Shodan vs VPNDetection
A side-by-side look at the Shodan and VPNDetection MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Shodan for security work as a local process; choose VPNDetection for security as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Shodan when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
SHODAN_API_KEY. - You want tools like
ip_lookup, shodan_search, cve_lookup.
Choose VPNDetection when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
VPNDETECTION_API_KEY, VPNDETECTION_BASE_URL. - You want tools like
lookup_ip, lookup_ips, my_entitlement.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Security | Security |
| Quality signal | 68/100 · Great | 57/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | Not declared | Not declared |
| Pricing | Not declared | Freemium |
| Required env vars | SHODAN_API_KEY | VPNDETECTION_API_KEYVPNDETECTION_BASE_URL |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 178 | 1 |
| Directory activity | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 11 | 7 |
| Full listing | View Shodan | View VPNDetection |
Tools & capabilities
Shodan tools 11
ip_lookupRetrieve comprehensive information about an IP address, including geolocation, operating system, open ports, running services (product, version, CPE), known vulnerabilities (CVEs), SSL certificates, hostnames, and cloud provider details if available. Returns service banners and HTTP server information when present. Optional history returns historical banners; minify omits banners.shodan_searchSearch Shodan's database of internet-connected devices. Returns detailed information about matching devices including services, vulnerabilities, and geographic distribution. Supports advanced search filters and returns facet statistics (default: by country). Costs 1 query credit when the query uses filters, plus 1 per page beyond the first. Use shodan_count (free) to get totals and facets without results.cve_lookupQuery detailed vulnerability information from Shodan's CVEDB. Returns comprehensive CVE details including CVSS scores (v4/v3/v2), EPSS probability and ranking, KEV status, proposed mitigations, ransomware associations, and affected products (CPEs).dns_lookupResolve domain names to IP addresses using Shodan's DNS service. Supports batch resolution of multiple hostnames in a single query. Returns IP addresses mapped to their corresponding hostnames.reverse_dns_lookupPerform reverse DNS lookups to find hostnames associated with IP addresses. Supports batch lookups of multiple IP addresses in a single query. Returns all known hostnames for each IP address, with clear indication when no hostnames are found.cpe_lookupSearch for Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) entries by product name in Shodan's CVEDB. Supports pagination and can return either full CPE details or just the total count. Useful for identifying specific versions and configurations of software and hardware.cves_by_productSearch for vulnerabilities affecting specific products or CPEs. Supports filtering by KEV status, sorting by EPSS score, date ranges, and pagination. Can search by product name or CPE 2.3 identifier. Returns detailed vulnerability information including severity scores and impact assessments.shodan_countGet the total number of Shodan results for a query, with optional facet breakdowns (e.g. by country, org, port). Free: does not consume query credits. Use search_filters to list valid filters and facets.domain_infoGet subdomains and DNS records for a domain from Shodan. Costs 1 query credit per lookup.api_infoShow the Shodan API plan, remaining query and scan credits, monitored IPs, and usage limits for the configured API key. Free: does not consume credits.search_filtersList the search filters and facets Shodan supports. Use this to build valid shodan_search and shodan_count queries and facets. Free: does not consume credits.
VPNDetection tools 7
lookup_ipClassify one address.lookup_ipsClassify a whole list of addresses in one call, keyed by address. A long list is batched for you.my_entitlementWhat this key is entitled to and what it has spent: plan, field tier, requests so far, allowance, and when it resets.list_databasesEvery database we publish, with its `standing` for your organization: `licensed`, `expired` or `unlicensed`.database_metadataA database's columns, sample rows, row count, build date and file sizes.database_checksumThe published digests for one database file.list_downloadsYour organization's recent download attempts, refusals included.
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.
Shodan
{
"mcpServers": {
"shodan-2": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@burtthecoder/mcp-shodan"
],
"env": {
"SHODAN_API_KEY": "YOUR_SHODAN_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
VPNDetection
{
"mcpServers": {
"vpndetection": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"vpndetection-mcp"
],
"env": {
"VPNDETECTION_API_KEY": "YOUR_VPNDETECTION_API_KEY_HERE",
"VPNDETECTION_BASE_URL": "YOUR_VPNDETECTION_BASE_URL_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Shodan is categorized under Security and uses a local stdio subprocess. VPNDetection belongs to Security and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Shodan for security work and VPNDetection for security.
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.
Shodan has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. VPNDetection is listed as freemium — a free tier with paid plans. 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 shodan-2 and vpndetection as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Shodan has a quality signal of 68/100 (Great) with 1 views, 0 installs and 178 GitHub stars. VPNDetection has 57/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 1 GitHub stars.