Urlbox vs Shotanvil
A side-by-side look at the Urlbox and Shotanvil MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Urlbox for browser automation work as a local process; choose Shotanvil for browser automation over a hosted endpoint. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Urlbox when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Browser Automation domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
URLBOX_API_KEY, SECRET_KEY, URLBOX_DOWNLOAD_DIR.
Choose Shotanvil when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Browser Automation domain.
- You prefer a remote HTTP/SSE transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
SHOTANVIL_API_KEY.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Browser Automation | Browser Automation |
| Quality signal | 45/100 · Fair | 37/100 · Fair |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Remote HTTP/SSE |
| Auth | API key required | Not declared |
| Pricing | BYOK (pay the provider) | Not declared |
| Required env vars | URLBOX_API_KEYSECRET_KEYURLBOX_DOWNLOAD_DIR | SHOTANVIL_API_KEY |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 3 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | Not listed | Not listed |
| Full listing | View Urlbox | View Shotanvil |
Tools & capabilities
Urlbox tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
Shotanvil 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.
Urlbox
{
"mcpServers": {
"urlbox": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@urlbox/screenshot-mcp"
],
"env": {
"URLBOX_API_KEY": "YOUR_URLBOX_API_KEY_HERE",
"SECRET_KEY": "YOUR_SECRET_KEY_HERE",
"URLBOX_DOWNLOAD_DIR": "YOUR_URLBOX_DOWNLOAD_DIR_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Shotanvil
{
"mcpServers": {
"shotanvil": {
"url": "https://api.shotanvil.com"
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Urlbox is categorized under Browser Automation and uses a local stdio subprocess. Shotanvil belongs to Browser Automation and uses a remote HTTP/SSE transport. Pick Urlbox for browser automation work and Shotanvil 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.
Urlbox is bring-your-own-key: usage is billed by the API provider you supply a key for. Auth: api key required. Shotanvil has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. 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 urlbox and shotanvil as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Urlbox has a quality signal of 45/100 (Fair) with 0 views, 0 installs and 3 GitHub stars. Shotanvil has 37/100 (Fair) with 1 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.