A browser automation alternative free to start
Most AI browser tools bill every run against a hosted browser and hand back a task summary. Kane CLI runs on your local Chrome, takes a plain-English objective, self-heals on UI changes, and returns a verified pass or fail. Free to install.
or read the documentation
Why teams switch browser automation tools to Kane CLI
Many AI browser automation tools price every run against a hosted browser and return an open-ended summary rather than a verdict. That gets expensive in the inner loop and in CI, and it leaves you unsure whether the flow actually worked.
Kane CLI runs on your local Chrome and returns a verified pass or fail. You give it intent, it drives a real browser, adapts when the UI shifts, asserts each step, and reports evidence with standard CI exit codes.
Runs use KaneAI credits, with no separate CLI plan to buy and no lock-in: export any validated flow to native Playwright with one command, and scale to cross-browser cloud runs only when you need them.
Kane CLI vs typical AI browser tools
Free to start, verified by default, and no lock-in.
| Capability | Kane CLI (TestMu AI) | Typical AI browser tools |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to start | Free to install; start with 10,000 free credits | Often billed per run on a hosted browser |
| Authoring model | Plain-English objectives, no selectors | Prompts, scripts, or low-level tool calls |
| Verified pass or fail | Built-in assertions, returns pass or fail | Often a task summary, not a test result |
| Resilience when the UI changes | Autoheals and retries up to 50 steps | Varies |
| Agent-native output | --agent emits structured NDJSON | Varies |
| CI exit codes | 0 pass, 1 fail, 2 error, 3 timeout | Varies |
| Evidence and reporting | Video, step trace, shareable links, dashboard | Varies |
| Pricing model | Runs use KaneAI credits, no separate CLI plan | Often per-seat or per-run |
| Lock-in | Exports validated flows to Playwright | Often proprietary |
| Scale when needed | One flag for cross-browser and OS on the grid | Varies |
What you get with Kane CLI
Local-first runs, a test contract, and no lock-in.
Free to start, local by default
Install at no cost and start with 10,000 free credits, valid for 30 days. Runs drive your own Chrome, so the inner loop needs no hosted browser.
No selectors to maintain
Describe the journey in plain English once and Kane CLI plans the steps and drives a real Chrome. No scripts to write means no scripting cost as the UI evolves.
A verdict, not a task summary
Built-in assertions check each step and flag the exact point of failure, so every local run returns a real pass or fail instead of an open-ended report.
Agent-native at no extra cost
Run with --agent and the output becomes structured NDJSON an AI coding agent reads line by line, with screenshots on failure, so agents drive verified runs without a hosted browser.
No lock-in, code you own
Export any validated flow to native Playwright and keep it. There is no separate Kane CLI plan to buy, and no proprietary format to stay locked into.
Scale when you need to
Start locally, then send the same flow across browsers and operating systems on the TestMu AI grid with one flag. Local and cloud runs both use KaneAI credits from your TestMu AI account.
Build up confidence locally
Start in your terminal
Validate on the cloud
Release with confidence
Built for agents and humans, on one engine
Kane CLI and KaneAI share the same automation engine and dashboard.
Start free, no card required
Spin up real browser automation on your local Chrome with 10,000 free credits, valid for 30 days. Run end to end and prove the tool out before a single dollar is spent.
No separate CLI plan
Kane CLI has no paid plan of its own. Every run, on your local Chrome or on the TestMu AI grid, uses KaneAI credits from your TestMu AI account, and each run reports the credits it consumed.
Walk away with your own code
No lock-in means no hostage situation. Export any validated flow to native Playwright with one command and own real automation code outright, whenever you decide to.
Switch to Kane CLI in three steps
Install free
Run npm install -g @testmuai/kane-cli and sign in with your TestMu AI account. No credit card needed. Your local Chrome powers every run, and you start with 10,000 free credits.
Describe the flow
Write the journey in plain English, with no selectors or scripts to maintain. Run it from the terminal or hand it to your AI coding agent with the --agent flag.
Run locally, scale when ready
Each local run returns a verified pass or fail with evidence and a shareable link. Reach for the cloud grid only when you want cross-browser coverage.
Get the technical rundown
Documentation
Everything you need to install, configure, and run Kane CLI in under 2 minutes.
Frequently asked questions
Kane CLI by TestMu AI is a free-to-start alternative to paid AI browser automation tools. Where most tools meter every run against a hosted browser, Kane CLI runs on your own local Chrome, takes a plain-English objective, self-heals when the UI changes, and hands back a verified pass or fail. Runs use KaneAI credits from your TestMu AI account, and you can start free with 10,000 credits, valid for 30 days. You only reach for the cloud grid when you actually need cross-browser and OS coverage.
Installing Kane CLI is free, and there is no separate Kane CLI plan to buy. Runs use KaneAI credits from your TestMu AI account, on your own local Chrome or on the TestMu AI cloud grid, and each run reports the credits it consumed. Start free with 10,000 credits, valid for 30 days, and try your inner loop and CI smoke checks without a credit card.
It removes the upfront cost and the lock-in. You write what you want in natural language instead of selectors, you get a verified pass or fail instead of an open-ended task summary, and it stays agent-native by emitting structured NDJSON under the --agent flag. Start locally with 10,000 free credits, and when you want real code you own, export to Playwright.
Yes, and that is the no-lock-in guarantee. Any validated flow exports to native Python Playwright with one command, so even though you author in plain English on a local run, you can walk away with real automation code you own outright. Nothing is trapped in a proprietary format.
Yes. Authenticate with your TestMu AI credentials, pass --headless and --timeout, and read the exit code in your pipeline: 0 on pass, 1 on fail, 2 on setup or auth errors, and 3 on timeout.
The CLI is free to install. Runs use KaneAI credits from your TestMu AI account, on your own machine or on the TestMu AI cloud grid. Start free with 10,000 credits, valid for 30 days, and run end to end without a credit card.
Teach your agent the right skills
Point your AI coding agent at the Kane CLI guide and it will install, authenticate, and run verified browser flows on its own.
Point your agent to: testmuai.com/kane-cli-agent/AGENTS.md