Compare · Browser Automation
Browser Use vs Chrome DevTools MCP Server
Browser Use exposes 2 tools and adds about 1,623 tokens to every model turn. Chrome DevTools exposes 32 tools and adds about 6,117. Chrome DevTools costs 3.8× as much context. Measured by connecting to each server and counting its tool list, not from the README.
 Browser Usebrowser-use |  Chrome DevToolschromedevtools | |
|---|---|---|
| Context tax | ~1,623 tok/turn(leaner) | ~6,117 tok/turn |
| Tools | 2 | 32 |
| Cost per 1,000 turns (Claude Sonnet 5.5, uncached) | $3.25 | $12.23 |
| Security score | 100/100 | 100/100 |
| Cold start | 4,325 ms | 2,023 ms |
| Runs | Local (stdio) | Local (stdio) |
| Needs keys | None declared | None declared |
| Freshness | Active | Active |
| GitHub stars | 118k | 54k |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Official MCP registry | Yes | Yes |
Install in Claude Code
Browser Use
claude mcp add browser-use -- uvx browser-use --cli-mcp
Chrome DevTools
claude mcp add chrome-devtools -- npx -y chrome-devtools-mcp
Tools
By name, from each server's live tool list. The same name can still behave differently.
Only in Browser Use · 2
- browser_exec
- browser_screenshot
In both · 0
- none
Only in Chrome DevTools · 32
- click
- close_page
- drag
- emulate
- evaluate_script
- fill
- fill_form
- get_console_message
- get_css_styles
- get_network_request
- handle_dialog
- hover
- lighthouse_audit
- list_console_messages
- list_network_requests
- list_pages
- navigate_page
- new_page
- performance_analyze_insight
- performance_start_trace
- performance_stop_trace
- press_key
- resize_page
- screencast_start
- screencast_stop
- select_page
- take_heapsnapshot
- take_screenshot
- take_snapshot
- type_text
- upload_file
- wait_for
Questions
- Which uses fewer tokens, Browser Use or Chrome DevTools?
- Browser Use: its tool definitions take about 1,623 tokens per turn against 6,117 for Chrome DevTools (3.8× more). Tool definitions are resent on every model turn.
- Do Browser Use and Chrome DevTools have the same tools?
- No tool names overlap: Browser Use has 2 tools and Chrome DevTools has 32.
- Are Browser Use and Chrome DevTools hosted or local?
- Browser Use: local (stdio). Chrome DevTools: local (stdio).
Token counts use the o200k tokenizer on each server's tool definitions as an agent receives them; clients that load tools lazily pay less. Prices are Claude Sonnet 5.5 input at $2/MTok. Want to check one yourself? Run npx mcpskillhub test <package> — how it works.