MCP Server Playwright vs Playwright MCP (ExecuteAutomation)

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	Playwright MCP (ExecuteAutomation) Popular community Playwright + API testing MCP server with codegen, screenshots, and device emulation. Verified stdio (local) No auth TypeScript
Category	Browser Automation	Browser Automation
Language	JavaScript	TypeScript
Transport	stdio (local)	stdio (local)
Auth	None	None
GitHub stars	295	4.5k
Last commit	1 year ago	1 month ago
Verified
Actively maintained
Install	`npx @automatalabs/mcp-server-playwright install`	`npx -y @executeautomation/playwright-mcp-server`
Repo	Open	Open

Verdict

Pick MCP Server Playwright if you prefer its approach (browser automation via playwright — let llms navigate, click, fill forms, screenshot, and run js in a real browser).

Pick Playwright MCP (ExecuteAutomation) if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want a verified, documented setup.

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 Playwright MCP (ExecuteAutomation)

Install / run

npx -y @executeautomation/playwright-mcp-server

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

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

FAQ

MCP Server Playwright or Playwright MCP (ExecuteAutomation) — which is better?

Pick MCP Server Playwright if you prefer its approach (browser automation via playwright — let llms navigate, click, fill forms, screenshot, and run js in a real browser). Pick Playwright MCP (ExecuteAutomation) if you prefer the more popular, battle-tested option, and you want a verified, documented setup.

Can I use both MCP Server Playwright and Playwright MCP (ExecuteAutomation)?

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 Playwright MCP (ExecuteAutomation) 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 Playwright MCP (ExecuteAutomation) →More comparisons →