Tool Directory MCP Server
MCP server for the AI Tool Directory — a live, human-edited catalog of 2,000+ AI tools. Lets any MCP client (Claude Desktop, Claude Code, Cursor, Windsurf, agent frameworks) query the catalog mid-task instead of guessing from a frozen training cut.
The headline tool is check_tool_status: whether an AI tool is still alive. It's the one fact LLMs reliably get wrong — models keep recommending products that shut down months ago. This server answers it from the directory's AI Graveyard, a maintained dataset of 150+ defunct and acquired AI tools, and suggests live alternatives when a tool is dead.
Tools
| Tool | What it does |
|---|---|
search_tools | Hybrid semantic search across the catalog — by keyword, use case, or category. |
get_tool | Full profile of one tool: pricing, features, editorial verdict, last human-verified date. |
check_tool_status | Is this tool active, deceased, or acquired? Date + cause if it shut down, plus live alternatives. |
find_alternatives | Curated alternatives to a tool; live replacements if it's defunct. |
compare_tools | Side-by-side comparison of two tools, with the editor's head-to-head verdict when one exists. |
list_tools | Top-rated active tools for a category or job role, optionally filtered by pricing. |
Read-only, no API key, no signup.
Install
Hosted endpoint (no install)
The server is also available as a remote MCP (Streamable HTTP) — point your client at:
https://tooldirectory.ai/api/mcp
Claude Desktop / Claude Code
{
"mcpServers": {
"tooldirectory": {
"command": "npx",
"args": ["-y", "tooldirectory-mcp"]
}
}
}
Or with Claude Code:
claude mcp add tooldirectory -- npx -y tooldirectory-mcp
Cursor / Windsurf / other MCP clients
Use the same stdio command: npx -y tooldirectory-mcp.
Docker
docker build -t tooldirectory-mcp .
docker run -i tooldirectory-mcp
Example prompts
- "Is Jasper still operating? What happened to Inflection Pi?"
- "Find me alternatives to Midjourney with a free tier."
- "Compare Gamma and Beautiful.ai for making decks."
- "What are the best AI tools for sales teams?"
How it works
This package is a thin stdio front-end over the canonical hosted endpoint at tooldirectory.ai/api/mcp, where the search (Meilisearch hybrid semantic) and catalog logic live. Tool schemas are declared locally, so initialize and tools/list respond instantly with no network call; tools/call proxies to the hosted endpoint. Zero runtime dependencies.
Set TOOLDIRECTORY_MCP_ENDPOINT to override the upstream endpoint (e.g. for testing).
About the data
The catalog is maintained by Tool Directory — an AI tool company run by humans that use AI. Every listed tool has a lifecycle status; editorial reviews carry a named editor and a last-verified date. Related machine-readable surfaces:
- Research hub — AI tool mortality statistics
- Catalog feed / Graveyard feed
- /mcp — server documentation page
License
MIT