head to head · open source
Zen Browser vs mcp-server-browserbase
Zen Browser has 44,486 GitHub stars, 1,755 forks, 689 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. mcp-server-browserbase has 3,411 stars, 368 forks, 52 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. Zen Browser leads on adoption by 1,204% (44,486 vs 3,411 stars). Zen Browser is written in C++ under MPL-2.0; mcp-server-browserbase is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. Zen Browser has attracted 4% as many forks as stars, mcp-server-browserbase 11%. Zen Browser was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
← all 13541 open source comparisons
Side by side
| Zen Browser | mcp-server-browserbase | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 44K | ★ 3.4K |
| License | MPL-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | C++ | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-07-20 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.8K | ⑂ 368 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Zen Browser if
- You weight community size — 44K stars and counting
- You want the MPL-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick mcp-server-browserbase if
- You want the mcp-server-browserbase feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and mcp-server-browserbase fits your workflow better
About Zen Browser
Zen Browser is a privacy focused, open source web browser built on Firefox’s Gecko engine. It inherits Firefox’s compatibility and extension ecosystem while introducing a streamlined interface and productivity oriented features. The project lives in the desktop browser ecosystem, targeting users who want a Firefox based experience with reduced clutter and enhanced customization.
read the full Zen Browser overview →
About mcp-server-browserbase
mcp server browserbase is an archived Apache 2.0 TypeScript reference implementation of a Model Context Protocol server that lets LLM applications drive a cloud browser through Browserbase and Stagehand.
read the full mcp-server-browserbase overview →
More in Productivity & Utilities
Related comparisons
More Browsers & Extensions projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Browsers & Extensions field.
Frequently asked questions
Is Zen Browser or mcp-server-browserbase more popular?
Zen Browser has 44,486 GitHub stars and mcp-server-browserbase has 3,411. Zen Browser has the larger community by that measure.
Are Zen Browser and mcp-server-browserbase free?
Both are open source. Zen Browser is licensed under MPL-2.0 and mcp-server-browserbase under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Zen Browser and mcp-server-browserbase?
Zen Browser is written in C++ and mcp-server-browserbase in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Zen Browser or mcp-server-browserbase?
Choose Zen Browser if you want the larger community (44,486 stars) or its MPL-2.0 licence terms. Choose mcp-server-browserbase if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.