sncro vs Playwright MCP
Both connect Claude Code to a browser via MCP. Playwright drives a browser for Claude. sncro shows Claude YOUR browser.
| sncro | Playwright | |
|---|---|---|
| MCP integration | Yes — native MCP tools | Yes — native MCP tools |
| Purpose | Live debugging of real browser sessions | Browser automation, testing, and scripting |
| Setup | Add 2 lines of middleware. No browser install. | Install browser binaries + Playwright MCP server |
| Whose browser? | User's actual browser with real session state | Claude's own headless browser — separate session |
| How Claude uses it | Reads live state — observes what the user sees | Controls a browser — clicks, types, navigates |
| Real user state | Yes — cookies, auth, local storage, real data | No — clean browser, no user context |
| DOM inspection | Yes — live, any element, computed styles | Yes — via selectors in test scripts |
| Console logs | Yes — captured automatically | Requires explicit listener setup |
| Network timing | Yes — Performance API, sorted by duration | Yes — via HAR recording |
| Works with auth-gated pages | Yes — user is already logged in | Requires scripted login flow |
| Cloud / remote debugging | Yes — relay server, works across networks | Local only |
| Write access to DOM | No — read-only by design | Yes — full control |
| Automated testing / CI | No — designed for interactive debugging | Yes — built for CI/CD pipelines |
| Framework support | FastAPI, Flask (more coming) | Any web app (framework-agnostic) |
| Time to first debug | Under 2 minutes | 15-30 minutes (install, write script, iterate) |
When to use which
Use sncro when...
- You're debugging a CSS or layout issue right now
- You need Claude to see what the user sees
- The bug only appears with real user data or auth
- You want Claude to proactively inspect the DOM without you lifting a finger
Use Playwright when...
- You're writing automated tests for CI/CD
- You need to simulate user interactions (click, type, navigate)
- You want repeatable test scripts
- You need to control the browser, not just read from it
They're complementary, not competitive. Both use MCP. Playwright automates a browser for Claude. sncro lets Claude see yours.