What is the key difference between MCP Inspector and MCP Shodan?

MCP Inspector belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution, while MCP Shodan belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution.

How do I install MCP Inspector or MCP Shodan in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are MCP Inspector and MCP Shodan free or paid?

MCP Inspector operates under a Freemium model (API Key required). MCP Shodan operates under a BYOK (Pay Provider Direct) model (API Key required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

MCP Inspector lists 5 tools with 3 views and 1 GitHub stars. MCP Shodan lists 22 tools with 4 views and 171 GitHub stars.

Can I use both MCP Inspector and MCP Shodan together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

MCP Inspector vs MCP Shodan

In-depth architectural comparison of the MCP Inspector and MCP Shodan MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

MCP Inspector

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 57/100 (Good) | Auth: API Key required

MCP Shodan

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 63/100 (Good) | Auth: API Key required

Verdict Summary: Choose MCP Inspector if you need specialized Security tools running via a local process. Choose MCP Shodan if your workspace requires Security integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose MCP Inspector when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (Freemium).
You have access to required keys: GRIDINSOFT_API_KEY.
Primary tools included: inspect_domain, check_domain_safety, get_domain_reputation.

Explore MCP Inspector Details

Choose MCP Shodan when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (BYOK (Pay Provider Direct)).
You have access to required keys: SHODAN_API_KEY.
Primary tools included: ip_lookup, ip, shodan_search.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	MCP Inspector gridinsoft Security	MCP Shodan BurtTheCoder Security
Summary	MCP server for domain and URL security analysis powered by GridinSoft Inspector, enabling AI agents to verify website and link safety.	MCP server for querying the Shodan API and Shodan CVEDB. This server provides tools for IP lookups, device searches, DNS lookups, vulnerability queries, CPE lookups, and more.
Category & Scope	Security

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

MCP Inspector Tools (5)

inspect_domain

Comprehensive domain security profile. Essential for checking if a site is safe, trustworthy, or a scam. Returns reputation (0-100), security verdicts, hosting info, and risk tags. Use this tool when users ask about site reliability, trust, or safety.

check_domain_safety

Semantic alias for inspect_domain. Quick check if a website is safe, malicious, or a scam. Returns reputation score and security verdict.

get_domain_reputation

Semantic alias for inspect_domain. Get the trust and reputation score (0-100) for a domain.

scan_url

Deep forensic URL analysis. Detects phishing, malware, and fraudulent redirects. Use this to verify specific links, login pages, or suspicious URLs. Provides forensic data including screenshots and network traffic analysis.

get_balance

Check remaining API credits and subscription plan status

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

MCP Inspector Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gridinsoft-mcp-inspector": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@gridinsoft/mcp-inspector"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GRIDINSOFT_API_KEY": "YOUR_GRIDINSOFT_API_KEY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

MCP Shodan Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "burtthecoder-mcp-shodan": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@burtthecoder/mcp-shodan"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SHODAN_API_KEY": "YOUR_SHODAN_API_KEY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

MCP Inspector is categorized under Security and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, MCP Shodan belongs to Security using local stdio subprocess. Select MCP Inspector when you need capabilities focused on security and MCP Shodan when you require tools for security.

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