Browser vs Playwright MCP Server
A side-by-side look at the Browser and Playwright MCP Server MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Browser for browser automation work; choose Playwright MCP Server for browser automation as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Browser when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Browser Automation domain.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
Choose Playwright MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Browser Automation domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
start_codegen_session, end_codegen_session, get_codegen_session.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Browser Automation | Browser Automation |
| Quality signal | 43/100 · Fair | 67/100 · Great |
| Install command | Not confirmed yet | Confirmed |
| Transport | — | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | No auth required |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 36,641 | 5,667 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 2 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | Not listed | 33 |
| Full listing | View Browser | View Playwright MCP Server |
Tools & capabilities
Browser tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
Playwright MCP Server tools 33
start_codegen_sessionStart a new code generation session to record Playwright actionsend_codegen_sessionEnd a code generation session and generate the test fileget_codegen_sessionGet information about a code generation sessionclear_codegen_sessionClear a code generation session without generating a testplaywright_navigateNavigate to a URLplaywright_screenshotTake a screenshot of the current page or a specific elementplaywright_clickClick an element on the pageplaywright_iframe_clickClick an element in an iframe on the pageplaywright_iframe_fillFill an element in an iframe on the pageplaywright_fillfill out an input fieldplaywright_selectSelect an element on the page with Select tagplaywright_hoverHover an element on the page- +21 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.
Browser
No confirmed install command for Browser yet — follow the setup steps linked from its listing page rather than a guessed package name.
Playwright MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"executeautomation-playwright-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@executeautomation/playwright-mcp-server"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Browser is categorized under Browser Automation and uses an install path we have not confirmed yet. Playwright MCP Server belongs to Browser Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Browser for browser automation work and Playwright MCP Server for browser 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. Browser has no confirmed install command yet — follow its own setup instructions.
Browser is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. Playwright MCP Server 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 lightpanda-io-browser and executeautomation-playwright-mcp-server as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Browser has a quality signal of 43/100 (Fair) with 0 views, 0 installs and 36,641 GitHub stars. Playwright MCP Server has 67/100 (Great) with 2 views, 0 installs and 5,667 GitHub stars.
