Reliable
Every step is checked before the next
Independent Judges read the screen and confirm a step worked before Sai moves on. That is how Sai reached 79.38% on OSWorld 2.1, the highest partial score on the official leaderboard.
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Simular API vs Gemini Computer Use
Gemini Computer Use is a built-in tool in Gemini 3.x Flash models: the model returns actions for a browser, desktop or Android device, and your code executes them. The Simular API gives you the finished agent on a ready computer. Send a task in plain English and get the result back.
- Highest partial score on OSWorld 2.1
- 79.38%
- per task, the only cost published on the leaderboard
- $14.34
- to add Sai to Claude Code, Codex or Cursor
- 1 command
Simular API vs Gemini Computer Use, side by side
As of October 2026
| Capability | Simular API | Gemini Computer Use |
|---|---|---|
| What you get | ||
| Product | A working computer-use agent (Sai) behind one API | A computer-use tool built into Gemini 3.x Flash models (no hosted agent) |
| Computer included | Hosted Windows cloud computer, or your own Mac or Windows with the Sai desktop app | No. You bring the browser, VM or device (Browserbase is a partner option) |
| Operating systems | Windows in the cloud; macOS and Windows on your own machine. No Linux | Browser, desktop and Android environments |
| Native desktop apps | Yes: desktop apps on Windows and macOS, not just a browser | Yes via desktop mode; your code executes the OS actions |
| Agent loop and action execution | Built in: send a task in plain English, get the result | No. You execute each action and return screenshots |
| Setup / time to first task | Create an API key, add one MCP command (about a minute) | API key, sandbox, executor and loop (reference repo: Python + Playwright) |
| Reliability and cost | ||
| Benchmark | Highest partial score on the official OSWorld 2.1 leaderboard: 79.38% (Sai w/ Claude Opus 5, 500 steps, Oct 2026). Binary success 41.67%, #2 behind Claude Opus 5 (44.33%). Trajectories public on Hugging Face | OSWorld-2.0: 3.8 Flash 59.0% (Sep 2026). OSWorld-Verified: 3.5 Flash 78.4% (May 2026) |
| Step verification | Independent Judges check the screen before each next step | Not built in; up to your loop |
| Pricing | Credits per request. Free plan: one shared Windows cloud computer with daily limits. Paid: dedicated computers and top-ups. | Per token: 3.8 Flash $0.75 in / $3.75 out per 1M (intro price until Dec 31, 2026) |
| Cost per task / cost drivers | $14.34 per OSWorld 2.1 task, the only leaderboard entry with a published cost (OSWorld 2.0: $15.70) | Screenshot tokens (258 per 768×768 tile) plus thinking and output tokens, plus your compute |
| Repeat runs | Learns a workflow once, then replays it as self-healing code: up to 90% fewer tokens on repetitive tasks | Generic context caching only; no saved workflows |
| Control and safety | ||
| Human approval | Built in: approve, approve for this task, or deny; link-only approvals for sign-ins and credentials | safety_decision require_confirmation / blocked; your app must honor it |
| Live view / takeover | Live view to watch tasks and answer approvals. No manual takeover | Not provided; you build it (Browserbase has its own live view) |
| Data and compliance | SOC 2 Type II and HIPAA. Runs on Simular's cloud computer or your own machine. | Environment is yours; paid-tier data not used for training; free tier data is |
| Operations | ||
| Sessions and persistence | Context carries across tasks on a computer; reset with new-session. | Stateless API; you keep state (1M-token context) |
| Concurrency and limits | One task per computer at a time; 60 messages per hour; paid plans add dedicated computers | Standard Gemini API rate limits per project and tier |
| Fit in your stack | ||
| Coding agents / MCP | Official MCP server (@simular-ai/sai-mcp) for Claude Code, Codex, Cursor and any stdio MCP client | No computer-use MCP found |
| Model choice | Model-agnostic: Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, MiniMax, xAI, OpenRouter, or auto | Gemini models only (3.8 Flash recommended) |
| SDKs / languages | HTTP API (curl, Python, Node examples) plus the MCP server on npm | Python, JavaScript/TS, Java, Go, REST; Vertex AI |
| Free tier | Yes: free plan includes a shared Windows cloud computer (daily limits) | Yes: free tier with rate limits (data used to improve products) |
What unifies the Simular API
Four things every task gets, without extra code.
Efficient
Learn once, repeat for less
The first run works the task out. After that, Sai replays it as self-healing code instead of reasoning through every screen, using up to 90% fewer tokens on repetitive tasks.
Ready
A whole computer, already running
Sai works on a hosted Windows cloud computer, or on your own Mac or Windows machine. It opens apps, clicks and types in desktop software that has no API. No VMs or display drivers to manage.
Composable
Plugs into the agents you already use
Add Sai to Claude Code, Codex or Cursor with one MCP command, or call one HTTP endpoint from any language. It pauses for your approval before sign-ins and other sensitive steps.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between the Simular API and Gemini Computer Use?
Gemini Computer Use is a tool built into Gemini 3.x Flash models: the model proposes actions and your code executes them in a browser, VM or device, then returns screenshots. The Simular API is a complete agent: you send a task in plain English and Sai does the work on a ready computer, with step checks and approvals built in.
Which Gemini model supports computer use?
Computer use became a built-in tool in Gemini 3.5 Flash on June 24, 2026, and Google now recommends Gemini 3.8 Flash. The standalone gemini-2.5-computer-use-preview model was shut down on July 28, 2026.
Does Gemini Computer Use work on desktop and Android?
Yes. It supports browser, desktop and Android environments, but your code executes the operating-system actions. Sai works on a hosted Windows cloud computer or your own Mac or Windows machine, including desktop apps that have no API.
How much does Gemini Computer Use cost?
You pay per token: Gemini 3.8 Flash is $0.75 per 1M input and $3.75 per 1M output tokens at its introductory price (until December 31, 2026), with screenshots counted as image tokens, plus the compute you run. The Simular API is billed in credits per request, and on OSWorld 2.1 Sai completed tasks at $14.34 each.
Do I need Browserbase or Playwright for Gemini Computer Use?
You need an environment of your own. Google’s reference repository runs a local Playwright browser or Browserbase, and you write the executor and loop. With the Simular API the computer, executor and loop are included.
How do the benchmark scores compare?
Sai’s 79.38% is the highest partial score on the official OSWorld 2.1 leaderboard. Google reports Gemini on OSWorld-2.0 (3.8 Flash, 59.0%) and OSWorld-Verified (3.5 Flash, 78.4%). These are different versions of the benchmark, so the numbers are not directly comparable.
When is Gemini Computer Use the better choice?
When token price matters most, you want a free tier, you need one model across browser, desktop and Android, and you are happy to run the environment yourself. Choose the Simular API when you want a working agent without building the executor, loop and confirmation flow.
How do I get started with the Simular API?
Sign in at platform.simular.ai and create an API key. Add Sai to Claude Code, Codex or Cursor with one MCP command, or call the HTTP API from any language. The free plan includes a shared Windows cloud computer with daily limits.
Skip the harness. Ship the agent.
Get an API key in a minute, or talk to us about running Sai at scale.