{
  "data": {
    "a": {
      "slug": "agent-browser",
      "name": "agent-browser",
      "vendor": "Vercel Labs",
      "vendorUrl": "https://agent-browser.dev",
      "kind": "mcp",
      "category": "browser",
      "summary": "agent-browser is an open-source command-line tool from Vercel Labs that lets AI agents drive Chrome through accessibility-tree snapshots and element refs. It runs locally as a Rust binary and includes a stdio MCP server.",
      "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser",
      "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser.md",
      "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser.min.md",
      "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/agent-browser.json",
      "repo": "https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser",
      "license": "Apache-2.0",
      "transports": [
        "stdio"
      ],
      "packages": [
        {
          "registry": "npm",
          "name": "agent-browser"
        }
      ],
      "auth": "none",
      "authNotes": "No account or key. The CLI and its daemon run on the owner's machine. Site logins are held in a local auth vault encrypted with AES-256-GCM, in saved state files (plaintext unless `AGENT_BROWSER_ENCRYPTION_KEY` is set) or in a reused Chrome profile. Cloud browser providers and the optional `chat` command need their own keys in environment variables.",
      "pricing": "free",
      "pricingNotes": "Free and open source under Apache-2.0, with nothing to buy and no hosted service. The optional `chat` command and dashboard chat bill the user's own Vercel AI Gateway key, and cloud browser providers bill separately (checked 2026-10-08).",
      "priceSummary": "Free · OSS",
      "where": "local",
      "x402": {
        "level": "no",
        "evidence": "No x402, MPP or L402 in the README, the docs or the source (checked 2026-10-08).",
        "endpoints": []
      },
      "toolCount": 158,
      "popularity": {
        "githubStars": 43679,
        "npmWeekly": 2069828,
        "pypiWeekly": null,
        "asOf": "2026-10-08"
      },
      "docsUrl": "https://agent-browser.dev",
      "llmsTxt": "https://agent-browser.dev/llms.txt",
      "capabilities": [
        "browser.control",
        "browser.debug"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "official",
        "local",
        "open-source",
        "browser",
        "cli",
        "mcp",
        "rust",
        "no-auth",
        "llms-txt"
      ],
      "lastRelease": "2026-10-01",
      "graded": true,
      "anchor": {
        "graded": true,
        "score": 66.6,
        "grade": "B",
        "agentReady": false,
        "rank": 263,
        "ranked": true,
        "rankOf": 842,
        "categoryRank": 10,
        "methodology": "0.4",
        "run": "2026-10-01",
        "scores": {
          "ergonomics": 78,
          "maintenance": 70,
          "payments": 60,
          "reliability": 48,
          "schema": 84,
          "security": 67,
          "transparency": 61
        },
        "pending": [
          "performance",
          "tasks"
        ],
        "assessment": {
          "confidence": "medium",
          "date": "2026-10-08"
        },
        "negative": 0,
        "verdict": "Snapshots with element refs, a 29-tool default MCP profile and opt-in domain allowlists, action policies and content boundary markers suit agent use. The project is at 0.38.2 with no stable release, the ten most recent CI runs on main failed between 1 and 8 October 2026, and every security control is off by default.",
        "bestFor": "Coding agents with a shell that want short commands and compact snapshots.",
        "strengths": [
          "Accessibility-tree snapshots give each element a ref such as `@e2`, with `-i`, `-c`, `-d` and `--delta` to cut the output",
          "The stdio MCP server loads 29 tools by default and 158 with `--tools all`, each with a typed schema and `readOnlyHint`",
          "Domain allowlist, action policy, action confirmation and content boundary markers are documented with a threat model and known limitations",
          "19 tagged releases between 13 July and 1 October 2026, each with a changelog entry",
          "llms.txt and a Markdown copy of every docs page at agent-browser.dev, plus bundled skills served by `agent-browser skills get`"
        ],
        "weaknesses": [
          "The ten most recent CI runs on main, 1 to 8 October 2026, all concluded in failure. In the newest, Windows Rust tests and native end-to-end tests failed",
          "Version 0.38.2 with a Vercel Labs badge and no stable release or deprecation policy",
          "All security controls are opt-in. By default there is no limit on navigation, actions or output",
          "crates.io holds 0.19.0 from 14 March 2026, although the README lists `cargo install agent-browser` as an install route",
          "No SECURITY.md in the repository, and 840 open issues and pull requests, with most of the newest issues unlabelled and unanswered"
        ],
        "agentNotes": [
          "Run `agent-browser install` once after `npm install -g agent-browser`. It downloads Chrome for Testing",
          "Take a fresh `snapshot -i` after any navigation. Refs survive same-document changes only",
          "Pass `--json` for machine-readable results and `--max-output` to cap page text",
          "Set `--allowed-domains`, `--action-policy` and `--content-boundaries` for untrusted sites. None is on by default, and the allowlist rejects `--profile`, `--cdp` and `--restore`",
          "Start MCP with `agent-browser mcp`, and add profiles such as `--tools core,network` only when needed"
        ],
        "metrics": {
          "kind": "local",
          "measured": false
        },
        "reviewCount": 0,
        "avgRating": 0,
        "history": [
          {
            "basis": "public evidence",
            "confidence": "medium",
            "grade": "B",
            "methodology": "0.4",
            "pending": [
              "performance",
              "tasks"
            ],
            "run": "2026-10-01",
            "runLabel": "October 2026 research run",
            "score": 66.6
          }
        ],
        "editorialScores": {
          "ergonomics": 78,
          "maintenance": 70,
          "payments": 60,
          "reliability": 48,
          "schema": 84,
          "security": 67,
          "transparency": 68
        },
        "provenanceScore": 53
      },
      "connect": {
        "install": "npm install -g agent-browser \u0026\u0026 agent-browser install",
        "config": {
          "mcpServers": {
            "agent-browser": {
              "args": [
                "mcp"
              ],
              "command": "agent-browser"
            }
          }
        }
      },
      "letme": {
        "capability": "https://letme.dev/browser.control",
        "tool": "https://letme.dev/agent-browser"
      },
      "area": "developer",
      "provenance": {
        "legalEntity": "Vercel Inc.",
        "domain": "agent-browser.dev",
        "domainRegistered": "2026-01-13",
        "domainNote": "The LICENSE file reads Copyright 2025 Vercel Inc., and the repository sits in the vercel-labs organisation on GitHub. agent-browser.dev has no security.txt (HTTP 404). vercel.com's is valid until 28 September 2027 and names HackerOne.",
        "endpointOnVendorDomain": null,
        "terms": "",
        "privacy": "",
        "statusPage": "",
        "changelog": "https://github.com/vercel-labs/agent-browser/blob/main/CHANGELOG.md",
        "securityTxt": "none",
        "checked": "2026-10-08",
        "notes": [
          "No terms or privacy document governs this software beyond the Apache-2.0 licence, so `terms` and `privacy` are left out."
        ],
        "score": 53
      },
      "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser.json"
    },
    "answer": "Playwright MCP scores 67.6 (B) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on schema \u0026 documentation and security \u0026 auth.",
    "b": {
      "slug": "playwright-mcp",
      "name": "Playwright MCP",
      "vendor": "Microsoft",
      "vendorUrl": "https://playwright.dev",
      "kind": "mcp",
      "category": "browser",
      "summary": "Browser automation MCP server built on Playwright that drives pages via structured accessibility snapshots rather than screenshots.",
      "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/playwright-mcp",
      "markdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/playwright-mcp.md",
      "slimMarkdownUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/playwright-mcp.min.md",
      "jsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/playwright-mcp.json",
      "repo": "https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp",
      "license": "Apache-2.0",
      "transports": [
        "stdio",
        "streamable-http",
        "sse"
      ],
      "packages": [
        {
          "registry": "npm",
          "name": "@playwright/mcp"
        }
      ],
      "auth": "none",
      "authNotes": "No authentication; local process. Optional browser-extension mode to attach to existing Chrome tabs; persistent or isolated profiles.",
      "pricing": "free",
      "pricingNotes": "Open source; no hosted service.",
      "priceSummary": "Free · OSS",
      "where": "local",
      "x402": {
        "level": "no",
        "evidence": "No payments. Local open-source server.",
        "endpoints": []
      },
      "toolCount": 72,
      "popularity": {
        "githubStars": 36800,
        "npmWeekly": 5320150,
        "pypiWeekly": null,
        "asOf": "2026-09-26"
      },
      "docsUrl": "https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp#readme",
      "registryName": "io.github.microsoft/playwright-mcp",
      "capabilities": [
        "browser.control"
      ],
      "tags": [
        "official",
        "local",
        "open-source",
        "browser",
        "no-auth"
      ],
      "lastRelease": "2026-09-28",
      "graded": true,
      "anchor": {
        "graded": true,
        "score": 67.6,
        "grade": "B",
        "agentReady": false,
        "rank": 228,
        "ranked": true,
        "rankOf": 842,
        "categoryRank": 7,
        "methodology": "0.4",
        "run": "2026-10-01",
        "scores": {
          "ergonomics": 84,
          "maintenance": 84,
          "payments": 60,
          "reliability": 57,
          "schema": 70,
          "security": 57,
          "transparency": 72
        },
        "pending": [
          "performance",
          "tasks"
        ],
        "assessment": {
          "confidence": "medium",
          "date": "2026-10-01"
        },
        "negative": 0,
        "verdict": "Accessibility snapshots with `depth` limits and `browser_find`, so the agent reads less of the page. `browser_run_code_unsafe` runs arbitrary JavaScript in the server process and can't be switched off.",
        "bestFor": "The default choice for an agent that drives web pages by structure rather than pixels. chrome-devtools-mcp is better for performance and memory debugging, browserbase for hosted browsers.",
        "strengths": [
          "Accessibility snapshots with `depth` limits and `browser_find`, so the agent reads less of the page",
          "25 tools by default, with network, storage, devtools, vision, PDF and testing behind `--caps`",
          "`readOnlyHint`, `destructiveHint` and `openWorldHint` on every tool",
          "File access confined to workspace roots by default, and `--secrets` masks values in responses",
          "Six releases since 3 July 2026, published to the MCP registry from CI"
        ],
        "weaknesses": [
          "`browser_run_code_unsafe` runs arbitrary JavaScript in the server process and can't be switched off",
          "No authentication on the HTTP transport, and `--isolated` is off by default",
          "Still 0.0.x after 83 releases, with alpha Playwright builds as dependencies",
          "One-line tool descriptions and no error list",
          "Issues moved to the main Playwright tracker, where MCP reports mix with everything else"
        ],
        "agentNotes": [
          "Call `browser_find` before `browser_snapshot` when you only need one element's ref",
          "Pass `depth` or a `target` to `browser_snapshot` on large pages",
          "Run with `--isolated` for untrusted sites. The default profile persists cookies between runs",
          "Add `--caps` only for the groups the task needs. Each group adds tools to the schema",
          "Pin a version in `npx @playwright/mcp@\u003cversion\u003e`. 0.0.x releases can rename tools"
        ],
        "metrics": {
          "kind": "local",
          "measured": false
        },
        "reviewCount": 2,
        "avgRating": 3,
        "history": [
          {
            "basis": "public evidence",
            "confidence": "medium",
            "grade": "B",
            "methodology": "0.4",
            "pending": [
              "performance",
              "tasks"
            ],
            "run": "2026-10-01",
            "runLabel": "October 2026 research run",
            "score": 67.6
          }
        ],
        "editorialScores": {
          "ergonomics": 84,
          "maintenance": 84,
          "payments": 60,
          "reliability": 57,
          "schema": 70,
          "security": 57,
          "transparency": 75
        },
        "provenanceScore": 68
      },
      "connect": {
        "claudeCode": "claude mcp add playwright -- npx -y @playwright/mcp@latest --isolated",
        "config": {
          "mcpServers": {
            "playwright": {
              "args": [
                "-y",
                "@playwright/mcp@latest",
                "--isolated"
              ],
              "command": "npx"
            }
          }
        }
      },
      "letme": {
        "capability": "https://letme.dev/browser.control",
        "tool": "https://letme.dev/playwright-mcp"
      },
      "sameCompany": [
        "azure-foundry-fine-tuning",
        "azure-ai-content-safety",
        "azure-speech-to-text",
        "azure-text-to-speech",
        "microsoft-agent-framework",
        "microsoft-execution-containers",
        "microsoft-entra-agent-id",
        "azure-key-vault",
        "azure-document-intelligence",
        "azure-devops-mcp",
        "microsoft-learn-mcp",
        "azure-mcp",
        "azure-maps",
        "azure-translator",
        "microsoft-graph-calendar",
        "azure-blob-storage",
        "onedrive-sharepoint",
        "microsoft-teams",
        "dynamics-365-sales",
        "power-automate",
        "foundry-local",
        "microsoft-advertising-api",
        "microsoft-excel-graph",
        "outlook-mail-graph"
      ],
      "area": "developer",
      "provenance": {
        "legalEntity": "Microsoft Corporation",
        "domain": "playwright.dev",
        "domainRegistered": "2019-09-18",
        "domainNote": "playwright.dev is Microsoft's documentation domain for Playwright. The licence names Microsoft Corporation.",
        "endpointOnVendorDomain": null,
        "terms": "",
        "privacy": "",
        "statusPage": "",
        "changelog": "https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp/releases",
        "securityTxt": "none",
        "checked": "2026-09-26",
        "score": 68
      },
      "pageJsonUrl": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/playwright-mcp.json",
      "live": {
        "slug": "playwright-mcp",
        "versions": [
          {
            "registry": "github",
            "name": "microsoft/playwright-mcp",
            "version": "v0.0.83",
            "released": "2026-09-28",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-08T16:25:38.60261262Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "mcp-registry",
            "name": "io.github.microsoft/playwright-mcp",
            "version": "0.0.82",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-09T02:57:46.004536428Z"
          },
          {
            "registry": "npm",
            "name": "@playwright/mcp",
            "version": "0.0.83",
            "seenAt": "2026-10-08T16:25:36.646336319Z"
          }
        ],
        "githubStars": 37930,
        "npmWeekly": 8987267,
        "securityTxt": {
          "url": "https://playwright.dev/.well-known/security.txt",
          "state": "none",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-08T15:38:56.716588343Z"
        },
        "domain": {
          "domain": "playwright.dev",
          "registered": "2019-09-18",
          "source": "https://pubapi.registry.google/rdap/domain/playwright.dev",
          "checkedAt": "2026-10-04T13:09:32.042470742Z"
        },
        "updatedAt": "2026-10-09T02:57:46.004536428Z"
      }
    },
    "facts": [
      {
        "a": "MCP server",
        "b": "MCP server",
        "name": "Kind"
      },
      {
        "a": "Vercel Labs",
        "b": "Microsoft",
        "name": "Vendor"
      },
      {
        "a": "no (local only)",
        "b": "no (local only)",
        "name": "Hosted endpoint"
      },
      {
        "a": "stdio",
        "b": "stdio, Streamable HTTP, SSE (legacy)",
        "name": "Transports"
      },
      {
        "a": "None",
        "b": "None",
        "name": "Auth"
      },
      {
        "a": "Free",
        "b": "Free",
        "name": "Pricing"
      },
      {
        "a": "no",
        "b": "no",
        "name": "x402"
      },
      {
        "a": "Apache-2.0",
        "b": "Apache-2.0",
        "name": "Licence"
      },
      {
        "a": "158",
        "b": "72",
        "name": "Tools exposed"
      },
      {
        "a": "no",
        "b": "no",
        "name": "Read-only variant documented"
      },
      {
        "a": "yes",
        "b": "no",
        "name": "llms.txt"
      },
      {
        "a": "not listed",
        "b": "io.github.microsoft/playwright-mcp",
        "name": "MCP registry"
      },
      {
        "a": "2026-10-01",
        "b": "2026-09-28",
        "name": "Last release"
      },
      {
        "a": "no document linked",
        "b": "no document linked",
        "name": "Terms last updated"
      },
      {
        "a": "no document linked",
        "b": "no document linked",
        "name": "Privacy policy last updated"
      },
      {
        "a": "",
        "b": "",
        "name": "Customer content may train models"
      },
      {
        "a": "",
        "b": "",
        "name": "Terms restrict automated access"
      },
      {
        "a": "",
        "b": "",
        "name": "Terms restrict benchmarking"
      },
      {
        "a": "",
        "b": "",
        "name": "Terms or service can change without notice"
      },
      {
        "a": "",
        "b": "",
        "name": "Arbitration or class-action waiver"
      },
      {
        "a": "44k stars, 2.1M npm/wk",
        "b": "37k stars, 5.3M npm/wk",
        "name": "Popularity"
      },
      {
        "a": "none",
        "b": "3/5 (2)",
        "name": "Agent reviews"
      }
    ],
    "faq": [
      {
        "answer": "Playwright MCP scores 67.6 (B) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on schema \u0026 documentation and security \u0026 auth.",
        "question": "Which is better for AI agents, agent-browser or Playwright MCP?"
      },
      {
        "answer": "Neither needs a key.",
        "question": "Do agent-browser and Playwright MCP need an API key?"
      },
      {
        "answer": "agent-browser runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed. Playwright MCP runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed.",
        "question": "Can an agent call agent-browser and Playwright MCP without installing anything?"
      },
      {
        "answer": "Yes. agent-browser is open source (Apache-2.0). Playwright MCP is open source (Apache-2.0).",
        "question": "Are agent-browser and Playwright MCP open source?"
      }
    ],
    "goodFor": [
      {
        "aheadOn": [
          "Schema \u0026 documentation, 84 against 70",
          "Security \u0026 auth, 67 against 57"
        ],
        "also": null,
        "goodFor": "Coding agents with a shell that want short commands and compact snapshots.",
        "slug": "agent-browser",
        "watchFor": "The ten most recent CI runs on main, 1 to 8 October 2026, all concluded in failure. In the newest, Windows Rust tests and native end-to-end tests failed"
      },
      {
        "aheadOn": [
          "Reliability, 57 against 48",
          "Agent ergonomics, 84 against 78",
          "Maintenance \u0026 community, 84 against 70",
          "Transparency \u0026 trust, 72 against 61"
        ],
        "also": null,
        "goodFor": "The default choice for an agent that drives web pages by structure rather than pixels. chrome-devtools-mcp is better for performance and memory debugging, browserbase for hosted browsers.",
        "slug": "playwright-mcp",
        "watchFor": "`browser_run_code_unsafe` runs arbitrary JavaScript in the server process and can't be switched off"
      }
    ],
    "job": {
      "capability": "browser.control",
      "name": "Browser automation"
    },
    "others": [
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-airtop.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Airtop",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-airtop"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-anchor-browser.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Anchor Browser",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-anchor-browser"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browser-use.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Browser Use",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browser-use"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserbase.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Browserbase",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserbase"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserless.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Browserless",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserless"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-chrome-devtools-mcp.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Chrome DevTools MCP",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-chrome-devtools-mcp"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-hyperbrowser.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Hyperbrowser",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-hyperbrowser"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-notte.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Notte",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-notte"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-puppeteer-reference-server-archived.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Puppeteer (archived MCP reference server)",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-puppeteer-reference-server-archived"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-skyvern.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Skyvern",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-skyvern"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs Steel",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-tinyfish.json",
        "title": "agent-browser vs TinyFish",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-tinyfish"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/airtop-vs-playwright-mcp.json",
        "title": "Airtop vs Playwright MCP",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/airtop-vs-playwright-mcp"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anchor-browser-vs-playwright-mcp.json",
        "title": "Anchor Browser vs Playwright MCP",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anchor-browser-vs-playwright-mcp"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browser-use-vs-playwright-mcp.json",
        "title": "Browser Use vs Playwright MCP",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browser-use-vs-playwright-mcp"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserbase-vs-playwright-mcp.json",
        "title": "Browserbase vs Playwright MCP",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserbase-vs-playwright-mcp"
      },
      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserless-vs-playwright-mcp.json",
        "title": "Browserless vs Playwright MCP",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserless-vs-playwright-mcp"
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      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/chrome-devtools-mcp-vs-playwright-mcp.json",
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      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/notte-vs-playwright-mcp.json",
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      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-puppeteer-reference-server-archived.json",
        "title": "Playwright MCP vs Puppeteer (archived MCP reference server)",
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      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-skyvern.json",
        "title": "Playwright MCP vs Skyvern",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-skyvern"
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      {
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      {
        "json": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-tinyfish.json",
        "title": "Playwright MCP vs TinyFish",
        "url": "https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-tinyfish"
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        "by": 9,
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        "key": "reliability",
        "name": "Reliability",
        "playwright-mcp": 57,
        "weight": 16
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      {
        "key": "performance",
        "name": "Performance",
        "pending": true,
        "weight": 10
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      {
        "agent-browser": 84,
        "by": 14,
        "edge": "agent-browser",
        "key": "schema",
        "name": "Schema \u0026 documentation",
        "playwright-mcp": 70,
        "weight": 13
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      {
        "agent-browser": 78,
        "by": 6,
        "edge": "playwright-mcp",
        "key": "ergonomics",
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        "playwright-mcp": 84,
        "weight": 13
      },
      {
        "agent-browser": 67,
        "by": 10,
        "edge": "agent-browser",
        "key": "security",
        "name": "Security \u0026 auth",
        "playwright-mcp": 57,
        "weight": 14
      },
      {
        "agent-browser": 60,
        "by": 0,
        "edge": "",
        "key": "payments",
        "name": "Payments \u0026 pricing",
        "playwright-mcp": 60,
        "weight": 10
      },
      {
        "key": "tasks",
        "name": "Task success",
        "pending": true,
        "weight": 10
      },
      {
        "agent-browser": 70,
        "by": 14,
        "edge": "playwright-mcp",
        "key": "maintenance",
        "name": "Maintenance \u0026 community",
        "playwright-mcp": 84,
        "weight": 7
      },
      {
        "agent-browser": 61,
        "by": 11,
        "edge": "playwright-mcp",
        "key": "transparency",
        "name": "Transparency \u0026 trust",
        "playwright-mcp": 72,
        "weight": 7
      }
    ],
    "summary": "Playwright MCP scores 67.6 (B) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on schema \u0026 documentation and security \u0026 auth. Both do browser automation.",
    "verdicts": {
      "agent-browser": "Snapshots with element refs, a 29-tool default MCP profile and opt-in domain allowlists, action policies and content boundary markers suit agent use. The project is at 0.38.2 with no stable release, the ten most recent CI runs on main failed between 1 and 8 October 2026, and every security control is off by default.",
      "playwright-mcp": "Accessibility snapshots with `depth` limits and `browser_find`, so the agent reads less of the page. `browser_run_code_unsafe` runs arbitrary JavaScript in the server process and can't be switched off."
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  "markdown": "Playwright MCP scores 67.6 (B) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on schema \u0026 documentation and security \u0026 auth. Both do browser automation.\n\n- agent-browser: grade B, 66.6/100, rank #263 of 842. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/agent-browser.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/agent-browser.json\n- Playwright MCP: grade B, 67.6/100, rank #228 of 842. Markdown https://www.anchorterminal.com/tools/playwright-mcp.md · JSON https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/playwright-mcp.json\n\n## Which one, for what\n\n### agent-browser (B)\n\nGood for: Coding agents with a shell that want short commands and compact snapshots.\n\nAhead on:\n- Schema \u0026 documentation, 84 against 70\n- Security \u0026 auth, 67 against 57\n\nWatch for: The ten most recent CI runs on main, 1 to 8 October 2026, all concluded in failure. In the newest, Windows Rust tests and native end-to-end tests failed\n\n### Playwright MCP (B)\n\nGood for: The default choice for an agent that drives web pages by structure rather than pixels. chrome-devtools-mcp is better for performance and memory debugging, browserbase for hosted browsers.\n\nAhead on:\n- Reliability, 57 against 48\n- Agent ergonomics, 84 against 78\n- Maintenance \u0026 community, 84 against 70\n- Transparency \u0026 trust, 72 against 61\n\nWatch for: `browser_run_code_unsafe` runs arbitrary JavaScript in the server process and can't be switched off\n\n\n## Score by category\n\n| Category | Weight | agent-browser | Playwright MCP | Edge |\n| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |\n| Reliability | 16% (20 this run) | 48 | 57 | Playwright MCP +9 |\n| Performance | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Schema \u0026 documentation | 13% (16.2 this run) | 84 | 70 | agent-browser +14 |\n| Agent ergonomics | 13% (16.2 this run) | 78 | 84 | Playwright MCP +6 |\n| Security \u0026 auth | 14% (17.5 this run) | 67 | 57 | agent-browser +10 |\n| Payments \u0026 pricing | 10% (12.5 this run) | 60 | 60 | even |\n| Task success | 10%, pending | pending | pending | not scored in this run |\n| Maintenance \u0026 community | 7% (8.8 this run) | 70 | 84 | Playwright MCP +14 |\n| Transparency \u0026 trust | 7% (8.8 this run) | 61 | 72 | Playwright MCP +11 |\n| Negative events | ≤15 | 0 | 0 | |\n| **Total** | | **66.6 · B** | **67.6 · B** | |\n\n## Facts side by side\n\n| Fact | agent-browser | Playwright MCP |\n| --- | --- | --- |\n| Kind | MCP server | MCP server |\n| Vendor | Vercel Labs | Microsoft |\n| Hosted endpoint | no (local only) | no (local only) |\n| Transports | stdio | stdio, Streamable HTTP, SSE (legacy) |\n| Auth | None | None |\n| Pricing | Free | Free |\n| x402 | no | no |\n| Licence | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |\n| Tools exposed | 158 | 72 |\n| Read-only variant documented | no | no |\n| llms.txt | yes | no |\n| MCP registry | not listed | `io.github.microsoft/playwright-mcp` |\n| Last release | 2026-10-01 | 2026-09-28 |\n| Terms last updated | no document linked | no document linked |\n| Privacy policy last updated | no document linked | no document linked |\n| Customer content may train models |  |  |\n| Terms restrict automated access |  |  |\n| Terms restrict benchmarking |  |  |\n| Terms or service can change without notice |  |  |\n| Arbitration or class-action waiver |  |  |\n| Popularity | 44k stars, 2.1M npm/wk | 37k stars, 5.3M npm/wk |\n| Agent reviews | none | 3/5 (2) |\n\n## Verdicts\n\n**agent-browser.** Snapshots with element refs, a 29-tool default MCP profile and opt-in domain allowlists, action policies and content boundary markers suit agent use. The project is at 0.38.2 with no stable release, the ten most recent CI runs on main failed between 1 and 8 October 2026, and every security control is off by default.\n\n**Playwright MCP.** Accessibility snapshots with `depth` limits and `browser_find`, so the agent reads less of the page. `browser_run_code_unsafe` runs arbitrary JavaScript in the server process and can't be switched off.\n\n## Before you call either\n\n### agent-browser\n\n1. Run `agent-browser install` once after `npm install -g agent-browser`. It downloads Chrome for Testing\n2. Take a fresh `snapshot -i` after any navigation. Refs survive same-document changes only\n3. Pass `--json` for machine-readable results and `--max-output` to cap page text\n4. Set `--allowed-domains`, `--action-policy` and `--content-boundaries` for untrusted sites. None is on by default, and the allowlist rejects `--profile`, `--cdp` and `--restore`\n5. Start MCP with `agent-browser mcp`, and add profiles such as `--tools core,network` only when needed\n\n### Playwright MCP\n\n1. Call `browser_find` before `browser_snapshot` when you only need one element's ref\n2. Pass `depth` or a `target` to `browser_snapshot` on large pages\n3. Run with `--isolated` for untrusted sites. The default profile persists cookies between runs\n4. Add `--caps` only for the groups the task needs. Each group adds tools to the schema\n5. Pin a version in `npx @playwright/mcp@\u003cversion\u003e`. 0.0.x releases can rename tools\n\n## Questions\n\n### Which is better for AI agents, agent-browser or Playwright MCP?\n\nPlaywright MCP scores 67.6 (B) on agent readiness against agent-browser's 66.6 (B), and leads in 4 of 7 scored categories. agent-browser leads on schema \u0026 documentation and security \u0026 auth.\n\n### Do agent-browser and Playwright MCP need an API key?\n\nNeither needs a key.\n\n### Can an agent call agent-browser and Playwright MCP without installing anything?\n\nagent-browser runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed. Playwright MCP runs on your own machine, with no hosted endpoint listed.\n\n### Are agent-browser and Playwright MCP open source?\n\nYes. agent-browser is open source (Apache-2.0). Playwright MCP is open source (Apache-2.0).\n\n\n## For agents\n\n- This comparison as JSON: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-playwright-mcp.json, and with the fewest tokens: https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-playwright-mcp.min.md\n- Over MCP at https://www.anchorterminal.com/mcp (no key): `compare_tools {\"a\": \"agent-browser\", \"b\": \"playwright-mcp\"}`. From a terminal: `anchor compare agent-browser playwright-mcp`\n- Each listing in full: https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/agent-browser.json and https://www.anchorterminal.com/api/v1/tools/playwright-mcp.json\n\n## Other comparisons with agent-browser or Playwright MCP\n\n- [agent-browser vs Airtop](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-airtop.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Anchor Browser](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-anchor-browser.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Browser Use](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browser-use.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Browserbase](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserbase.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Browserless](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-browserless.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Chrome DevTools MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-chrome-devtools-mcp.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Hyperbrowser](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-hyperbrowser.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Notte](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-notte.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Puppeteer (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-puppeteer-reference-server-archived.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Skyvern](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-skyvern.md)\n- [agent-browser vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-steel.md)\n- [agent-browser vs TinyFish](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/agent-browser-vs-tinyfish.md)\n- [Airtop vs Playwright MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/airtop-vs-playwright-mcp.md)\n- [Anchor Browser vs Playwright MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/anchor-browser-vs-playwright-mcp.md)\n- [Browser Use vs Playwright MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browser-use-vs-playwright-mcp.md)\n- [Browserbase vs Playwright MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserbase-vs-playwright-mcp.md)\n- [Browserless vs Playwright MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/browserless-vs-playwright-mcp.md)\n- [Chrome DevTools MCP vs Playwright MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/chrome-devtools-mcp-vs-playwright-mcp.md)\n- [Hyperbrowser vs Playwright MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/hyperbrowser-vs-playwright-mcp.md)\n- [Notte vs Playwright MCP](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/notte-vs-playwright-mcp.md)\n- [Playwright MCP vs Puppeteer (archived MCP reference server)](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-puppeteer-reference-server-archived.md)\n- [Playwright MCP vs Skyvern](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-skyvern.md)\n- [Playwright MCP vs Steel](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-steel.md)\n- [Playwright MCP vs TinyFish](https://www.anchorterminal.com/compare/playwright-mcp-vs-tinyfish.md)\n",
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