Getting Started with Cloud Browser

Cloud Browser provides remote browser sessions accessible via WebSocket using the Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP). Connect with Puppeteer, Playwright, Selenium, or AI agent frameworks like Browser Use, Stagehand, and Vibium.

Beta Feature: Cloud Browser is currently in beta and available to staff members only.

Key Features

Remote Browser Sessions

Access real Chrome browsers running in the cloud via CDP WebSocket connections

Proxy Integration

Choose between datacenter or residential proxy networks for geo-targeting

OS Fingerprinting

Emulate Windows, macOS, or Linux browser environments

Session Persistence

Maintain browser state across multiple connections with session resume

Human-in-the-Loop

Take manual control of sessions for debugging and CAPTCHA solving

Debug Mode Coming Soon

Record sessions as videos for debugging and analysis

WebSocket Connection

Connect to Cloud Browser using a CDP-compatible WebSocket URL with your API key and optional parameters:

Connection Parameters

Parameter Required Default Description
api_key Yes - Your Scrapfly API key for authentication
proxy_pool No datacenter Proxy network type: datacenter or residential
os No random Operating system fingerprint: linux, windows, or macos
session No - Optional session identifier for maintaining browser state across connections. See Session Resume.
country No - Proxy country code (ISO 3166-1 alpha-2), e.g., us, uk, de
auto_close No true Automatically stop the browser session when the CDP connection disconnects. Set to false to keep the browser alive for reconnection.
timeout No 900 Maximum session duration in seconds (15 minutes default, 30 minutes max). The session will be forcefully terminated after this time.
debug Coming Soon No false Enable session recording for debugging. Records the entire session as a video. See Debug Mode.

Integrations

Cloud Browser uses the standard Chrome DevTools Protocol (CDP), making it compatible with all major browser automation tools and AI agent frameworks.

Quick Start Examples

Puppeteer

Connect to Cloud Browser using Puppeteer's browserWSEndpoint:

Playwright

Connect using Playwright's CDP endpoint:

Python (Playwright)

Connect using Playwright for Python:

Browser Use (AI Agent)

Connect Browser Use AI agent to Cloud Browser:

Billing

Cloud Browser uses a dual-dimension billing model based on:

  • Session Time: Billed per 30 seconds (always rounded up)
  • Bandwidth: Billed per MB consumed (no free threshold)
Time Costs (per 30 seconds)
  • Datacenter 1 credits
  • Residential 1 credits
Bandwidth Costs (per MB)
  • Datacenter 2 credits
  • Residential 10 credits

For detailed billing information and examples, see the Cloud Browser Billing page.

Troubleshooting

Cause: Invalid API key or network connectivity issues.

Solution:

  • Verify your API key is correct
  • Ensure your firewall allows WebSocket connections
  • Check if you're behind a corporate proxy that blocks WebSocket

Cause: Session ID not provided or session expired.

Solution: Always include the same session parameter in the WebSocket URL for persistent sessions.

Note: Sessions expire after 1 hour of inactivity by default.

Cause: Browser session timeout or crash.

Solution:

  • Always call browser.close() to properly terminate sessions
  • Implement reconnection logic in your automation
  • Monitor your scripts for memory leaks or infinite loops

Summary