cua

Open-source infrastructure for training and evaluating AI agents to control full desktop environments.

GrowingOpen SourceLow lock-in

Pricing

Free tier

Flat rate

Adoption

Rising

License

Open Source

Data freshness

Verified · Jul 16, 2026

Overview

What is cua?

Cua provides sandboxes, SDKs, and benchmarks for developing Computer-Use Agents that can operate across macOS, Linux, and Windows. It's essential for researchers and developers working on AI-driven automation in desktop environments.

Key differentiator

Cua stands out by offering a comprehensive open-source solution for training and evaluating AI agents across multiple desktop operating systems, providing unique cross-platform capabilities not found in other tools.

Capability profile

Capability Radar

Ease of StartEcosystemValueMaturityFlexibilityScale Ready

Honest assessment

Strengths & Weaknesses

↑ Strengths

Cross-platform support for macOS, Linux, and Windows.medium

Comprehensive SDKs for developing Computer-Use Agents.medium

Benchmarks to evaluate the performance of AI agents.medium

↓ Weaknesses

Steep learning curve for non-Python developershigh

API requires Python-specific patterns, TypeScript SDK is community-maintained

Frequent breaking changes between versionsmedium

v0.1 to v0.2 migration required rewriting chain definitions

Limited documentation for advanced use caseshigh

Advanced features lack detailed examples and explanations in the official docs

Performance issues on large-scale deploymentsmedium

Known performance degradation when managing a high number of concurrent Computer-Use Agents

Fit analysis

Who is it for?

✓ Best for

Researchers looking to evaluate the performance of AI agents in controlling desktop environments across multiple operating systems.

Developers building automation tools that need to interact with a wide range of desktop applications and interfaces.

✕ Not a fit for

Projects requiring real-time interaction or streaming capabilities, as cua focuses on batch processing and evaluation.

Teams looking for cloud-based solutions, as it is designed for self-hosted environments.

Cost structure

Pricing

Free Tier

Available

Open source — free to use

Starts at

$0

Model

Flat rate

Enterprise

None

Performance benchmarks

How Fast Is It?

Ecosystem

Relationships

Next step

Get Started with cua

Step-by-step setup guide with code examples and common gotchas.

View Setup Guide →