Expo Android MCP vs Ios Sim MCP
A side-by-side look at the Expo Android MCP and Ios Sim MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Expo Android MCP for os automation work as a local process; choose Ios Sim MCP for os automation as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Expo Android MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the OS Automation domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
ADB_PATH, ADB_SERIAL, ADB_TIMEOUT_MS, ADB_MAX_BUFFER_MB, ADB_DEBUG, MCP_TRANSPORT, PORT. - You want tools like
devices, doctor, setDevice.
Choose Ios Sim MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the OS Automation domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
list_simulators, use_simulator, snapshot.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | OS Automation | OS Automation |
| Quality signal | 52/100 · Good | 52/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | Not declared |
| Pricing | Not declared | Not declared |
| Required env vars | ADB_PATHADB_SERIALADB_TIMEOUT_MSADB_MAX_BUFFER_MBADB_DEBUGMCP_TRANSPORTPORT | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 4 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 17 | 26 |
| Full listing | View Expo Android MCP | View Ios Sim MCP |
Tools & capabilities
Expo Android MCP tools 17
deviceslist connected devices and emulators.doctorvalidate adb availability and show connected devices.setDeviceoverride the active device serial for this MCP process.inspectUI dump parsed into elements with a summary (screenshot optional).screenshotcapture a screenshot only (base64 or file path).findElementreturn elements that match search criteria.tapElementfind an element and tap its center.waitForElementwait until an element appears (optionally with state checks).assertElementverify element existence and state.taptap at x/y coordinates.swipeswipe between coordinates.longPresspress and hold at coordinates.- +5 more on the listing page
Ios Sim MCP tools 26
list_simulatorsList simulators with UDID, state, OS versionuse_simulatorPick a specific UDID (auto-selected if only one is booted)snapshotCapture the AX tree, assign refs `e1..eN`, return compact text rendering. Filters: `interactive` (default), `actionable`, `allfindSearch the snapshot by `id` (AXUniqueId), `label`, `labelContains`, `role`, `actionabletapTap by `{ref}`, `{id}`, or `{x,y}`. Optional `duration` makes it a long-presstype_textType into the focused field. Optional `{ref}` or `{id}` taps-then-types. Auto-routes through paste when the dylib is loaded for byte-perfect input — no iOS autocorrect, no first-letter capitalization. `via: "keystroke"` forces the typing path; `via: "paste"` forces the paste pathpaste_textByte-perfect text via `UIPasteboard` + first-responder `paste:`. Requires the dylib injected. The right answer for emails, passwords, OAuth tokens, anything case-sensitiveview_treeWalk the running app's `UIView` hierarchy on the main thread. Reports class names, frames in window coords, alpha/hidden/interactive, text content, and annotates view-controller boundaries. Strictly richer than `snapshot` — sees custom-drawn views, transient overlays, SwiftUI internals. Filter by `…view_hit_test"What view actually receives a tap at (x,y)?" Returns the topmost view plus the full responder chain up to `UIApplication`. The right debugging tool when a `tap` isn't doing what you expect. Requires dylib injectednetwork_startInstall/remove an `URLProtocol` interceptor + swizzle `URLSessionConfiguration` so every `URLSession`-based HTTP request flowing through the app is recorded. Options: `max_records`, `max_body_bytes`, `filter_url_substring`. Requires dylib injectednetwork_tailReturn the most recent N captured records. Default: one line per request (id, method, status, timing, sizes, URL). `full=true` includes headers + body previews inline. Page forward via `since_idnetwork_get_bodyFetch the full request or response body (up to `max_body_bytes`, default 256KB) for a specific record id. Returns base64 + UTF-8 decode for text bodies- +14 more on the listing page
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.
Expo Android MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"expo-android-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@fndchagas/expo-android"
],
"env": {
"ADB_PATH": "YOUR_ADB_PATH_HERE",
"ADB_SERIAL": "YOUR_ADB_SERIAL_HERE",
"ADB_TIMEOUT_MS": "YOUR_ADB_TIMEOUT_MS_HERE",
"ADB_MAX_BUFFER_MB": "YOUR_ADB_MAX_BUFFER_MB_HERE",
"ADB_DEBUG": "YOUR_ADB_DEBUG_HERE",
"MCP_TRANSPORT": "YOUR_MCP_TRANSPORT_HERE",
"PORT": "YOUR_PORT_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Ios Sim MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"ios-sim-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"ios-sim-mcp"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Expo Android MCP is categorized under OS Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Ios Sim MCP belongs to OS Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Expo Android MCP for os automation work and Ios Sim MCP for os automation.
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.
Expo Android MCP has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Ios Sim MCP 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 expo-android-mcp and ios-sim-mcp as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Expo Android MCP has a quality signal of 52/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 4 GitHub stars. Ios Sim MCP has 52/100 (Good) with 2 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.