Browserbase explains when to use each of its three complementary APIs for web agents: the Search API serves as a discovery layer for finding relevant pages, the Fetch API provides fast lightweight page reading without spawning a full browser, and the Browser API enables full web interaction including clicking, scrolling, and form-filling for JavaScript-heavy pages. The recommended workflow is Search then Fetch then Browser, minimizing costs by using lightweight primitives first and deploying full browser automation only when necessary.