Coasty - Computer-Use AI Agent API for Desktop Automation

TL;DR

TL;DR: Coasty is a computer-use API that drives real desktops through a REST endpoint — ranked #1 on the OSWorld benchmark at 85.60% with a $0.05 per predict call price point and 1,000+ pre-built OAuth app integrations.

Source and Accuracy Notes

• Project page: coasty.ai
• Source repository: No public GitHub repository found at time of writing
• License: Proprietary (no open-source license found)
• HN launch thread: Launch HN: Coasty (YC S26) – An API for computer-use agents
• OSWorld benchmark claim: Published on coasty.ai product page — 85.60% completion rate across 369 real-world computer tasks
• Source last checked: 2026-08-12

What Is Coasty?

Coasty is a computer-use AI agent API that controls a real desktop operating system the way a human would — opening browsers, clicking, typing, navigating apps, filling forms, sending emails, and managing spreadsheets autonomously.

Instead of deploying a bot that runs brittle per-process scripts, you call a REST API and Coasty’s AI vision reads the screen and adapts when the UI changes. It sits on the OSWorld benchmark at 85.60% completion rate across 369 real-world tasks, ranking #1 among computer-use agents at time of launch.

The product ships as two things:

1. A managed API (/v1/predict) you call over HTTP — Coasty runs the desktop agent on their infrastructure
2. A desktop app you install — lets you run tasks on your own PC remotely from the dashboard

Coasty positions itself as the AI-native replacement for legacy RPA tools like UiPath, Blue Prism, Automation Anywhere, and Power Automate — arguing those platforms charge per-bot licensing ($15K–$25K/worker/year) and require certified-developer builds, while Coasty deploys from a prepaid wallet with plain-English SOPs.

Setup Workflow

Step 1: Get an API Key

Sign up at coasty.ai to receive free sandbox API keys. The dashboard shows your API key exactly once after creation — save it immediately.

Step 2: Make Your First API Call

Every endpoint accepts an X-API-Key header or an Authorization: Bearer token.

curl https://coasty.ai/v1/predict \
  -H "X-API-Key: $COASTY_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{
    "task": "Open Chrome and search for runany.dev",
    "agent": "desktop"
  }'

The response streams back task status, screenshots, and result data. The base price is $0.05 per /v1/predict call, with published surcharges for certain operations.

Step 3: Connect Pre-Built Integrations

Coasty ships 1,000+ OAuth-secured native app integrations callable in every task:

• Email: Gmail, Outlook
• CRM: Salesforce, HubSpot
• Project management: Linear, Jira, Notion
• Communication: Slack, Teams
• Finance: Stripe, Shopify
• and 990+ more

Integrations are called by name inside the task prompt rather than configured separately.

Step 4: Use the MCP Server

Coasty also ships a 26-tool MCP server for tools that need it:

# Install the MCP server (see docs for latest instructions)
npm install @coasty/mcp-server

The MCP server lets AI assistants (Claude, GPT, etc.) directly invoke Coasty computer-use tasks through the standard Model Context Protocol interface.

Pricing

Coasty uses a prepaid wallet model — no subscription, no per-bot licensing.

• Base price: $0.05 per /v1/predict call
• Billing: Prepaid balance, independent of plan or credits
• Sandbox keys: Free for testing
• First $5: Covered on signup

This compares to legacy RPA pricing which can run $150/bot/month (Power Automate) or $15K–$25K per worker per year (UiPath, Blue Prism).

Practical Evaluation Checklist

• Ranked #1 on OSWorld benchmark (85.60%, 369 tasks)
• 1,000+ OAuth-secured app integrations
• $0.05 base price per predict call
• OpenAPI 3.1 specification published
• Free sandbox keys on signup
• 26-tool MCP server available
• No per-bot or per-Digital-Worker license
• Desktop app for self-hosted execution
• HN launch: news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48922706

Security Notes

• API keys are shown exactly once at creation — store securely
• OAuth integrations use standard OAuth 2.0 flows
• Desktop app execution can be managed from the dashboard
• No open-source repository available for independent security audit at time of writing

FAQ

Q: How does Coasty differ from browser automation tools like Playwright or Puppeteer? A: Playwright and Puppeteer automate specific browser instances through a defined API. Coasty operates at the OS level — its AI vision reads the screen and interacts with any application (desktop apps, legacy software, UIs that don’t expose an API). It adapts when UIs change rather than breaking on DOM differences.

Q: Is there a self-hosted option? A: Yes. You can install the Coasty desktop app and run tasks on your own machine remotely from the dashboard, rather than using Coasty’s managed infrastructure.

Q: Does Coasty have a public GitHub repository? A: No public open-source repository was found at time of writing. Coasty appears to be a proprietary commercial product.

Q: What happens when the prepaid wallet is empty? A: The wallet must be refilled to run billable live operations. Sandbox/test keys work without prepaid balance.

Conclusion

Coasty addresses the gap between brittle RPA scripts and full AI agents that can handle any UI. The $0.05/predict price point and 1,000+ integrations make it accessible compared to legacy RPA licensing, while the OSWorld #1 ranking gives it technical credibility. The managed API route is the fastest path in; the desktop app is the path for data-sensitive workloads that can’t leave your own hardware.

If you need an AI agent that can operate your actual desktop — legacy apps, per-process workflows, screen-based UIs without APIs — Coasty is worth evaluating.

HN launch thread: Launch HN: Coasty (YC S26)