The Model Context Protocol (MCP) has quickly become the standard way for AI coding assistants to interact with external tools and services. If you use Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, or any other AI-powered IDE, MCP servers give your assistant superpowers — the ability to generate QR codes, process PDFs, validate emails, take screenshots, and run dozens of other developer operations without ever leaving your coding flow.
This guide covers everything you need to know about free MCP server tools in 2026: what MCP is, how it works, and the best free MCP servers you can install right now to supercharge your AI coding workflow.
Install our MCP server with a single command — no configuration needed.
npx devtools-mcp-serverThe Model Context Protocol is an open standard originally developed by Anthropic that defines how AI assistants communicate with external tool servers. Think of it as a universal plugin system for AI — instead of each AI assistant needing custom integrations for every tool, MCP provides a single protocol that any assistant can use to connect to any tool server.
Before MCP, if you wanted your AI coding assistant to generate a QR code or validate an email address, you would have to copy code from a browser, switch between tabs, or manually call APIs. With MCP, your assistant calls these tools directly, inline, as part of the conversation. You say "generate a QR code for this URL" and the assistant makes the API call, receives the result, and presents it to you — all without you writing a single line of integration code.
MCP is an open specification, which means anyone can build an MCP server or client. This has created a thriving ecosystem of free and open-source MCP servers covering everything from file systems and databases to REST APIs and browser automation.
Without MCP, AI coding assistants are limited to text manipulation. They can write code, but they cannot do things. MCP changes this fundamentally:
npx package-name to install and start running.The result is a smoother development workflow. Instead of switching between your editor, browser, terminal, and various web tools, you ask the AI to do it directly. This can reduce context switching by 40–60% during active development sessions.
The MCP architecture has three components:
When you configure an MCP server in your AI assistant, the client launches the server process, queries its available tools, and registers them. From that point on, the assistant can call any tool whenever it determines one is relevant to your request.
Here are the most useful free MCP servers you can install right now:
| MCP Server | Tools | Description | Free Tier |
|---|---|---|---|
devtools-mcp-server | 30+ | QR codes, PDFs, hashing, email validation, screenshots, invoices, AI text, images, currency, crypto, IP geolocation, URL shortening | 100 req/day |
@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem | 5 | Read, write, search, and manage files and directories on your local machine | Unlimited (local) |
@modelcontextprotocol/server-github | 15+ | Create issues, pull requests, search repositories, manage branches on GitHub | GitHub API limits |
@modelcontextprotocol/server-postgres | 3 | Query PostgreSQL databases, list tables, describe schemas | Unlimited (local) |
@modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite | 4 | Query and manage SQLite databases directly from your assistant | Unlimited (local) |
@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search | 2 | Web search and local search powered by Brave Search API | 2,000 req/month |
@modelcontextprotocol/server-puppeteer | 6 | Browser automation: navigate pages, click elements, take screenshots, fill forms | Unlimited (local) |
@modelcontextprotocol/server-memory | 4 | Persistent memory and knowledge graph for your AI assistant | Unlimited (local) |
The devtools-mcp-server npm package is the most comprehensive free MCP server available. With a single npx command, you get access to over 30 tools spanning 13 different API categories. One install, one API key, and your AI assistant gains capabilities that would otherwise require a dozen separate services:
All 30+ tools are powered by a single API key from DevProToolkit, with a generous free tier of 100 requests per day per API. Full API documentation is available at api.commandsector.in/docs.
The fastest way to get started is to run the DevTools MCP server directly with npx:
npx devtools-mcp-serverThis downloads and runs the server automatically. To use it with API-powered tools, set your API key as an environment variable:
DEVTOOLS_API_KEY=your_api_key npx devtools-mcp-serverGet your free API key at api.commandsector.in/signup — no credit card required.
If you prefer to install globally for faster startup:
npm install -g devtools-mcp-server
devtools-mcp-serverAdd the DevTools MCP server to your Claude Code configuration file (~/.claude/claude_desktop_config.json):
{
"mcpServers": {
"devtools": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "devtools-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"DEVTOOLS_API_KEY": "your_free_api_key_here"
}
}
}
}In Cursor, open Settings, navigate to the MCP section, and add a new server. You can also edit .cursor/mcp.json in your project:
{
"mcpServers": {
"devtools": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "devtools-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"DEVTOOLS_API_KEY": "your_free_api_key_here"
}
}
}
}Windsurf uses the same MCP configuration format. Add to your Windsurf MCP settings:
{
"mcpServers": {
"devtools": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "devtools-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"DEVTOOLS_API_KEY": "your_free_api_key_here"
}
}
}
}You can configure multiple MCP servers side by side. Here is an example combining DevTools, GitHub, and filesystem servers for a complete AI-assisted development environment:
{
"mcpServers": {
"devtools": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "devtools-mcp-server"],
"env": {
"DEVTOOLS_API_KEY": "your_api_key"
}
},
"github": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-github"],
"env": {
"GITHUB_TOKEN": "ghp_your_token"
}
},
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/project"]
}
}
}Once configured, you can make requests like these directly to your AI assistant:
The AI assistant automatically selects the right MCP tool, makes the API call, and returns the result — all within your normal coding conversation.
Get your free API key and install the DevTools MCP server in under a minute.
Get Free API Key Read the DocsMCP is an open standard for connecting AI assistants to external tools and services. It defines how AI clients like Claude Code and Cursor communicate with tool servers, enabling your assistant to perform real-world operations such as generating QR codes, processing PDFs, querying databases, and more.
Yes. The npm package is free and open source. It connects to the DevProToolkit API, which offers a free tier of 100 requests per day with no credit card required. Sign up here to get your API key.
As of 2026, MCP is supported by Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, Continue, and several other AI coding tools. Any tool that implements the MCP client specification can connect to MCP servers.
No. Once you configure an MCP server, your AI assistant automatically discovers and uses the available tools. You interact with them through natural language — just describe what you need, and the assistant calls the appropriate tool.
Yes. The MCP specification is open, and SDKs are available for TypeScript, Python, and other languages. You can create custom MCP servers that expose your own tools and APIs to any compatible AI assistant.
QR codes, PDFs, TTS, crypto, AI text tools and more. One API key, all tools.
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