Best MCP Servers for Cursor (2026)
Last updated 2026-10-09
Quick answer
For Cursor, the best MCP servers are GitHub, Git, Browser Use, Supabase and Filesystem — they give the agent repository access, version control, browser testing, databases and local files. Most are free and open source. Cursor supports both one-click installs from its MCP settings and manual .cursor/mcp.json configuration.
Top 10 MCP servers for Cursor
Ranked by development usefulness, not benchmarks. 'Free tier' means the server is free but the connected service has limits.
- ▸GitHub MCP — repository management, issues, pull requests (free / open source)
- ▸Git MCP — local repository operations, diffs and gated commits (free / open source)
- ▸Browser Use — real-browser automation for UI checks (free / open source)
- ▸Firefox DevTools — console, network and screenshots from a live tab (free / open source)
- ▸Supabase MCP — PostgreSQL databases and backend development (free tier)
- ▸Filesystem MCP — local files and directories (free / open source)
- ▸Fetch — current documentation pages as clean markdown (free)
- ▸SQLite — query local database files, read-only by default (free)
- ▸Figma MCP — design-to-code workflows (plan dependent)
- ▸Exa MCP — web research and technical information (usage dependent)
How we picked
Cursor is a coding agent first, so we ranked servers by what they fix in real development loops: no repo access (GitHub), no local version control (Git), inability to see the running app (Browser Use, Firefox DevTools) and missing backend (Supabase). Servers published by the project behind the tool — Mozilla for Firefox DevTools, the Browser Use team for Browser Use — beat anonymous forks on safety and update cadence.
For most Cursor development workflows, start with GitHub + Git + Browser Use and add others only when a task needs them.
The recommended starter stack, one by one
GitHub MCP Server — review changes and work issues and pull requests without leaving the editor.
Git — stage, diff and commit locally with gated operations before anything is pushed.
Browser Use — lets Cursor operate a real browser to test pages, forms, navigation and responsive behaviour.
Supabase MCP — useful when building full-stack features against a database; prefer a development database over production.
How to install MCP servers in Cursor
Cursor supports one-click installation from its directory and manual JSON configuration. UI route: Cursor Settings → MCP → Add new MCP server, search for the server, authorise and verify. Manual route: create .cursor/mcp.json in your project directory (or ~/.cursor/mcp.json for global) and paste the server's mcpServers block — every server page in this directory includes one.
Full walkthrough with a working example: Cursor MCP setup guide.
Safety notes
Database servers deserve special care in an IDE agent: point Supabase or Postgres servers at a dev database, never at production credentials sitting in your .env. Browser servers see logged-in browser sessions — use a separate profile. And review agent-driven commits before pushing, the same way you would review a junior developer's work. More: MCP security best practices.
The picks, one by one
GitHub via MCP: search, repos, issues, PRs, files and notifications. OAuth device flow or token.
Best for: Daily repo work — reviewing diffs and closing issues without tab-switching.
Watch out: Can write to repos; start with read-only scopes.
Local Git via MCP: status, log, diff, file history, branches and gated stage/commit.
Best for: Commit-ready work inside the open workspace before anything is pushed.
Watch out: Pair with a GitHub server for anything remote.
Hosted Supabase server for schema inspection, queries and project management.
Best for: Full-stack features built against a Supabase backend.
Watch out: Use a dev project; production data deserves human hands.
Sandboxed local file access with document parsing support.
Best for: Agents that need to touch files outside the open workspace.
Watch out: Scope to the project; not your home directory.
Figma's official server: read designs and design context for design-to-code workflows.
Best for: Turning Figma frames into components with real spacing and tokens.
Watch out: Requires a Figma plan that includes MCP access.
Mozilla's Firefox DevTools server: inspect console, network and performance from a live tab.
Best for: Debugging with real telemetry while the agent edits code.
Watch out: One more local browser session — keep it on your dev machine.
Pulls the current documentation page for any library and returns clean markdown.
Best for: Reducing invented APIs when training data lags the framework.
Watch out: Needs URLs — pair it with a search server for discovery.
Read-only-by-default SQLite access with row caps and statement timeouts.
Best for: Point queries at local dev databases and exports.
Watch out: Single-file scope — keep it pointed at dev data.
Neural web search built for agents — semantic queries over keyword matching.
Best for: Technical research: docs, RFCs, comparison posts.
Watch out: Usage-based pricing beyond the free tier.
Frequently asked questions
Does Cursor support remote MCP servers?＋
Yes. Cursor accepts both local stdio servers (command-based) and remote servers (URL-based, Streamable HTTP). Remote servers skip local installation entirely — paste the URL in Settings → MCP.
Where is Cursor's MCP config file?＋
Per-project: .cursor/mcp.json in the project root. Global: ~/.cursor/mcp.json. The settings UI edits the same file. Every server page on MCPNav shows a ready-to-paste mcpServers block.
What is the difference between Cursor's built-in tools and MCP servers?＋
Built-in tools cover the open workspace: file edits, terminal, codebase search. MCP servers extend the agent beyond that — to GitHub issues, live browsers, databases and external docs.
Do MCP servers slow Cursor down?＋
Enabled servers add tool definitions to the model's context on every request, which costs tokens and can dilute tool selection. Enable servers per project and disable the ones you are not using.