Playwright MCP vs MCP Browser Kit
A side-by-side look at the Playwright MCP and MCP Browser Kit MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Playwright MCPBrowser Automation · Local subprocess (stdio)Official Microsoft Playwright MCP server, enabling LLMs to interact with web pages through structured accessibility snapshots89ExcellentAuth: no auth requiredVerdict: choose Playwright MCP for browser automation work as a local process; choose MCP Browser Kit 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 Playwright MCP 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
browser_close, browser_resize, browser_console_messages.
Choose MCP Browser Kit 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
captureTab, invokeJsFn, openTab.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | Playwright MCP | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Browser Automation | Browser Automation |
| Quality signal | 89/100 · Excellent | 67/100 · Great |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | No auth required | No auth required |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Verified | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 38,558 | 55 |
| Directory activity | 8 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 3 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 25 | 19 |
| Full listing | View Playwright MCP | View MCP Browser Kit |
Tools & capabilities
Playwright MCP tools 25
browser_closeClose the pagebrowser_resizeResize the browser windowbrowser_console_messagesReturns all console messagesbrowser_handle_dialogHandle a dialogbrowser_emulate_mediaEmulate CSS media features for the page, for example switch between the light and dark color scheme. Omitted parameters are left unchanged; null clears an override.browser_evaluateEvaluate JavaScript expression on page or elementbrowser_file_uploadUpload one or multiple filesbrowser_dropDrop files or MIME-typed data onto an element, as if dragged from outside the page. At least one of "paths" or "data" must be provided.browser_findSearch the accessibility snapshot of the current page for text or a regular expression. Returns matching snapshot nodes with a few lines of surrounding context (like search snippets), each shown under its path from the root of the tree, which is cheaper than capturing the whole snapshot when you only need to locate an element and its ref.browser_fill_formFill multiple form fieldsbrowser_press_keyPress a key on the keyboardbrowser_typeType text into editable element- +13 more on the listing page
MCP Browser Kit tools 19
captureTabScreenshot a tab. When: MV2 tabs only; you need pixel coordinates for coordinate tools. How: browserId, windowId, tabId from bk:///context; use returned dimensions to compute x/y. Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId. Returns: value { data (base64 image), width, height, mimeType } — use width/height to scale coordinates. Avoid: calling on manifestVersion 3 — use readable-elements instead.invokeJsFnExecute a JavaScript function body in the page context. When: MV2 only, and only when element/coordinate tools cannot accomplish the task — e.g. setting a native <select> (.value then dispatch change) or a range slider. How: fnBodyCode is the function body only (no function wrapper); use return to send a value back. Example: return document.title; Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId, fnBodyCode. Returns: value.result = whatever you return (must be JSON-serializable). Avoid: on manifestVersion 3; wrapping in function () { ... }.openTabOpen a URL in a new tab. When: navigating to a page not already open. How: browserId and windowId from bk:///context; url must include scheme (https://); after success re-read context for the new tabId and wait for page load. Requires: browserId, windowId, url. Returns: value { browserId, windowId, tabId } — use the returned ids for follow-up calls. Avoid: interacting immediately — tab needs a moment to load.closeTabClose a tab. Irreversible. When: finished with a tab and no further interaction needed. How: browserId, windowId, tabId from bk:///context. Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId. Returns: ok=true once closed. Avoid: closing the tab you still need for further interactions.getSelectionGet the user's current text selection in a tab. When: you need text the user has highlighted on the page. How: browserId, windowId, tabId from bk:///context. Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId. Returns: value.selectedText — empty string when nothing is selected. Avoid: expecting content when nothing is selected.clickOnCoordinatesClick at pixel coordinates inside a tab. When: MV2 fallback when no readablePath is available. How: x/y from a recent captureTab screenshot (same width/height); browserId, windowId, tabId from context. Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId, x, y. Returns: ok=true on success; on ok=false re-capture the tab and recompute x/y. Avoid: on MV3 (no screenshot source); prefer clickOnElement when readablePath exists.fillTextToCoordinatesClick at (x, y) then type text into the focused input. When: MV2 fallback for inputs without a readablePath. How: coordinates from recent captureTab; submit via clickOnCoordinates on submit button or hitEnterOnCoordinates. Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId, x, y, value. Returns: ok=true on success; on ok=false re-capture the tab and recompute x/y. Avoid: on MV3; prefer fillTextToElement when readablePath is available.hitEnterOnCoordinatesClick at (x, y) then press Enter to submit a form. When: MV2 fallback to submit when no submit button readablePath exists. How: coordinates from recent captureTab. Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId, x, y. Returns: ok=true on success; on ok=false re-capture the tab and recompute x/y. Avoid: on MV3; prefer hitEnterOnElement when readablePath is available.clickOnElementClick an element by readablePath. When: primary click method on MV2 and MV3. How: read {tabUri}/readable-elements; filter [path, role, text, value?] tuples by role and text; copy path exactly (e.g. 0.2.1) — not a CSS selector. Custom dropdown/combobox/datepicker: click the trigger to open it, then re-read readable-elements and click the option/day cell. Native <select>: clicking an option can work for listbox selects (multiple or size>1) but single-line dropdowns use a native popup that ignores synthetic clicks — those need invokeJsFn (MV2) or showHumanHint (MV3). Verify by re-reading and escalate. See Complex inputs. Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId, readablePath. Returns: ok=true on success; on ok=false re-read readable-elements and pick a fresh path. Avoid: inventing paths; re-read elements after navigation if click fails.fillTextToElementType text into an <input> or <textarea> by readablePath. When: primary fill method on MV2 and MV3. Also handles native <input> date/time/datetime-local/month/color when value is in the exact format (date YYYY-MM-DD, time HH:MM, datetime-local YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM, month YYYY-MM, color #rrggbb). How: readablePath from first element of [path, role, text, value?] tuple in readable-elements; submit via clickOnElement on submit button or hitEnterOnElement. Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId, readablePath, value. Returns: ok=true on success; on ok=false re-read readable-elements and pick a fresh path. Avoid: CSS selectors as readablePath; stale paths after DOM changes. Does not work on contenteditable rich-text editors (MV2 invokeJsFn instead), native <select>, or custom popup dropdowns/datepickers — use the strategy ladder under Complex inputs in server instructions.hitEnterOnElementFocus an element by readablePath then press Enter. When: submitting a form when no explicit submit button exists. How: readablePath from readable-elements tuple (dot-separated index like 0.2.1). Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId, readablePath. Returns: ok=true on success; on ok=false re-read readable-elements and pick a fresh path. Avoid: using when a submit button readablePath is available — click it instead.scrollPageScroll the page viewport in a direction. When: target content or elements are off-screen; reveal more of the page before reading or interacting. Works on MV2 and MV3 (no screenshot needed). How: direction is up/down/left/right; optional amount in pixels — omit it to scroll ~one viewport (a page). browserId, windowId, tabId from bk:///context. Requires: browserId, windowId, tabId, direction. Returns: ok=true once scrolled. Already at that edge (nothing to scroll) is still ok=true. Avoid: assuming new elements exist — re-read readable-elements after scrolling, snapshots go stale.- +7 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.
Playwright MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"microsoft-playwright-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@playwright/mcp@latest"
]
}
}
}
MCP Browser Kit
{
"mcpServers": {
"ndthanhdev-mcp-browser-kit": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@mcp-browser-kit/server@latest"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Playwright MCP is categorized under Browser Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. MCP Browser Kit belongs to Browser Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Playwright MCP for browser automation work and MCP Browser Kit 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.
Playwright MCP is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. MCP Browser Kit 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 microsoft-playwright-mcp and ndthanhdev-mcp-browser-kit as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Playwright MCP has a quality signal of 89/100 (Excellent) with 8 views, 0 installs and 38,558 GitHub stars. MCP Browser Kit has 67/100 (Great) with 3 views, 0 installs and 55 GitHub stars.