Gnome Desktop MCP vs Mac Use MCP

In-depth architectural comparison of the Gnome Desktop MCP and Mac Use MCP 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.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Gnome Desktop MCP when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the OS Automation domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
• Primary tools included: screenshot, screenshot_window, screenshot_area.

Explore Gnome Desktop MCP Details

Choose Mac Use MCP when:

• You need dedicated capabilities in the OS Automation domain.
• You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
• Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
• Primary tools included: screenshot, get_screen_info, get_cursor_position.

Explore Mac Use MCP Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Gnome Desktop MCP sbuysse OS Automation	Mac Use MCP OS Automation
Summary	GNOME desktop automation for AI agents. 30 tools via D-Bus: screenshots, window management, mouse/keyboard injection, clipboard, workspaces, and system notifications. Works on any GNOME 45–49 Linux desktop.	Zero-dependency macOS desktop automation for AI agents. 18 tools via MCP. macOS 13+.
Category & Scope	OS Automation

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

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).

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sbuysse-gnome-desktop-mcp": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": [
        "gnome-desktop-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mac-use-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "mac-use-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Related MCP Server Comparisons