open-source and managed cloud options. The managed version includes anti-bot detection, parallel execution, and proxy networks with geographic targeting.

Final thoughts on selecting automation infrastructure

Browserbase and Axiom take opposite approaches to the same problem. If you're comparing Browserbase and Axiom for your automation needs, think about who will build and maintain your workflows. Code-based tools offer more power but require developer time, while visual builders trade flexibility for accessibility.

FAQ

What's the main difference between Browserbase and Axiom?

Browserbase provides cloud infrastructure for developers to run coded automation scripts at scale using frameworks like Playwright or Selenium, while Axiom is a Chrome extension that lets non-technical users build automations through visual recording and playback without writing code.

When should I choose a coded solution over a visual automation tool?

Choose coded solutions when you need complex authentication flows, conditional logic based on dynamic conditions, or workflows that must integrate with external systems and APIs. Visual tools work better for straightforward, repetitive tasks on familiar websites.

How does AI-powered automation handle website changes differently?

AI-powered automation identifies elements through visual understanding and context instead of fixed selectors, so it adapts when websites update their layouts. Traditional selector-based scripts break when element identifiers change and require manual updates to fix.

Can Browserbase run thousands of automation tasks simultaneously?

Yes, Browserbase's serverless architecture spins up thousands of browser instances in milliseconds with 4 vCPUs each, making it suitable for elastic scaling when automation volume fluctuates or grows unexpectedly.

What authentication methods can browser automation tools handle?

Coded solutions like Browserbase support complex authentication including 2FA, TOTP, conditional login flows, and device fingerprinting through custom scripts, while visual builders like Axiom handle basic username and password flows through recorded sequences.