Best Free MCP Servers in 2026

Are MCP Servers Really Free?

Yes. Every MCP server in the ecosystem is free and open source. This is not a freemium model with hidden costs. The Model Context Protocol was designed by Anthropic as an open standard, and the entire server ecosystem follows suit. Every server listed on MCPgee is available at zero cost under permissive open source licenses - predominantly MIT and Apache 2.0.

There are two important nuances to understand:

• The MCP servers are free, but the services they connect to may not be. For example, the Slack MCP server is free to install, but you need a Slack workspace (which has paid tiers). The AWS MCP server is free, but AWS resources cost money. The server itself never charges you.
• Some servers require API keys for third-party services. The Brave Search server needs a Brave API key (free tier: 2,000 queries/month). The GitHub server needs a personal access token (free with any GitHub account). These are not costs of the MCP server - they are standard API access requirements.

With that cleared up, here is every free MCP server worth installing, organized by category.

Quick Overview: 40+ Free MCP Servers by License

Category	Server	License	Install	API Key Needed?
Databases	PostgreSQL	MIT	npx	No (connection string)
Databases	SQLite	MIT	npx / uvx	No
Databases	MongoDB	Apache 2.0	npx	No (connection string)
Databases	Redis	MIT	npx / Docker	No
Databases	Elasticsearch	MIT	npx / Docker	Yes (API key or basic auth)
Files	Filesystem	MIT	npx	No
Files	Google Drive	MIT	npx	Yes (Google OAuth)
Dev Tools	GitHub	MIT	npx	Yes (PAT, free)
Dev Tools	Git	MIT	uvx	No
Dev Tools	Sentry	MIT	npx	Yes (auth token)
Dev Tools	Memory	MIT	npx	No
Dev Tools	Sequential Thinking	MIT	npx	No
Communication	Slack	MIT	npx	Yes (bot token)
Communication	Gmail	MIT	npx	Yes (Google OAuth)
Cloud	AWS	Apache 2.0	npx	Yes (AWS credentials)
Cloud	Cloudflare	MIT	npx	Yes (API token)
Search	Brave Search	MIT	npx	Yes (free tier available)
Monitoring	Grafana	Apache 2.0	npx	Yes (API key)
Monitoring	Datadog	Apache 2.0	npx	Yes (API key)
Design	Figma	MIT	npx	Yes (access token)

Browse the complete directory at mcpgee.com/servers for all available servers.

Top Free Database MCP Servers

Database MCP servers let AI query, explore, and analyze your data directly. Every database server in the databases category is completely free. Here are the top picks:

PostgreSQL - The Gold Standard

The PostgreSQL MCP server is the most popular database server. It supports full SQL queries, schema introspection, connection pooling, and SSL. Install it with a single command:

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres "postgresql://user:pass@localhost:5432/mydb"

Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "postgres": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres", "postgresql://user:pass@localhost:5432/mydb"]
    }
  }
}

Try these prompts after setup:

"Show me all tables and their row counts"
"Find the top 10 customers by total order value"
"What indexes exist on the orders table? Are any missing?"

License: MIT. Stars: 1,200+. Maintained by the MCP core team.

SQLite - Zero Setup

The SQLite MCP server is the easiest way to try database MCP servers. Point it at any .db file and start querying. No database server needed.

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite /path/to/database.db

Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sqlite": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite", "/Users/you/projects/app/data.db"]
    }
  }
}

Try these prompts after setup:

"What tables exist in this database and how are they related?"
"Show me the schema for every table"
"Find all records where created_at is in the last 7 days"

License: MIT. Stars: 1,000+. Maintained by the MCP core team.

MongoDB - Document Databases

The MongoDB MCP server is maintained by MongoDB Inc. and supports document queries, aggregation pipelines, and Atlas cloud deployments.

npx -y mongodb-mcp-server --connectionString "mongodb://localhost:27017/mydb"

Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "mongodb": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "mongodb-mcp-server", "--connectionString", "mongodb://localhost:27017/mydb"]
    }
  }
}

Try these prompts after setup:

"List all collections and show a sample document from each"
"Find all orders over $100 from the last month"
"What is the average document size in each collection?"

License: Apache 2.0. Stars: 500+. Officially maintained by MongoDB.

For a deep comparison of all database servers, see our Best MCP Servers for Database Access guide.

Top Free Developer Tool MCP Servers

These servers enhance your coding workflow. Browse the full developer tools category for more options.

GitHub - Code Review and Repository Management

The GitHub MCP server connects AI to pull requests, issues, code search, and repository management. It is maintained by GitHub and uses your personal access token for authentication.

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-github

Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": {
        "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_your_token_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Try these prompts after setup:

"Review the latest open PR on my-org/my-repo and summarize the changes"
"Find all open issues labeled 'bug' in my-org/my-repo"
"Search for all usages of the deprecated API in the codebase"

License: MIT. Stars: 2,000+. Requires a free GitHub PAT.

Git - Local Version Control

The Git MCP server gives AI access to commit history, diffs, blame, and branches. It works entirely locally with zero API keys required.

uvx mcp-server-git --repository /path/to/repo

Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "git": {
      "command": "uvx",
      "args": ["mcp-server-git", "--repository", "/path/to/your/repo"]
    }
  }
}

Try these prompts after setup:

"Show me the last 20 commits with their messages"
"Who last modified the file src/auth.ts and what did they change?"
"What changed between the v2.0 and v2.1 tags?"

License: MIT. Stars: 800+. No API key needed.

Filesystem - Code Navigation

The Filesystem MCP server lets AI read, search, and write files in your project. It is the foundation of any coding MCP setup.

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/project

Try these prompts after setup:

"Read the package.json and tell me what dependencies this project uses"
"Search all TypeScript files for TODO comments"
"List all files in the src/components directory"

License: MIT. Stars: 1,500+. No API key needed.

Sentry - Error Tracking

The Sentry MCP server gives AI access to your application's error data, letting it debug production issues by reading stack traces, error frequencies, and affected users.

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-sentry

Try these prompts after setup:

"What are the top 5 unresolved errors in production this week?"
"Show me the stack trace for the most frequent TypeError"
"How many users are affected by the payment processing error?"

License: MIT. Requires a Sentry auth token (free tier available).

Top Free Communication MCP Servers

These servers connect AI to your team communication tools. See all options in the communication category.

Slack - Team Messaging

The Slack MCP server lets AI read channels, search messages, post updates, and manage threads. It requires a Slack bot token which you can create for free in any workspace.

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-slack

Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "slack": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-slack"],
      "env": {
        "SLACK_BOT_TOKEN": "xoxb-your-bot-token",
        "SLACK_TEAM_ID": "T01234567"
      }
    }
  }
}

Try these prompts after setup:

"Summarize the last 20 messages in the #engineering channel"
"Search for any messages mentioning the deployment issue from yesterday"
"Post a standup update to #team-updates summarizing what I tell you"

License: MIT. Requires a Slack bot token (free to create).

Gmail - Email Management

The Gmail MCP server connects AI to your email for reading, searching, and drafting messages. Authentication uses Google OAuth.

npx -y @anthropic/server-gmail

License: MIT. Requires Google OAuth setup.

Top Free Cloud MCP Servers

Cloud MCP servers let AI manage and query your cloud infrastructure. The servers themselves are free - you only pay for the cloud resources you use.

AWS - Amazon Web Services

The AWS MCP server gives AI access to S3, Lambda, DynamoDB, CloudWatch, and other AWS services. It uses your existing AWS credentials.

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-aws

License: Apache 2.0. Uses existing AWS credentials.

Cloudflare - Edge Computing

The Cloudflare MCP server manages Workers, KV stores, R2 storage, and DNS through AI. It connects using your Cloudflare API token.

npx -y @cloudflare/mcp-server-cloudflare

License: MIT. Requires a free Cloudflare API token.

Top Free Search and Knowledge MCP Servers

Brave Search - Web Search

The Brave Search MCP server gives AI real-time web search capabilities. The free tier includes 2,000 queries per month.

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search

Claude Desktop config:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "brave-search": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search"],
      "env": {
        "BRAVE_API_KEY": "BSA_your_api_key_here"
      }
    }
  }
}

Try these prompts after setup:

"Search for the latest Node.js LTS release and what changed"
"Find the best practices for PostgreSQL connection pooling in 2026"
"What are people saying about MCP servers on tech forums?"

License: MIT. Free tier: 2,000 queries/month.

Memory - Persistent Knowledge

The Memory MCP server creates a persistent knowledge graph that survives across AI sessions. Zero configuration, zero API keys.

npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory

License: MIT. No API key needed.

Hidden Gems: Lesser-Known Free Servers

Beyond the popular servers, several lesser-known MCP servers solve specific problems that can save you hours:

Puppeteer - Browser Automation

The Puppeteer MCP server gives AI control over a real Chromium browser. It can navigate pages, fill forms, take screenshots, and generate PDFs. This is not just a URL fetcher - it executes JavaScript and renders dynamic content.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "puppeteer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer"]
    }
  }
}

Use it when you need to scrape JavaScript-rendered content, capture screenshots for documentation, or test form submissions. See our Puppeteer MCP Server Guide for advanced usage.

Fetch - Raw HTTP Requests

The Fetch server makes HTTP requests to any URL. AI can call REST APIs, download content, check if endpoints are up, and parse JSON responses. It is simpler than Puppeteer but faster for API-only interactions.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "fetch": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-fetch"]
    }
  }
}

Time - Timezone and Date Calculations

The Time server handles timezone conversions, date arithmetic, and scheduling calculations. Surprisingly useful when you need to coordinate across time zones or calculate deadlines.

Sequential Thinking - Structured Reasoning

This server helps AI break down complex problems into structured reasoning steps. It does not connect to any external service. Instead, it provides a framework for the AI to think through multi-step problems more carefully. Useful for architecture decisions, debugging complex issues, and planning refactors.

Server Stack Recommendations by Role

Not sure which servers to install? Here are recommended combinations based on your role:

Frontend Developer

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/project"]
    },
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": { "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_xxx" }
    },
    "puppeteer": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer"]
    },
    "figma": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@anthropic/server-figma"],
      "env": { "FIGMA_ACCESS_TOKEN": "figd_xxx" }
    }
  }
}

Why this stack: Filesystem for code navigation, GitHub for PR reviews, Puppeteer for visual testing and screenshots, and Figma for design-to-code workflows.

Backend Developer

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/project"]
    },
    "postgres": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres", "postgresql://readonly:pass@localhost:5432/mydb"]
    },
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": { "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_xxx" }
    },
    "sentry": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sentry"],
      "env": { "SENTRY_AUTH_TOKEN": "sntrys_xxx" }
    }
  }
}

Why this stack: Filesystem for code, PostgreSQL for database queries and schema exploration, GitHub for code review, and Sentry for debugging production errors.

Data Scientist

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/data"]
    },
    "postgres": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres", "postgresql://analyst:pass@localhost:5432/warehouse"]
    },
    "sqlite": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite", "/path/to/local-analysis.db"]
    },
    "brave-search": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search"],
      "env": { "BRAVE_API_KEY": "BSA_xxx" }
    }
  }
}

Why this stack: Filesystem for reading data files and notebooks, PostgreSQL for querying data warehouses, SQLite for local analysis, and Brave Search for finding documentation and research papers.

DevOps Engineer

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "aws": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-aws"]
    },
    "cloudflare": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@cloudflare/mcp-server-cloudflare"],
      "env": { "CLOUDFLARE_API_TOKEN": "xxx" }
    },
    "github": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
      "env": { "GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN": "ghp_xxx" }
    },
    "grafana": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-grafana"],
      "env": { "GRAFANA_URL": "https://grafana.example.com", "GRAFANA_API_KEY": "xxx" }
    }
  }
}

Why this stack: AWS for infrastructure management, Cloudflare for edge services, GitHub for infrastructure-as-code repos, and Grafana for monitoring dashboards and alerts.

Combining Multiple Servers

The real power of MCP emerges when you combine multiple servers in a single configuration. Claude can use tools from different servers in the same conversation, creating workflows that would otherwise require switching between multiple applications.

For example, with GitHub + Sentry + PostgreSQL configured together, you can ask Claude:

"Check Sentry for the most frequent error this week. Then search the GitHub
repo for the relevant code. Finally, check the database to see how many
users are affected by this bug."

Claude will use all three MCP servers in sequence to answer your question. This kind of cross-tool workflow is impossible with individual tools in isolation.

Another powerful combination is Filesystem + Git + Brave Search:

"Read the package.json to see what version of React we're using. Then check
git blame on src/App.tsx to see when the last major change was made. Finally,
search the web for any known issues with this React version."

There is no limit to how many MCP servers you can run simultaneously. The practical limit is your machine's memory - each server process uses 50-200 MB of RAM depending on the server type. Most developers run 3-6 servers without any issues on a standard 16 GB machine.

How to Install Any Free MCP Server

Every MCP server follows the same installation pattern. You do not download or install anything permanently - npx handles everything:

# Generic pattern
npx -y @scope/server-name [arguments]

# Example: Install and run the Filesystem server
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/project

# Example: Install and run the GitHub server
GITHUB_PERSONAL_ACCESS_TOKEN=ghp_xxx npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-github

To use these servers with Claude Desktop, Cursor, or VS Code, add them to your client configuration file. See our IDE setup guide for step-by-step instructions for each client.

The Bottom Line

The entire MCP ecosystem is free. There are no premium servers, no paid tiers, no feature-gated licenses. The only costs come from the third-party services these servers connect to - and many of those have generous free tiers. Start with the servers that match your workflow, and expand from there. The MCPgee server directory has the complete, up-to-date list.