MCP Browser Debugging Tools Compared (2025)
If you’re using an AI coding assistant (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf), you’ve probably wished it could see your browser. Several MCP-based tools now make that possible — but they take different approaches.
Here’s a practical breakdown of the options.
The Landscape
Section titled “The Landscape”Four tools currently give AI assistants browser access via MCP:
| Tool | Architecture | Approach |
|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | Extension + Go binary | Passive capture |
| Chrome DevTools MCP | Puppeteer-based server | Active control |
| BrowserTools MCP | Extension + Node server + MCP server | Passive capture + Lighthouse |
| Cursor MCP Extension | Extension + MCP server | Passive capture |
Passive vs Active: The Fundamental Split
Section titled “Passive vs Active: The Fundamental Split”The biggest architectural difference is passive capture vs active control.
Passive Capture (Gasoline, BrowserTools, Cursor MCP)
Section titled “Passive Capture (Gasoline, BrowserTools, Cursor MCP)”You browse normally. The extension watches what happens — console logs, network errors, exceptions — and makes that data available to your AI.
Pros:
- Zero interference with your browsing
- Captures real user behavior
- Works on any page you visit
Cons:
- Can’t click buttons or navigate programmatically
- Can’t take screenshots (traditionally — though some add this)
Active Control (Chrome DevTools MCP)
Section titled “Active Control (Chrome DevTools MCP)”The tool takes control of a Chrome instance via the Chrome DevTools Protocol (Puppeteer). It can navigate, click, screenshot, and inspect.
Pros:
- Full browser automation
- Can reproduce issues programmatically
- Can take screenshots
Cons:
- Requires a separate Chrome instance
- Can’t observe your normal browsing
- Needs Chrome debug port open
Dependencies Matter
Section titled “Dependencies Matter”For enterprise environments, the dependency footprint matters:
| Tool | Runtime | Install Size | Supply Chain |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | None (single Go binary) | ~10MB | Zero deps |
| Chrome DevTools MCP | Node.js 22+ | ~200MB+ | Puppeteer + deps |
| BrowserTools MCP | Node.js | ~150MB+ | Multiple npm packages |
| Cursor MCP Extension | Node.js | ~100MB+ | npm packages |
Gasoline’s zero-dependency approach means no node_modules/ folder, no lock file drift, and no supply chain risk. The binary you audit is the binary you run.
Privacy: Where Does Data Go?
Section titled “Privacy: Where Does Data Go?”| Tool | Data Stays Local? | Telemetry | Auth Handling |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | Yes (127.0.0.1 only) | None | Headers stripped |
| Chrome DevTools MCP | Depends on config | Unknown | Not stripped |
| BrowserTools MCP | Yes | Unknown | Not stripped |
| Cursor MCP Extension | Yes | Unknown | Not stripped |
Gasoline is the only tool that architecturally guarantees data locality — the server binary rejects non-localhost connections at the TCP level and never makes outbound network calls.
Performance Impact
Section titled “Performance Impact”| Tool | Page Load Impact | Per-Event Overhead | Memory Cap |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gasoline | Zero (deferred init) | < 0.1ms | 20MB soft, 50MB hard |
| Chrome DevTools MCP | N/A (separate instance) | N/A | Unbounded |
| BrowserTools MCP | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
| Cursor MCP Extension | Unknown | Unknown | Unknown |
Gasoline enforces strict SLOs with adaptive sampling for high-frequency events (WebSocket, network bodies).
Feature Comparison
Section titled “Feature Comparison”| Feature | Gasoline | DevTools MCP | BrowserTools | Cursor MCP |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Console capture | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Network errors | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Network bodies | Yes | Partial | No | No |
| WebSocket monitoring | Yes | No | No | No |
| DOM queries | Yes | Yes (full control) | No | No |
| Accessibility audit | Yes (axe-core) | No | Yes (Lighthouse) | No |
| Test generation | Yes (Playwright) | No | No | No |
| Screenshots | No | Yes | Yes | No |
| Browser control | No | Yes | No | No |
When to Choose What
Section titled “When to Choose What”Choose Gasoline if:
- You want zero dependencies and zero supply chain risk
- Enterprise security policies require local-only data handling
- You need WebSocket monitoring or network body capture
- You want to generate Playwright tests from real sessions
- You use any MCP-compatible tool (not just Cursor)
Choose Chrome DevTools MCP if:
- You need to automate browser actions
- You want screenshot capabilities
- You’re building testing/scraping workflows
Choose BrowserTools MCP if:
- You specifically need Lighthouse audits
- You’re already invested in the Node.js ecosystem
Choose Cursor MCP Extension if:
- You only use Cursor
- You want the simplest possible setup
How do I get started with Gasoline?
Section titled “How do I get started with Gasoline?”npx gasoline-mcpOne command. No Node.js runtime. No accounts. Full setup guide →