---
slug: "playwright-mcp"
name: "Playwright MCP"
effect: "Lets an agent drive a real browser with Playwright using accessibility snapshots, not screenshots"
category: "mcp-server"
tier: "standard"
url: "https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp"
github: "microsoft/playwright-mcp"
pricing: "open-source"
license: "Apache-2.0"
tags: ["browser", "automation", "playwright", "accessibility-tree", "testing"]
platforms: ["any-mcp-client", "claude-code", "claude-desktop", "codex", "cursor", "gemini-cli", "vscode", "windsurf", "docker"]
install_kind: "cli"
date_added: "2026-10-14"
rank: null
rising_score: 46
stars: 38158
star_velocity: 66.7
velocity_basis: "since creation"
created_at: "2025-03-21T17:48:36Z"
pushed_at: "2026-10-08T17:51:59Z"
signals_status: "ok"
signals_fetched_at: "2026-10-15T05:02:47.850Z"
page: "https://agenttooldrop.com/tools/playwright-mcp"
---

# Playwright MCP

Lets an agent drive a real browser with Playwright using accessibility snapshots, not screenshots

Category: MCP servers. Tier: standard (a well-known tool, listed for reference, not ranked). Pricing: Open source. License: Apache-2.0.

Platforms: any-mcp-client, claude-code, claude-desktop, codex, cursor, gemini-cli, vscode, windsurf, docker.

## Why you would want it

Microsoft's MCP server exposes Playwright browser automation as tools that act on structured accessibility snapshots, so no vision model is needed and actions avoid the ambiguity of screenshot-based clicking. It runs Chrome, Firefox, WebKit or Edge, headed or headless, can attach to your logged-in browser through the Playwright extension, and has opt-in capabilities for network, storage, DevTools, PDF, vision and test assertions. The README positions MCP for long-running loops that need persistent browser state, and points coding agents to the more token-efficient Playwright CLI with skills.

## Best for

- Exploratory web automation by agents
- Self-healing tests and long-running browser workflows
- MCP clients without built-in browser control

## Use it when

Your agent needs to navigate, fill forms and inspect pages across many steps while keeping the same browser session.

## Skip it if

You use a coding agent and care about context size; Microsoft suggests Playwright CLI with skills for that. It is not a security boundary, so keep it away from sessions or data you would not hand to the model.

## Install

Add to Claude Code:

```sh
claude mcp add playwright npx @playwright/mcp@latest
```

Source: https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp#readme

## Live signals

Fetched 2026-10-15T05:02:47.850Z (status: ok).

- Repository: microsoft/playwright-mcp
- Repository created: 2025-03-21
- Stars: 38,158 (GitHub's count; it cannot be authenticated)
- Stars per day, since repo creation: 66.7 (an average over the repo's life, not a growth rate)
- Forks: 3,250
- Open issues and PRs: 1
- License (GitHub): Apache-2.0
- Last push: 2026-10-08
- Latest release: v0.0.83 (2026-09-28)

## Links

- Website: https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp
- GitHub: https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp
- Install instructions verified at: https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp#readme
- Source for this entry: https://github.com/microsoft/playwright-mcp#readme
- AgentToolDrop page: https://agenttooldrop.com/tools/playwright-mcp
- Full catalog (JSON): https://agenttooldrop.com/tools.json