The open-source CloakBrowser alternative
CloakBrowser is a capable engine-level stealth Chromium with a large following, but the patched binary is closed source. Clearcote is engine-level too, runs a newer Chromium, and ships an open build whose every patch you can read and rebuild.
What is CloakBrowser?
CloakBrowser (by CloakHQ) is a modified Chromium with thin Playwright and Puppeteer wrappers for Python, JavaScript and .NET. Like Clearcote, its stealth lives in compiled C++ patches (87 by its README's count, on Chromium 152 in the current release) rather than injected JavaScript. It is self-hostable locally or in Docker, generates a fingerprint seed at startup, offers a humanized-input mode, and has an open-source (MIT) profile manager, now a desktop app for Windows and macOS. It is popular: about 31,900 GitHub stars and roughly 930,000 PyPI downloads a month. The common ground is real and worth being fair about.
The main difference is openness. The wrappers are MIT-licensed, but the stealth binary and its patches are closed source: you download a prebuilt binary you can't inspect, rebuild or redistribute. The pricing model is now similar to Clearcote's. The latest build is free with a GitHub sign-in for one concurrent session, an older v146 build is a free download, and more concurrency is a subscription (listed from $19/month on a promotional rate at the time of writing, with a three-day free trial). A managed cloud version is available on request.
Clearcote vs CloakBrowser
| Feature | Clearcote | CloakBrowser |
|---|---|---|
| Approach | Engine-level C++/Blink patches | Engine-level C++ patches (87 per its README) |
| Chromium version | 154 (latest build) | 152 |
| Stealth patches | Open build fully readable (BSD-3); the latest build adds private patches | Closed binary; only the wrappers are MIT |
| Reproducible builds | Yes, for the open build | No: opaque prebuilt download |
| Free latest build | Free with GitHub, one browser at a time | Free with GitHub, one session at a time |
| Automation API | Playwright & Puppeteer (Python, Node, .NET), CDP | Playwright & Puppeteer (Python, JS, .NET), CDP |
| Self-host / Docker | Yes: CDP endpoint + official image | Yes: self-run binary + Docker |
| Verification | Open method: CreepJS-audited each release, plus a public 295-check audit | Publishes its own results table; CreepJS not included |
| Paid tier | Pro $49/mo, up to 250 browsers at once | From $19/mo (promotional rate) for more concurrent sessions |
Comparison compiled October 2026. CloakBrowser is wrapper mit; stealth binary closed; details change — check its project for the latest.
Why teams pick Clearcote
A build you can audit
Every patch in Clearcote's open build is readable source, so you can see exactly what changes your browser's identity instead of trusting a binary you can't inspect.
Reproducible
Rebuild the open build from source and confirm the binary matches. There is no opaque download to take on faith.
A newer engine
Clearcote's latest build is on Chromium 154, where CloakBrowser's current build is on 152.
Verifiable, not just asserted
Coherence is checked against open tests, including CreepJS on every release, and anyone can run Clearcote's public 295-check audit against any browser.
When CloakBrowser might be the better pick
- You want a turnkey commercial product with paid support and don't need to audit the binary.
- You need a small number of concurrent sessions at the lowest monthly price.
- You want a profile manager GUI on macOS. CloakBrowser's runs on Windows and macOS; Clearcote's Profile Manager runs on Windows and Linux.
- CloakBrowser is a legitimate engine-level option. If a closed-source model fits your team, it's a capable tool.
FAQ
Is CloakBrowser open source?
Partly. Its Python, JavaScript and .NET wrappers and its profile manager are MIT-licensed on GitHub, but the stealth Chromium binary and its patches are closed source; you can't inspect, rebuild or redistribute them. Clearcote's open build is fully open (BSD-3) and reproducible.
Is CloakBrowser free?
Its latest build is free with a GitHub sign-in for one concurrent session, and an older v146 build is a free download. More concurrent sessions need a subscription, listed from $19/month on a promotional rate at the time of writing; check their site for current prices. Clearcote works the same way for the latest build (free with GitHub, one browser at a time), and its open build is free with no account.
Are Clearcote and CloakBrowser both engine-level?
Yes. Both compile stealth into Chromium as C++ patches rather than injecting JavaScript, and both are self-hostable and Playwright/Puppeteer-compatible. The differences are openness (an open, reproducible build versus a closed binary) and the Chromium version (154 versus 152 at the time of writing).
Related reading
Try the open-source Chromium alternative
Free and open source, a drop-in for Playwright & Puppeteer, coherent down to the TLS handshake.
Free for one browser with GitHub. No card.