MCP
AI Protocols · Free + paid
Model Context Protocol by Anthropic for tool and data access
At a glance
- Korean
- None (English and a few others only)
- API
- Yes
- Available on
- API
- Open source
- MIT
- GitHub
- 9,448 stars · NOASSERTION
What is MCP?
MCP (Model Context Protocol) is an open-source standard for connecting AI applications to external systems. It lets AI applications such as Claude or ChatGPT connect to data sources (local files, databases), tools (search engines, calculators), and workflows (specialized prompts) to access information and perform tasks. The official documentation compares it to a USB-C port for AI applications. You can build servers, clients, and MCP apps, and the project also runs an official MCP Registry (preview), which collects metadata of public MCP servers, along with a REST API. The specification repository is MIT licensed.
- A standard protocol connecting AI apps with data sources, tools, and workflows
- Building MCP servers (exposing data and tools)
- Building MCP clients
- Building interactive MCP apps that run inside AI clients
- Official MCP Registry (preview): publishing server metadata and DNS-based namespace management
- REST API for registry search
- Protocol schema defined in TypeScript and also provided as JSON Schema
Who uses MCP and for what
- A personalized assistant where an AI agent accesses Google Calendar and Notion
- A company chatbot that connects to multiple databases across the organization to analyze data through chat
- Developers reduce the time and complexity of building and integrating AI applications and agents
Pricing
Open source (free, standard/specification)
Released free as open standards/protocols, implementations distributed as open source
Estimate based on AI knowledge - please verify on the official site
AI tools similar to MCP (alternatives)
MCP vs. alternatives at a glance
| AI | Pricing | Combos on the map | Connected tools | Free | Cheapest monthly | Korean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MCP | Free + paid | 0 | 3 | — | — | No |
| Composio | Free + paid | 0 | 3 | Yes | — | No |
| Glama | Free + paid | 0 | 3 | — | — | No |
| Smithery | Free + paid | 0 | 3 | Yes | $10/mo | No |
2 of these 4 tools have a free plan. Cheapest paid plan: Smithery ($10/mo).
Combo and connection counts are based on the relationships recorded on AI Galaxy Map (2026-10-26); they are not a quality ranking.
MCP on AI Galaxy Map
- One of 9 AI tools in the AI Protocols field.
- Connected to 3 other tools — #6 in its field.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use MCP for free?
Open source (free, standard/specification). Prices can change, so check the official site before paying.
What AI can I use instead of MCP?
Tools that do the same job, such as Composio, Glama, Smithery, are connected to it on the map.
Can I use MCP in Korean?
None (English and a few others only)
Sources (official pages)
- https://modelcontextprotocol.io/docs/2026-07-28/getting-started/intro
- https://modelcontextprotocol.io/registry/about
- https://github.com/modelcontextprotocol/modelcontextprotocol
Checked on the official pages on 2026-10-14. Prices and features can change, so check the official site again before paying.