Parallel Browser
parallel-browser-mcp is an MCP server for parallel browser automation. It exposes a numeric session model over MCP so one client can create and control multiple browser sessions at the same time across multiple browser providers.
What is Parallel Browser?
Parallel Browser is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that allows AI assistants like Claude, Cursor, and VS Code to parallel-browser-mcp is an mcp server for parallel browser automation. it exposes a numeric session model over mcp so one client can create and control multiple browser sessions at the same time acros...
parallel-browser-mcp is an MCP server for parallel browser automation. It exposes a numeric session model over MCP so one client can create and control multiple browser sessions at the same time across multiple browser providers.
This server falls under the Browser Automation category on MCPgee, the world's largest MCP server directory with 33,000+ servers.
Features
- parallel-browser-mcp is an MCP server for parallel browser a
Use Cases
Maintainer
Works with
Installation
NPM
npx -y parallel-browser-mcpManual Installation
npx -y parallel-browser-mcpConfiguration
Configuration Details
claude_desktop_config.json
Performance
Response Metrics
Resource Usage
How to Set Up and Use Parallel Browser
parallel-browser-mcp is a TypeScript MCP server that enables a single AI client to create and control multiple independent browser sessions simultaneously across different providers including Playwright (local), Browserbase, Anchor Browser, and Cloudflare Browser Rendering. It uses a numeric session model — each call to start_session returns a session ID that scopes all subsequent navigation, click, form-fill, screenshot, and JavaScript evaluation operations — making it ideal for concurrent web automation tasks like multi-tab research, parallel form submissions, or comparing multiple sites at once.
Prerequisites
- Node.js 18+ installed
- An MCP-compatible client such as Claude Desktop or Cursor
- For local Playwright sessions: no additional credentials needed (Playwright is bundled)
- For Browserbase: BROWSERBASE_API_KEY and BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID from your Browserbase account
- For Anchor Browser: ANCHOR_API_KEY from your Anchor account
Add to Claude Code via CLI
The fastest way to add parallel-browser-mcp. For local Playwright usage no environment variables are needed.
claude mcp add parallel-browser-mcp npx parallel-browser-mcp@latestConfigure Claude Desktop for local Playwright sessions
Add the server to claude_desktop_config.json. The BROWSER_MCP_CONFIG env var is a JSON string that sets the default provider and launch options.
{
"mcpServers": {
"parallel-browser-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["parallel-browser-mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"BROWSER_MCP_CONFIG": "{\"defaultProvider\":\"playwright\",\"providers\":{\"playwright\":{\"launchOptions\":{\"headless\":true}}}}"
}
}
}
}Configure for Browserbase (cloud provider)
To use Browserbase for managed cloud browser sessions with stealth and session persistence, add the required credentials to the env block.
{
"mcpServers": {
"parallel-browser-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["parallel-browser-mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"BROWSERBASE_API_KEY": "your_browserbase_api_key",
"BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID": "your_project_id",
"BROWSER_MCP_CONFIG": "{\"defaultProvider\":\"browserbase\"}"
}
}
}
}Start a browser session and navigate
The basic workflow: call start_session to get a numeric ID, then use that ID in all subsequent browser_* tool calls. Multiple sessions can run concurrently.
Close sessions when done
Always close browser sessions after use to free resources. Use close_session for individual sessions or close_all_sessions to clean up everything at once.
Parallel Browser Examples
Client configuration
Claude Desktop configuration for parallel-browser-mcp using local Playwright in headless mode.
{
"mcpServers": {
"parallel-browser-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["parallel-browser-mcp@latest"],
"env": {
"BROWSER_MCP_CONFIG": "{\"defaultProvider\":\"playwright\",\"providers\":{\"playwright\":{\"launchOptions\":{\"headless\":true}}}}"
}
}
}
}Prompts to try
Example prompts that demonstrate parallel and multi-session browser automation.
- "Open three browser sessions simultaneously, navigate each to a different news site, and compare their top headlines"
- "Log into my account on example.com, take a screenshot of the dashboard, then close the session"
- "Fill out the contact form on https://example.com/contact with my name and email, then submit it"
- "Open sessions on five e-commerce sites and find the best price for a specific product across all of them"
- "Crawl the pagination of https://example.com/listings page by page and extract all product names"Troubleshooting Parallel Browser
Playwright fails to launch with 'browser executable not found'
Run npx playwright install chromium to download the required browser binary. On Linux, you may also need system dependencies: npx playwright install-deps chromium.
Browserbase sessions fail with authentication errors
Verify BROWSERBASE_API_KEY and BROWSERBASE_PROJECT_ID are set correctly in the env block of your MCP config. These are different from your Browserbase login password — find them in your Browserbase project settings dashboard.
Multiple sessions slow down or crash with local Playwright
Each Playwright session spawns a full browser process. On machines with limited RAM, reduce concurrency by closing sessions promptly after use. Consider switching to Browserbase or Anchor Browser for cloud-managed sessions that don't consume local resources.
Frequently Asked Questions about Parallel Browser
What is Parallel Browser?
Parallel Browser is a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server that parallel-browser-mcp is an mcp server for parallel browser automation. it exposes a numeric session model over mcp so one client can create and control multiple browser sessions at the same time across multiple browser providers. It connects AI assistants to external tools and data sources through a standardized interface.
How do I install Parallel Browser?
Install via npm with the command: npx -y parallel-browser-mcp. Then add the server configuration to your AI client's JSON config file (e.g., claude_desktop_config.json or .cursor/mcp.json).
Which AI clients work with Parallel Browser?
Parallel Browser works with all major MCP-compatible AI clients including Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, VS Code (GitHub Copilot), Windsurf, and Cline.
Is Parallel Browser free to use?
Yes, Parallel Browser is open source and available under the Apache 2.0 license. You can use it freely in both personal and commercial projects.
Parallel Browser Alternatives — Similar Browser Automation Servers
Looking for alternatives to Parallel Browser? Here are other popular browser automation servers you can use with Claude, Cursor, and VS Code.
Chrome DevTools MCP
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UI TARS Desktop
★ 34.9k📇 🏠 - Browser automation capabilities using Puppeteer, both support local and remote browser connection.
Playwright
★ 32.8kA production-ready browser automation server that enables AI assistants to interact with web pages using tools for navigation, element interaction, and data extraction. It features a built-in Inspector UI and robust crash recovery for reliable automa
Page Agent
★ 18.0kJavaScript in-page GUI agent. Control web interfaces with natural language.
Chrome
★ 11.7kAn extension-based MCP server that enables AI assistants to control your browser, leveraging existing sessions and login states for automation and content analysis. It provides over 20 tools for semantic tab search, interactive element manipulation,
LAMDA
★ 7.8kThe most powerful Android RPA agent framework, next generation mobile automation.
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Quick Config Preview
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