Compare › AI Engine
AI Puffer vs AI Engine
Both are WordPress plugins with an MCP server and AI tools, and both arrived on WordPress.org in December 2022.
In short
AI Engine has more tools and connects straight to your site. AI Puffer adds safety levels, WP-CLI and jobs across many sites.
Choose AI Engine if
- You want the most MCP tools, including unrestricted SQL.
- You want a direct connection, with no service in between.
- You want no monthly limit on calls.
Choose AI Puffer if
- You want to set it up in a few clicks.
- You want to choose how much each assistant does alone.
- You want WP-CLI commands, on one site or many.
- You want AI tools without an API key, on free credits.
Side by side
| AI Puffer | AI Engine | |
|---|---|---|
| First on WordPress.org | 7 December 2022 | 27 December 2022 |
| What it is | MCP server plus AI tools for your site. | MCP server plus AI tools for your site. |
| Setting it up | Install, connect, approve. | Turn on MCP, choose tools, add the URL. |
| How you sign in | OAuth. | OAuth or a token. |
| How it connects | Through a relay. | Direct to your site. |
| Your WordPress password | Not needed. | Not needed. |
| Assistants | Claude, ChatGPT. | Claude, ChatGPT, Cursor, other MCP apps. |
| Tools | 27, plus plugin abilities. | About 120, plus plugin abilities. |
| How much it does alone | You choose. | Tools on or off. |
| Whose permissions | A user you pick. | The signed-in user. |
| WP-CLI commands | 125+. | — |
| Many sites at once | Yes, up to 50. | — |
| Page check in a browser | Coming soon. | — |
| Record | Activity log. | MCP logs. |
| Posts and pages | Yes. | Yes. |
| Images | Yes, plus stock photos. | Yes, plus AI images. |
| WooCommerce | Yes. | Yes. |
| SEO plugins | Yoast SEO, Redirection. | Its own SEO add-on. |
| Form plugins | WPForms, Fluent Forms. | Its own AI forms. |
| Page builders | Elementor. | — |
| Themes and files | Pro: theme drafts. | Pro: themes and files. |
| AI for your site | Free credits or your own keys. | Your own keys. |
| Free calls | 2,000 a month. | Unlimited. |
| Price | Free. Paid from $9.99/month. | Free. Pro from $79/year. |
AI Puffer’s column lists only what we have tested ourselves. AI Engine’s column comes from its WordPress.org page and website, checked on 15 October 2026; “—” means it isn’t listed. Something out of date? Tell us and we’ll fix it.