Skip to content
anavem.com
Newsletter

MCP server

Brave Search MCP Server

MCP server published by Brave Software that connects an MCP client to the Brave Search API for web, local, video, image, news and place search, plus AI-oriented context retrieval and summaries.

Maintainer
Brave Software (github.com/brave organization; linked from Brave's Search API tools page)
Licence
MIT (LICENSE file; copyright lines: Anthropic, PBC 2024 and Brave Software, Inc 2025)
Last release
v2.1.4, released 2026-09-17 (releases and tags pages)
Last verified Jump to what it can access ↓

What it can access

An MCP server gives an AI application a set of capabilities, and it can do only what its code and the credentials you give it allow. This is what the listing states, based on the sources below. Anavem does not rate it safe or unsafe: check it against what you plan to use it for.

Permissions it asks for

  • Search tools (per README): brave_web_search, brave_local_search, brave_video_search, brave_image_search, brave_news_search, brave_place_search, brave_llm_context, brave_summarizer
  • Requires a Brave Search API key (BRAVE_API_KEY, or a file path in BRAVE_API_KEY_FILE)
  • README lists tool allow and deny lists (BRAVE_MCP_ENABLED_TOOLS, BRAVE_MCP_DISABLED_TOOLS)

Data it can reach

Sends the queries your AI application makes to the Brave Search API using your API key, and returns search results to the application. The README lists STDIO (default) and HTTP transports; per the MCP architecture page (2026-10-03), a STDIO server is a local process on your machine. The README HTTP host default is 127.0.0.1 and the port default is 8080. The README does not describe what Brave retains about queries; check Brave's Search API terms for that.

How it is installed or connected

Steps copied from the official README (https://github.com/brave/brave-search-mcp-server, read 2026-10-03). First create an API key in your Brave Search API account (https://brave.com/search/api/).

Docker, Claude Desktop configuration as shown in the README:

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "brave-search": {
      "command": "docker",
      "args": ["run", "-i", "--rm", "-e", "BRAVE_API_KEY", "docker.io/mcp/brave-search"],
      "env": { "BRAVE_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" }
    }
  }
}

NPX, as shown in the README (this example selects the http transport):

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "brave-search": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": ["-y", "@brave/brave-search-mcp-server", "--transport", "http"],
      "env": { "BRAVE_API_KEY": "YOUR_API_KEY_HERE" }
    }
  }
}

Note: Brave's older Claude Desktop guide (https://brave.com/search/api/guides/use-with-claude-desktop-with-mcp/) shows the package @modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search instead; the repository README is the source used here.

Limitations

  • Needs a Brave Search API key. The README says some features need Pro plans: extra_snippets in web and news search, and full local business search capabilities.
  • Brave's Claude Desktop guide (published May 6, 2025) says "free plans are usually more than enough for personal use (2,000 free queries)" and refers to "Data for AI" plans, while the repository README names the plans Search and Answers; check the current plan terms on Brave's site.
  • Brave's Claude Desktop guide and the repository README name different npm packages (@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search and @brave/brave-search-mcp-server); use the repository README and confirm the package name before installing.
  • README: the HTTP endpoint is unauthenticated when the HTTP transport is used; the host defaults to 127.0.0.1 and the README advises setting 0.0.0.0 only on a trusted network.
  • Anavem has not audited this software.

Not sure what to look for? Read what to check before installing.

Quick answers

Who maintains this MCP server?
Brave Software (github.com/brave organization; linked from Brave's Search API tools page).
What can it access?
It asks for: Search tools (per README): brave_web_search, brave_local_search, brave_video_search, brave_image_search, brave_news_search, brave_place_search, brave_llm_context, brave_summarizer, Requires a Brave Search API key (BRAVE_API_KEY, or a file path in BRAVE_API_KEY_FILE), README lists tool allow and deny lists (BRAVE_MCP_ENABLED_TOOLS, BRAVE_MCP_DISABLED_TOOLS). Sends the queries your AI application makes to the Brave Search API using your API key, and returns search results to the application. The README lists STDIO (default) and HTTP transports; per the MCP architecture page (2026-10-03), a STDIO server is a local process on your machine. The README HTTP host default is 127.0.0.1 and the port default is 8080. The README does not describe what Brave retains about queries; check Brave's Search API terms for that. We do not label anything safe or unsafe; read the official sources before you install.
What licence does it use?
MIT (LICENSE file; copyright lines: Anthropic, PBC 2024 and Brave Software, Inc 2025). Check the terms if you plan to use it commercially.
What are its limitations?
Needs a Brave Search API key. The README says some features need Pro plans: extra_snippets in web and news search, and full local business search capabilities. Brave's Claude Desktop guide (published May 6, 2025) says "free plans are usually more than enough for personal use (2,000 free queries)" and refers to "Data for AI" plans, while the repository README names the plans Search and Answers; check the current plan terms on Brave's site. Brave's Claude Desktop guide and the repository README name different npm packages (@modelcontextprotocol/server-brave-search and @brave/brave-search-mcp-server); use the repository README and confirm the package name before installing. README: the HTTP endpoint is unauthenticated when the HTTP transport is used; the host defaults to 127.0.0.1 and the README advises setting 0.0.0.0 only on a trusted network. Anavem has not audited this software.
When was it last released?
v2.1.4, released 2026-09-17 (releases and tags pages). Verified Oct 3, 2026.

Sources

Related listings

Other listings in the same category.

All MCP servers →
MCP server

Sentry MCP Server

MCP server published by Sentry that connects AI assistants to Sentry to search errors, analyze performance, triage issues, read documentation and manage projects, as a hosted remote service or a local stdio process.

By Sentry (getsentry organization on GitHub; hosted at mcp.sentry.dev) · Verified Oct 3, 2026

MCP server

Exa MCP Server

MCP server published by Exa Labs. It connects an MCP client to Exa for web search, fetching clean content from known URLs, and multi-step research, through a hosted remote endpoint; Exa docs also describe a local npm package.

By Exa Labs (exa-labs organization on GitHub; documented on exa.ai) · Verified Oct 3, 2026

MCP server

Memory MCP Server

Reference MCP server from the Model Context Protocol organization. It keeps a local knowledge graph of entities, relations and observations so an MCP client can remember information between chat sessions.

By Model Context Protocol organization (reference server in the modelcontextprotocol/servers repository) · Verified Oct 3, 2026