How to Find MCP Servers
Start with the official MCP Registry at registry.modelcontextprotocol.io, which lists published MCP servers and where to get them. For a service you already use, the company's own official server is usually the best choice, and its docs explain the setup. Marketplaces and directories are built on top of the registry or on their own indexes, so check who published a server and where its code lives before you connect it.
Where to look
Each source answers a different question. The table shows what each one is good for and what to check before you rely on it.
| Source | What it is | Good for | Check before you use it |
|---|---|---|---|
| Official MCP Registry | Public metadata for published servers, run by the MCP project | Finding a server by name, or listing what's published | It stores metadata only. The code lives on the package registry or the publisher's server. |
| Vendor's official server | A server published by the company that runs the service | Connecting an app you already use, such as GitHub or Slack | The vendor's own docs say what the server can access and how to sign in. |
| Reference servers | A small set of examples in modelcontextprotocol/servers | Learning, and testing your client | They're reference implementations, not production services. Some are archived. |
| Marketplaces and directories | Sites that list servers, often reading the registry and adding their own data | Browsing by category or use case | Their curation and security checks vary. Confirm the publisher and source code. |
| MCPBundles directory | A searchable index of MCP servers, with setup steps for each AI app on connectable listings | Searching by service name or keyword, then connecting from your AI app | Listings are third-party. Check the publisher and what sign-in the server asks for. |
| Source code hosts | Repositories where a server is developed | Reading the code before you install | Any repository can look official. Start from the vendor's docs or the registry to find the right one. |
The registry publishes each server's name, version and install details in a standard server.json format. Its documentation says host apps such as Claude Desktop or Cursor should consume other registries and marketplaces built on the official one, rather than read the official registry directly. A marketplace listing can therefore lead you back to a registry entry.
Check the official registry
The registry has a public REST API at https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io. The list endpoint, GET /v0.1/servers, returns servers one page at a time. You don't need an account to read it.
Each entry has a server object. The name is a namespace and a short name, such as io.github.username/weather, and the namespace tells you who published it. A server that runs on your machine lists a packages entry with the registry type, such as npm or pypi. A hosted server lists a remotes entry with its URL and transport type.
The API returns every version of every server, so one server can appear several times on a page. The registry marks the newest version with isLatest in the _meta object. This command lists the latest version of the first few servers on one page:
curl -s "https://registry.modelcontextprotocol.io/v0.1/servers?limit=100" \
| jq -r '.servers[] | select(._meta["io.modelcontextprotocol.registry/official"].isLatest) | .server | "\(.name) \(.version) \(.description)"' \
| head -5
On 2026-10-20 it printed:
ac.inference.sh/mcp 2.0.1 run any ai model. compose agents, stack knowledge, connect tools. one api, pay per run.
ac.snag/snag 1.0.0 Gives your coding agent the captured console, network, replay and screenshot evidence for a bug.
ac.tandem/docs-mcp 0.3.2 Remote MCP server for Tandem docs, install guides, SDKs, workflows, and agent setup help.
academy.apexai/apex-ai-academy 1.0.2 Co-Learn with your Agent: fact-checked AI lessons with Human and Agent views.
ad.getle/leads 1.0.0 Find B2B leads with verified work emails, find and verify emails, and run cold email outreach.
Those servers are in the registry because their publishers listed them. The list changes as servers are added, so you'll see different results. To get more results, pass the nextCursor value from the metadata object as the cursor parameter. The registry's aggregators page covers pagination and the other list options, and MCP Registry explains the data model in more depth.
Check a server before you connect it
Being listed in the registry tells you something, but not everything. The registry checks that the publisher controls the namespace, such as a GitHub account or a domain, and that the package's metadata matches the name. It doesn't review the code. Its documentation says security scanning is left to the package registries and to the marketplaces built on top of it.
Before you connect a server, look at:
- The publisher. Is the namespace the company that runs the service, or an individual you can identify?
- The source. Is there a repository, and does its code match the package you're about to run?
- The access it asks for. A local server runs with your user's permissions. A remote server receives whatever you send it, so check what sign-in it asks for.
- Whether it's maintained. Check the latest version date and the repository's activity. Evaluate MCP servers has a full checklist.
Common misconceptions
The registry is an app store. It stores metadata. The package itself lives on npm, PyPI, Docker Hub, a GitHub release, or the publisher's own server. The registry's quickstart says it "only hosts metadata, not artifacts."
A server in a tutorial is still available. Servers get archived and replaced. The reference servers in the modelcontextprotocol/servers README include several that have moved to an archive repository, and the README notes that Brave Search's server was replaced by an official server from Brave, @brave/brave-search-mcp-server. If a tutorial names a server, check its current home before you copy the setup.
Your team's internal servers are listed too. The registry only lists public servers, such as ones with a public package or a publicly reachable URL. A server on a private network or a private package registry won't appear there.
An official server means a safe server. An official server is published by the company behind the service, which is a good sign about who wrote it. It still runs code you didn't write and may ask for broad access, so read what it can do before you sign in.
Use a vendor's official server
When a company runs a service you use, it often publishes its own MCP server. GitHub's github-mcp-server is described on its repository as GitHub's official MCP server. For a vendor server, start from the vendor's docs. They tell you how to sign in, which permissions to grant and which tools are included.
We keep lists of verified vendor servers by use case: developer tools, databases, browser automation, productivity, sales and CRM, and data and analytics.
Once you've picked a server, the setup depends on your app. MCP clients lists the common AI apps and links to a setup guide for each one.
Browse the MCPBundles directory
The MCPBundles directory is a searchable index of the MCP ecosystem. On 2026-10-20 its home page reported 1,221,381 MCP servers indexed. You can search and read it without signing in. Servers you can connect have their own listing page with setup steps for your app, so you don't need to dig through the vendor's docs to get started.
What it lists
Listings are grouped by category, such as Developer Tools, Marketing & Sales, Analytics & Insights, Collaboration, Cloud Services and Social Media. Some carry badges such as Publisher MCP server or MCPBundles Managed.
The services listed are third-party products. MCPBundles isn't affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by them unless a listing says so, so check the publisher before you connect.
Search and filter
Type a service name or keyword into the search box on the directory home page. A search for "stripe", for example, opens www.mcpbundles.com/?q=stripe, which you can bookmark or share. Pick a category to narrow the list, or use a filter such as MCP App, WebMCP or Publisher MCP server. Inside the MCPBundles app, the Discover tab offers the same search for signed-in users; Discovering MCP servers covers that view.
What a listing page shows
A listing page, such as Stripe, shows:
- A short description of what the server does, with example requests you can try in chat.
- The MCP URL, with a Copy URL button.
- Setup steps for each AI app, in tabs for apps such as Claude.ai, Claude Code, ChatGPT, Claude Desktop, Cursor and VS Code.
- The tool count and capabilities. The Stripe listing shows 65 tools, grouped by what they do.
- Notes for the AI, an AI skill section with workflow tips, and a short FAQ.
How to connect a server from its listing
- Open the listing and choose your AI app in the setup tabs.
- For Claude.ai, click Install on Claude.ai. The link opens the Add custom connector dialog with the values filled in. Review them, click Add, then click Connect to finish the OAuth sign-in. For the other tabs, follow the steps shown there.
- When the listing asks you to, sign in to MCPBundles and connect the service's account or API key. Your credentials stay in your workspace. Setting up credentials covers this step.
FAQ
Is the official MCP Registry a place to install servers from?
Not directly. The registry stores metadata about each server, such as the package name or remote URL and how to run it. The code stays on the package registry or the publisher's server, and that is where you install it from.
Does a server in the official registry mean it is safe?
No. Listing shows that the publisher controls the namespace and that the package matches the metadata. The registry doesn't review the code, so read the source and check what access the server asks for.
Can I find servers that only run inside my company?
Not in the official registry. It lists public servers only. The registry's documentation recommends that a team with private servers run its own private registry.
Do I need an account to look up servers in the registry?
No. The registry API is public and read-only, so you can query it without signing in. You need an account to publish a server or to sign in to the service a server connects to.
Can I browse the MCPBundles directory without signing in?
Yes. The directory at www.mcpbundles.com is open to search and read. You sign in when you connect a server, because the connection needs your service credentials, and those stay in your workspace.
- The MCP RegistryWhat the registry stores, how namespaces work and how directories read it.
- Evaluate MCP serversA checklist to run before you install or connect a server.
- MCP server examplesOfficial and reference servers, grouped by what they do.
- MCP clientsThe AI apps that can connect to MCP servers, and how each one sets up a server.