Skip to content
Short answer: Most free MCP servers are free in the sense that the server software costs nothing. The catch is what sits behind it: some need no account at all. Others need a free account with the vendor. A few give you a small free allowance before billing starts. Playwright MCP, Filesystem MCP and Chrome DevTools MCP need nothing but Node.js.
Klyvoo lists every server with its price and sign-in, so you can check before you install. Browse the full MCP servers directory, or read what MCP servers are first if the term is new.
Free MCP servers at a glance
| Server | Cost of the server | What sits behind it |
|---|---|---|
| Playwright MCP | Free, Apache-2.0 | Nothing. No account or key |
| Chrome DevTools MCP | Free, Apache-2.0 | Nothing. Needs Chrome and Node.js |
| Filesystem MCP | Free, open source | Nothing. Runs on your computer |
| Fetch MCP | Free, open source | Nothing. Reads public web pages |
| Memory MCP | Free, open source | Nothing. Stores a local knowledge graph |
| GitHub MCP Server | Free, MIT | A GitHub account |
| Context7 | Free, MIT | An optional free API key for higher rate limits |
| Zapier MCP | Included in every Zapier plan | A Zapier account and your task quota |
| Firecrawl MCP | Free tier, then paid | Credits that run out |
| Brave Search MCP | Server is free | A prepaid search API with a card on file |
What does “free” mean for an MCP server?
An MCP server is a small program or web service that gives an AI app tools. The server and the thing it talks to are two separate costs. A server that reads files on your laptop has nothing behind it. A server that searches the web or sends emails calls someone else’s service, and that service sets the price.
So “is this MCP server free?” has three honest answers:
- Free, with nothing behind it. The server runs on your machine and needs no account.
- Free server, account required. The code is open source but it acts on your account at a vendor, so the vendor’s own limits apply.
- Free tier, then usage-based. The server works but each call spends credits or requests, so the free allowance is small.
There is also a fourth cost that is easy to forget: the AI app. A free server does not pay for the model that calls it.
Which MCP servers need no account?
These run on your own computer and ask nothing from you except a runtime.
Playwright MCP
Playwright MCP from Microsoft lets an AI assistant drive a real browser. Its GitHub repository lists the Apache-2.0 license and one requirement, Node.js 18 or newer. No account or key is mentioned. In Claude Code, the repo gives this command:
claude mcp add playwright npx @playwright/mcp@latest
Chrome DevTools MCP
Chrome DevTools MCP from Google lets a coding agent inspect a live Chrome for debugging and performance work. It is Apache-2.0 and runs with npx -y chrome-devtools-mcp@latest, per its GitHub repository. It needs a current stable Chrome and a Node.js LTS release.
Free here has a privacy note. The README says Google collects usage statistics by default (tool success rates and latency, for example). You can opt out with --no-usage-statistics. Performance tools may also send trace URLs to the Google CrUX API, which --no-performance-crux turns off. The README also warns that the server exposes browser content to your MCP client, so keep sensitive pages out of the session.
Filesystem, Fetch and Memory
Filesystem MCP, Fetch MCP and Memory MCP are three of the reference servers in the official MCP servers repository on GitHub. The commands from its README:
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-memory
npx -y @modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem /path/to/allowed/files
uvx mcp-server-fetch
The catch is not cost. The README calls these servers reference implementations that demonstrate MCP features and SDK usage. It describes them as educational examples, not production-ready solutions. Developers should add their own security safeguards. Point Filesystem at one project folder, not your home directory.
Which free servers need an account?
The code is free. The access is not anonymous.
GitHub MCP Server. The GitHub MCP Server is MIT-licensed, and GitHub’s repository lists a remote endpoint at https://api.githubcopilot.com/mcp/. You sign in with OAuth or a personal access token. The page names no cost and no Copilot subscription requirement. What it can do depends on what your GitHub account can do, which is the point of the account.
Context7. Context7 from Upstash serves up-to-date library docs to your agent. The repository lists the MIT license and says an API key is optional but recommended, free to get at context7.com/dashboard. A key gets higher rate limits. The page gives no numbers, so we cannot tell you how much higher.
Zapier MCP. Zapier MCP connects an AI app to apps in your Zapier account. Zapier’s page says it is included in every Zapier plan and that each tool call uses two tasks from your existing task quota, the same pool your Zaps use. It does not say whether a free Zapier account includes MCP access or what the task limits are, so check your plan before you rely on it. This is the clearest case of a “free” server with a quota behind it.
Which servers have a free tier that runs out?
Some servers do real work on the vendor’s infrastructure, and that work is metered.
Firecrawl MCP
Firecrawl MCP searches, scrapes and crawls websites. Firecrawl’s pricing page shows a Free plan with 1,000 credits a month at $0 with no credit card needed. Rate limits are low: 10 requests a minute for scrape, map and search. The Free plan has no pay-as-you-go and no rollover. Paid plans:
| Plan | Credits a month | Billed monthly | Billed yearly |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hobby | 5,000 | $19 a month | $16 a month |
| Standard | 100,000 | $99 a month | $83 a month |
| Growth | 500,000 | $399 a month | $333 a month |
| Scale | 1,000,000 | $749 a month | $599 a month |
A crawl of a large site can spend 1,000 credits quickly. Tell your agent to limit the pages it fetches.
Brave Search MCP
Brave Search MCP gives an agent web search. The server is free, but it calls the Brave Search API. Its Search plan costs $5 per 1,000 requests and includes $5 in free credits every month. Billing is prepaid credits with no subscription, and Brave says it asks for a credit card to prevent abuse. Brave’s page also advertises “up to $20 in free calls every month”, which does not match the $5 plan figure and is not explained, so plan on the smaller number.
How do I pick a free MCP server?
Start with the job, then check the cost behind it:
- Need a browser to test or scrape a page? Playwright MCP is free with nothing behind it.
- Need your agent to read or write local files? Filesystem MCP, scoped to one folder.
- Need current library docs? Context7. Skip the key until you hit a rate limit.
- Working in GitHub? The GitHub MCP Server, with a token limited to the repositories you need.
- Need search or crawling at scale? Expect to pay. Try the free tier on a small job first.
If a server asks for an API key, read the vendor’s pricing before you paste it in. For more on how remote servers sign in, see remote MCP servers.
What are the limits of free MCP servers?
Free servers do not make your agent safe. A server can only do what you let it, so the real controls are scope and credentials. Give each server the narrowest folder, token or account it needs. Free also does not mean maintained: the reference servers are labeled as examples, and a hobby server can stop working when its API changes.
Last, a free server cannot fix a weak model or a vague prompt. It only gives the agent more things to try.
FAQ
Are MCP servers free?
The protocol is open and many servers are open source, so the software is often free. What you may pay for is the service behind the server (a search API or a crawler, say) plus the AI app that calls it.
What is the best free MCP server to start with?
Playwright MCP or Filesystem MCP. Both run on your computer and need no account, so you can see how a server works without signing up for anything.
Do I need an API key for free MCP servers?
Not for Playwright, Filesystem, Fetch, Memory or Chrome DevTools. GitHub needs a sign-in, Context7 takes an optional free key and Firecrawl and Brave need accounts for their services.
Are free MCP servers safe?
Open source means you can read the code, not that it is safe. Limit folder access, use narrow tokens and read what each server can do before you connect it. The reference servers say plainly that they are examples.
Is Zapier MCP free?
Zapier says MCP is included in every Zapier plan, and each tool call uses two tasks from your quota. It does not say whether a free account includes it, so check your plan on Zapier.
Where can I find more MCP servers?
Browse the Klyvoo MCP servers directory, which lists 100 servers in 10 categories with their price and sign-in method.
Ready to pick one? Open the MCP servers directory, filter by category and check the price line on each server page before you install.