What is the key difference between MCP Inspector and Contrastapi?

MCP Inspector belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution, while Contrastapi belongs to the Security category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution.

How do I install MCP Inspector or Contrastapi 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 Contrastapi free or paid?

MCP Inspector operates under a Freemium model (API Key required). Contrastapi operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

MCP Inspector lists 5 tools with 3 views and 1 GitHub stars. Contrastapi lists 6 tools with 3 views and 34 GitHub stars.

Can I use both MCP Inspector and Contrastapi 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 Contrastapi

In-depth architectural comparison of the MCP Inspector and Contrastapi 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

Contrastapi

Security · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 55/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose MCP Inspector if you need specialized Security tools running via a local process. Choose Contrastapi if your workspace requires Security integration with remote web transport. 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 Contrastapi when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: 55 MCP tools for security intelligence, CVE, CWE, EPSS, and CISA KEV lookups, Domain, IP, IOC, and OSINT investigation.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	MCP Inspector gridinsoft Security	Contrastapi UPinar Security
Summary	MCP server for domain and URL security analysis powered by GridinSoft Inspector, enabling AI agents to verify website and link safety.	Security intelligence API with 31 MCP tools for CVE/EPSS/KEV lookup, domain recon (DNS/WHOIS/SSL/subdomains/CT logs), IOC/threat intel, OSINT (email/phone/username), and code security scanning (secrets, injection). Free 100 req/hr.
Category & Scope

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"
      }
    }
  }
}

Contrastapi Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "upinar-contrastapi": {
      "url": "https://api.contrastcyber.com/mcp/"
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

MCP Inspector is categorized under Security and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Contrastapi belongs to Security using remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. Select MCP Inspector when you need capabilities focused on security and Contrastapi when you require tools for security.

More alternatives to MCP Inspector More alternatives to Contrastapi Security category hub