Inspector is the right tool for local STDIO servers — use it. We're complementary, not competing.

MCP Playground fills a different gap: no install (browser tab, nothing to run), built for remote HTTP/SSE endpoints rather than local processes, and includes hosted test servers so you can verify your client implementation without needing a server at all. Plus a registry if you're trying to discover what's out there.

Inspector ideal for: STDIO, local debugging, open source, deeper protocol introspection. MCP Playground for: zero setup, remote servers, client testing, browsing mcp registry/server list.