What is a remote browser for web scraping?
A remote browser is a browser that runs on a cloud server instead of your local machine. You control it through an API or CLI, and it handles JavaScript rendering, interactions, and dynamic content without any local setup.
| Factor | Local Browser | Remote Browser |
|---|---|---|
| Resources | High CPU and RAM locally | Runs on cloud servers |
| Setup | Install Chromium, configure drivers | API call or CLI command |
| Scaling | Limited by local hardware | Hundreds of parallel sessions |
| Security | Runs on your infrastructure | Isolated per session |
Use it for scraping dynamic sites, multi-step flows (logins, forms, pagination), or giving AI agents a browser to work with.
Firecrawl Browser Sandbox provides remote browsers out of the box. Each session is isolated, disposable, and pre-loaded with Playwright. No Chromium to install, no infrastructure to manage.