Best MCP Servers in 2026: The Complete List for Developers

The MCP ecosystem has grown fast since Anthropic open-sourced the protocol in late 2024. There are now hundreds of MCP servers available, from official first-party tools to community-built wrappers.

Finding the right ones is the hard part. Most lists just dump every server that exists. This guide focuses on the ones that are actually useful, actively maintained, and worth setting up.

How MCP Servers Work (Quick Refresher)

An MCP server exposes tools that AI assistants can call. You install it, add the config to your client (Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf), and the AI discovers and uses the tools automatically.

For a deeper explanation, see our guide to MCP servers.

SEO and Marketing MCP Servers

Delulu9 SEO MCP Server

Best for: Keyword research from your terminal

Delulu9 is a purpose-built SEO MCP server that brings keyword data from Google, Bing, and Reddit directly into Claude Code or Cursor. It includes intent classification (Informational, Commercial, Transactional) and difficulty scoring out of the box.

npm install -g @delulu9/seo-mcp-server

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "seo": {
      "command": "delulu9-seo-mcp",
      "args": ["--api-key", "YOUR_API_KEY"]
    }
  }
}

• Data sources: Google, Bing, Reddit
• Features: Keyword research, intent classification, difficulty scoring
• Price: $12/mo (1,000 requests/hour)
• Maintenance: Actively maintained, hosted service

Ahrefs MCP Wrappers

Best for: Teams already paying for Ahrefs

No official MCP server from Ahrefs. Community wrappers exist that connect to the Ahrefs API, but they require a paid Ahrefs subscription with API access (from $129/mo). See our Ahrefs MCP guide for setup details.

Semrush MCP Wrappers

Best for: Teams already paying for Semrush

Similar to Ahrefs, community-built wrappers exist for Semrush. Requires a Semrush subscription with API access. See our Semrush MCP guide for details.

Database MCP Servers

PostgreSQL MCP Server

Best for: Querying production or staging databases from Claude

Lets Claude run read-only SQL queries against your PostgreSQL database. Useful for debugging, data analysis, and answering questions about your data.

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

• Maintained by: Anthropic (official)
• Price: Free, open-source

SQLite MCP Server

Best for: Local databases, prototyping, small projects

Read and query SQLite databases. Lightweight and zero-configuration.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "sqlite": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-sqlite", "./my-database.db"]
    }
  }
}

• Maintained by: Anthropic (official)
• Price: Free, open-source

Developer Tool MCP Servers

GitHub MCP Server

Best for: Working with GitHub issues, PRs, and repositories

Access GitHub repos, issues, pull requests, and actions from Claude. Useful for code review, issue triage, and repository management.

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

• Maintained by: Anthropic (official)
• Price: Free, open-source

Filesystem MCP Server

Best for: Giving Claude controlled file access outside the project directory

Lets Claude read and write files in specified directories. Useful when you want Claude to access configuration files, logs, or data outside your current project.

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "filesystem": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem", "/path/to/allowed/dir"]
    }
  }
}

• Maintained by: Anthropic (official)
• Price: Free, open-source

Puppeteer MCP Server

Best for: Web scraping, testing, screenshots

Gives Claude browser automation capabilities. Take screenshots, scrape pages, fill forms, and navigate websites programmatically.

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

• Maintained by: Anthropic (official)
• Price: Free, open-source

Productivity MCP Servers

Slack MCP Server

Best for: Reading and sending Slack messages from Claude

Access Slack channels, read messages, and post updates. Useful for teams that want Claude to summarize channels or draft responses.

Google Drive MCP Server

Best for: Accessing documents, spreadsheets, and files in Google Drive

Read and search Google Drive files. Useful for pulling data from shared docs into your development workflow.

Notion MCP Server

Best for: Accessing Notion databases and pages

Query Notion databases, read pages, and search content. Useful for teams that use Notion for documentation or project management.

How to Choose the Right MCP Servers

Don’t install everything. Each MCP server you add increases the tool list Claude needs to parse, which can slow down responses. Pick the 3-5 servers that match your actual workflow.

Start with these if you’re unsure: 1. Filesystem - Basic file access (official, free) 2. GitHub - If you use GitHub (official, free) 3. Delulu9 SEO - If you do any content or SEO work ($12/mo)

Add these based on your stack: - PostgreSQL or SQLite if you work with databases - Puppeteer if you need browser automation - Slack/Notion if your team uses those tools

MCP Server Comparison Table

What’s Coming Next for MCP

The protocol is evolving quickly. Key trends to watch:

• Remote MCP servers: No local installation needed, servers run in the cloud
• Authentication standards: Better ways to handle API keys and OAuth
• Streaming responses: Real-time data feeds instead of one-shot queries
• Multi-modal tools: MCP servers that return images, charts, and other visual data

The ecosystem is early enough that new MCP servers still have the advantage of low competition and high discoverability.