Webclaw vs Wayback Machine
A side-by-side look at the Webclaw and Wayback Machine MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Webclaw for other tools and integrations work as a local process; choose Wayback Machine for search & data extraction as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Webclaw when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Other Tools and Integrations domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
scrape, crawl, map.
Choose Wayback Machine when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Search & Data Extraction domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
save_url, get_archived_url, search_archives.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Other Tools and Integrations | Search & Data Extraction |
| Quality signal | 71/100 · Great | 60/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Free | Not declared |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 2,373 | 57 |
| Directory activity | 13 views 2 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 10 | 7 |
| Full listing | View Webclaw | View Wayback Machine |
Tools & capabilities
Webclaw tools 10
scrapeExtract one URL as markdown, text, JSON, LLM format, or HTMLcrawlFollow same-origin links and extract discovered pagesmapDiscover URLs without extracting every pagebatchScrape multiple URLs in parallelextractConvert page content into structured datasummarizeSummarize a pagediffCompare page content snapshotsbrandExtract colors, fonts, logos, and metadatasearchSearch the web and scrape resultsresearchMulti-source research workflow
Wayback Machine tools 7
save_urlArchive a URL to the Wayback Machine using the SPN2 API.get_archived_urlRetrieve an archived snapshot's content and metadata.search_archivesSearch the CDX API for archived versions of a URL.check_archive_statusCheck archival statistics for a URL — capture counts, yearly breakdowns, and first/last capture dates.list_screenshotsList available screenshots for a URL.compare_snapshotsCompare two archived snapshots of a URL. Fetches the raw content of both and provides a visual diff URL.clear_cacheClear all cached API responses. Use when fresh data is needed or after saving a new URL.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Webclaw
{
"mcpServers": {
"0xmassi-webclaw": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"create-webclaw"
]
}
}
}
Wayback Machine
{
"mcpServers": {
"wayback-machine": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"mcp-wayback-machine"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Webclaw is categorized under Other Tools and Integrations and uses a local stdio subprocess. Wayback Machine belongs to Search & Data Extraction and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Webclaw for other tools and integrations work and Wayback Machine for search & data extraction.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client.
Webclaw is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. Wayback Machine has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add 0xmassi-webclaw and wayback-machine as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Webclaw has a quality signal of 71/100 (Great) with 13 views, 2 installs and 2,373 GitHub stars. Wayback Machine has 60/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 57 GitHub stars.
