n8n-MCP vs Cua Driver

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

	n8n-MCP Gives AI assistants deep knowledge of 2,000+ n8n nodes, plus optional workflow management on your own n8n instance. Unverified stdio (local) API key TypeScript	Cua Driver Background computer-use MCP server that drives native macOS, Windows, and Linux desktop apps without stealing focus. Unverified stdio (local) No auth Rust
Category	Productivity	Productivity
Language	TypeScript	Rust
Transport	stdio (local)	stdio (local)
Auth	API key	None
GitHub stars	22k	19k
Last commit	3 days ago	5 days ago
Verified
Actively maintained
Install	`npx n8n-mcp`	`/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trycua/cua/main/libs/cua-driver/scripts/install.sh)"`
Repo	Open	Open

Verdict

Pick n8n-MCP if you prefer its approach (gives ai assistants deep knowledge of 2,000+ n8n nodes, plus optional workflow management on your own n8n instance).

Pick Cua Driver if you want zero-setup with no API key, and you need the broadest set of tools.

Add n8n-MCP

Install / run

npx n8n-mcp

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

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "n8n-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "n8n-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MCP_MODE": "stdio",
        "LOG_LEVEL": "error",
        "DISABLE_CONSOLE_OUTPUT": "true",
        "N8N_API_URL": "<your-n8n-instance-url>",
        "N8N_API_KEY": "<your-n8n-api-key>"
      }
    }
  }
}

Add Cua Driver

Install / run

/bin/bash -c "$(curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/trycua/cua/main/libs/cua-driver/scripts/install.sh)"

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

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cua-driver": {
      "command": "cua-driver",
      "args": [
        "mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

FAQ

n8n-MCP or Cua Driver — which is better?

Pick n8n-MCP if you prefer its approach (gives ai assistants deep knowledge of 2,000+ n8n nodes, plus optional workflow management on your own n8n instance). Pick Cua Driver if you want zero-setup with no API key, and you need the broadest set of tools.

Can I use both n8n-MCP and Cua Driver?

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 n8n-MCP and Cua Driver work with Claude, Cursor and Windsurf?

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

View n8n-MCP →View Cua Driver →More comparisons →