Ios Agent vs Agent Device
A side-by-side look at the Ios Agent and Agent Device MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Ios Agent for os automation work as a local process; choose Agent Device for os automation. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Ios Agent when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the OS Automation domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
ios_doctor, ios_list_devices, ios_open_session.
Choose Agent Device when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the OS Automation domain.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | OS Automation | OS Automation |
| Quality signal | 59/100 · Good | 45/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Not confirmed yet |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | — |
| Auth | Not declared | No auth required |
| Pricing | Not declared | Free |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 3 | 5,133 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 5 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 31 | Not listed |
| Full listing | View Ios Agent | View Agent Device |
Tools & capabilities
Ios Agent tools 31
ios_doctorCheck that this machine can drive an iOS device, and say how to fix what it can't. Run this first when a session fails to start, when a device does not appear, or after an Xcode or iOS upgrade. Every failing check comes with a concrete remedy.ios_list_devicesList iOS Simulators and attached physical iPhones available for automation. `ready` is false when something blocks automation; `blockers` says what.ios_open_sessionAttach to a device and start driving it. Boots the simulator or verifies the phone, starts WebDriverAgent, and opens a tuned session. Omitting `device` prefers an already-booted simulator over a connected iPhone, so acting on a real device is always a deliberate choice.ios_session_statusReport the current session: device, foreground app, and safety state.ios_close_sessionRelease the device and shut down its WebDriverAgent runner.ios_list_appsList apps installed on the device, with their bundle identifiers.ios_launch_appBring an app to the foreground and return its screen.ios_terminate_appForce-quit an app.ios_open_urlOpen a URL or deep link. Usually the cheapest way to reach a screen: a deep link skips the navigation an agent would otherwise have to tap through.ios_install_appInstall an app from a local .app or .ipa.ios_observeRead the screen as a compact list of elements with short refs. Each line is one element: `e7 button "Send" @(340,70)`. Pass those refs to the action tools rather than coordinates. If the result says elements were omitted, narrow with `query` or `region` instead of raising `budget`; a smaller answer is usually the more useful one.ios_screenshotCapture the screen as an image. Use this when an element has no accessibility label, when the layout matters, or when `ios_observe` cannot find something you can plainly see. With `annotate_refs` each element is boxed and labelled with its ref, so you can pick one by eye and pass it to an action tool. Annotating re-reads the screen first, so the refs on the image are the current ones rather than whatever was observed last. That costs a tree fetch, and needs the `vision` extra installed.- +19 more on the listing page
Agent Device tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from 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.
Ios Agent
{
"mcpServers": {
"ios-agent": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"ios-mcp"
]
}
}
}
Agent Device
No confirmed install command for Agent Device yet — follow the setup steps linked from its listing page rather than a guessed package name.
Frequently asked questions
Ios Agent is categorized under OS Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Agent Device belongs to OS Automation and uses an install path we have not confirmed yet. Pick Ios Agent for os automation work and Agent Device 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. Agent Device has no confirmed install command yet — follow its own setup instructions.
Ios Agent has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Agent Device is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. 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 ios-agent and agent-device as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Ios Agent has a quality signal of 59/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 3 GitHub stars. Agent Device has 45/100 (Fair) with 5 views, 0 installs and 5,133 GitHub stars.