apify-mcp-server
★ 12.6k
vs
cloakbrowser-mcp
★ 169
apify-mcp-server vs cloakbrowser-mcp
apify-mcp-server: The Apify Model Context Protocol (MCP) server enables AI agents to extract data from various websites using thousands of ready-made scrapers and automation tools from the Apify Store. It also supports OAuth for easy connection from clients like Claude.ai or Visual Studio Code using just a URL.; cloakbrowser-mcp: cloakbrowser-mcp is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that enables browser automation using the Playwright MCP framework with the CloakBrowser Chromium binary. It provides Playwright-compatible tools through a thin bridge for npm and Docker users over stdio or Streamable HTTP.
01
TL;DR
apify-mcp-serverBrowser Automation · ★ 12.6k
When to choose:
- You want AI agents to invoke thousands of battle-tested cloud scrapers from the Apify Store (social media, Google Maps, Amazon, real estate).
- You want serverless data extraction with managed proxy pools and anti-bot bypass without maintaining local browser clusters.
When to skip:
- You are scraping simple static sites without anti-bot blocks where free local libraries (Scrapling, Crawl4AI) are more cost-effective.
- Strict data compliance prevents sending scraping target URLs and credentials through external third-party cloud infrastructure.
cloakbrowser-mcpBrowser Automation · ★ 169
Automating web interactions for AI agents
02
Side-by-Side Comparison
Field
Category
Browser Automation
Browser Automation
Stars
★ 12.6k
★ 169
License
MIT
MIT
Install Command
npx @apify/actors-mcp-server
docker pull swimmwatch/cloakbrowser-mcp:latest && docker run --rm --init -i swimmwatch/cloakbrowser-mcp:latest
Updated
1d ago
1d ago
Open Source
Yes
Yes
Tags
AI Agents, Data Extraction, Web Scraping
Model Context Protocol, Browser Automation, Playwright
03
Features
01Integrate any Apify Actor as an AI agent tool.
02Support for OAuth and API token authentication.
03Enable agentic payments via Skyfire integration.
04Dynamic discovery of Apify Actors and helper tools.
05Offers both a hosted HTTPS endpoint and local standard I/O server options.
01Runs Playwright MCP with CloakBrowser Chromium
02Provides Playwright-compatible browser automation tools
03Supports npm and Docker deployment
04Thin bridge architecture for minimal overhead
05Flexible transport via stdio or Streamable HTTP
04
Use Cases
↳Extracting data from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram.
↳Scraping contact details from Google Maps listings.
↳Collecting results from Google Search Engine Results Pages (SERPs).
↳Performing web searches and extracting content from top URLs for RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation).
↳Automating data collection from e-commerce sites and other websites.
↳Automating web interactions for AI agents
↳Web scraping and data extraction with a robust browser
↳Integrating browser control into Model Context Protocol applications
↳Developing automated testing suites for web applications
05
Best For
Most Popular
—
FAQ
FAQ
What is the difference between apify-mcp-server and cloakbrowser-mcp?
Both apify-mcp-server and cloakbrowser-mcp are in the Browser Automation category. apify-mcp-server has 12.6k stars, while cloakbrowser-mcp has 169 stars.
Which is better, apify-mcp-server or cloakbrowser-mcp?
The best choice depends on your use case. Choose apify-mcp-server if Extracting data from social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram., and cloakbrowser-mcp if Automating web interactions for AI agents.
Is apify-mcp-server free or open source?
Yes, apify-mcp-server is open source on GitHub (MIT).
Is cloakbrowser-mcp free or open source?
Yes, cloakbrowser-mcp is open source on GitHub (MIT).
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