Is Tapscope available yet?
Not yet. Version 1.0 is in development; the features described here run in the current development build. The download page is enabled when a signed release is ready.
Which devices can I debug?
iPhone and iPad over USB or Wi-Fi, the iOS Simulator, Android devices and emulators, and desktop Chrome, Node.js or Electron through their debug ports. See Supported targets.
How is this different from Safari’s Web Inspector?
Safari’s Web Inspector is the free tool from Apple and works well for Safari on iOS. Tapscope uses the Chrome DevTools instead, adds Android and Chrome in the same window, a live screencast, the React DevTools, and a JSON CLI and CDP endpoint for scripts and coding agents. Both cannot inspect the same page at the same time.
How does Tapscope compare to ios-webkit-debug-proxy?
ios-webkit-debug-proxy is an open-source command-line tool that forwards the WebKit inspector protocol of iOS devices over a WebSocket. Tapscope is a Mac app with a different scope: it translates WebKit to the Chrome DevTools Protocol, so the current Chrome DevTools, Puppeteer and Chrome DevTools MCP work with iOS pages, and it brings the iOS Simulator, Android and network targets, a live screencast, the React DevTools and a JSON CLI into one place.
Do I need a cable?
For the first connection of an iPhone or iPad, yes – it has to trust the Mac. After pairing, Wi-Fi works too. Simulators need no cable; Android devices connect through adb.
Can I debug WebViews in my app?
Yes, in development builds that mark the WebView as inspectable. Apps from the App Store or TestFlight cannot be inspected. See iOS WebViews.
Can my coding agent use Tapscope?
Yes. Agents that run shell commands use the tapscope CLI with JSON output; MCP clients use Chrome DevTools MCP with the endpoint http://127.0.0.1:9222. With chrome-devtools-mcp 1.12.0, 22 of 33 tools work on iOS. See Coding agents.
Can agents see my private tabs?
Tapscope never picks a tab on your phone by itself. Choose the page with tapscope targets use <id>; the CDP endpoint is then limited to that page and the tabs opened from it.
Does page data leave my Mac?
No. Device connections, the translation and the CDP endpoint run locally. Only license activation and its periodic check contact the payment provider Polar.
Why can’t I throttle the network on iOS?
WebKit offers no throttling for debuggers. The same applies to viewport emulation and live JavaScript editing. See Limitations.
What does Tapscope cost?
Free includes every feature with 2 debug sessions of 15 minutes a day. The Pass costs €19 for 7 days of unlimited debugging, Pro €99 per year for 2 Macs. These are proposed launch prices. See Plans and billing.