MCP Server Playwright vs Peekaboo

A side-by-side comparison of two Browser Automation servers — tools, transport, auth, maintenance, and copy-paste config for each.

	MCP Server Playwright Browser automation via Playwright — let LLMs navigate, click, fill forms, screenshot, and run JS in a real browser. Unverified stdio (local) No auth Stale JavaScript	Peekaboo macOS screen capture, AI visual analysis, and full GUI automation for AI agents. Unverified stdio (local) API key Swift
Category	Browser Automation	Browser Automation
Language	JavaScript	Swift
Transport	stdio (local)	stdio (local)
Auth	None	API key
GitHub stars	295	4.8k
Last commit	1 year ago	1 month ago
Verified
Actively maintained
Install	`npx @automatalabs/mcp-server-playwright install`	`npx -y @steipete/peekaboo`
Repo	Open	Open

Verdict

Pick MCP Server Playwright if you want zero-setup with no API key.

Pick Peekaboo if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you need the broadest set of tools.

Add MCP Server Playwright

Install / run

npx @automatalabs/mcp-server-playwright install

Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mcp-server-playwright": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@automatalabs/mcp-server-playwright"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Add Peekaboo

Install / run

npx -y @steipete/peekaboo

Paste into ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "peekaboo": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@steipete/peekaboo"
      ],
      "env": {
        "PEEKABOO_AI_PROVIDERS": "openai/gpt-5.5,anthropic/claude-opus-4-8"
      }
    }
  }
}

FAQ

MCP Server Playwright or Peekaboo — which is better?

Pick MCP Server Playwright if you want zero-setup with no API key. Pick Peekaboo if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you need the broadest set of tools.

Can I use both MCP Server Playwright and Peekaboo?

Yes — MCP clients let you enable multiple servers at once. Add both configs to your client's mcpServers and use whichever tool fits the task.

Do MCP Server Playwright and Peekaboo work with Claude, Cursor and Windsurf?

Both do. Copy the per-client config below into Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf.

View MCP Server Playwright →View Peekaboo →More comparisons →