invisible_dots vs nanobot
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
Self-hosted AI agent that runs on its own virtual computer and browser, with permission controls.
Open source · MIT
Self-hosted personal AI agent in Python that works through a browser, terminal, or chat apps.
The short answer
Choose invisible_dots if you need…
- Developers who want a self-hosted agent and are comfortable with a command-line setup
- People who want an agent to do recurring browser-based tasks on their own machine
- Users who want to control which tools the agent may use through allow, ask or deny permissions
- Hobbyists experimenting with local-first agent setups on Linux or Windows
Choose nanobot if you need…
- People who want a self-hosted personal assistant they can inspect and customize
- Developers who want a small Python agent framework with memory, tools, and MCP support
- Users who want an assistant reachable from chat apps like Telegram, Discord, or Slack
- People who want to summarize PDF, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files with an AI assistant
Side-by-side
| invisible_dots | nanobot | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | AI model / agent | App |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 32.4k | 49.8k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Clone and build from source | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | Python |
| Last code update | 7 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
invisible_dots
invisible_dots is a self-hosted AI agent. You give it tasks in a chat, and it works on a virtual Linux computer it runs itself, with a Firefox browser that keeps its own logins. It can save notes and reusable steps, ask for your approval before sensitive actions, and run recurring jobs. The README says it is an alternative to commercial products such as OpenAI Dots and Grok Bot, and that it is built to avoid anti-bot detection.
nanobot
nanobot is an open-source personal AI assistant you run yourself. You can use it in a browser, a terminal, or chat apps like Telegram or Discord to work with files, remember preferences, and schedule tasks. It does not include a model; you connect it to a supported model provider or a local model server.
Best for
invisible_dots
- Developers who want a self-hosted agent and are comfortable with a command-line setup
- People who want an agent to do recurring browser-based tasks on their own machine
- Users who want to control which tools the agent may use through allow, ask or deny permissions
- Hobbyists experimenting with local-first agent setups on Linux or Windows
nanobot
- People who want a self-hosted personal assistant they can inspect and customize
- Developers who want a small Python agent framework with memory, tools, and MCP support
- Users who want an assistant reachable from chat apps like Telegram, Discord, or Slack
- People who want to summarize PDF, Word, Excel, or PowerPoint files with an AI assistant
Strengths
invisible_dots
- Self-hosted, with an MIT license and the code publicly available
- Permission controls let you approve or block each tool, and pending asks wait in an Inbox
- Tasks and messages are kept across restarts and crashes, according to the README
nanobot
- Self-hosted, and the README says you can inspect and extend the code
- Works across a browser UI, terminal, and many chat channels
- Supports OpenAI-compatible APIs and local models, so you can choose your provider
Not ideal for
invisible_dots
- Non-technical users, since setup requires Node.js, Go, Git, and a hardware-virtualization-capable CPU
- Anyone on hardware without x86-64 virtualization support, which the quickstart lists as required
- People who need a production-stable tool, since the badge in the README says status: alpha
- Anyone who wants to automate sites without permission, since the README's disclaimer asks users to respect site terms and robots.txt
nanobot
- People who want a ready-made hosted service with no setup, since you must supply a model account or local model server
- Non-technical users who are uncomfortable with terminals or configuration, unless they follow the separate non-technical guide
- Teams needing a documented enterprise security model, since the README does not describe one in detail
Trade-offs
invisible_dots
- The README marks the project as alpha, so behavior may change or break
- Setup needs several tools and an OpenRouter API key, and it depends on hardware virtualization
- The README does not clearly explain how the anti-bot evasion claims are verified or their limits
nanobot
- Requires a model provider account or local model hardware, and costs depend on that choice
- The README is truncated and describes current source, which may differ from the stable release
- Setup involves Python and terminal steps for most users
Getting started
invisible_dots
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/feder-cr/invisible_dotsInstall dependencies
npm cinanobot
Install stable release with uv
uv tool install nanobot-aiInstall stable release with pip (inside an activated virtual environment)
python -m pip install nanobot-aiFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between invisible_dots and nanobot?
invisible_dots: Self-hosted AI agent that runs on its own virtual computer and browser, with permission controls. nanobot: Self-hosted personal AI agent in Python that works through a browser, terminal, or chat apps. invisible_dots suits developers who want a self-hosted agent and are comfortable with a command-line setup, while nanobot suits people who want a self-hosted personal assistant they can inspect and customize.
Are invisible_dots and nanobot free?
invisible_dots: Free and open source. nanobot: Free and open source.
Is invisible_dots or nanobot more popular?
nanobot has more GitHub stars (49.8k) than invisible_dots (32.4k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to invisible_dots and nanobot?
Other options people compare them with include OpenHands, Browser Use, GenericAgent, PentAGI, Edict.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.