Brave Search MCP Server
Brave's official search MCP server, backed by Brave's own independent index rather than reselling Google or Bing results. It supports web, news, image, video, and local business search.
Its distinguishing feature versus other search servers is privacy — Brave doesn't profile users or log search history. If you care whether the things your AI searches for get filed against you, that matters.
What it does for you
Gives your AI privacy-focused web search — query web, news, and images via Brave Search for real-time answers.
Capabilities
- Web / news search
- Local business search
Once installed, try asking your AI
Say this directly in Claude / Cursor or any client with this server connected
- ›“Search for news on this topic from the past week”
Install / Connect
claude mcp add brave-search-mcp-server -- npx -y @brave/brave-search-mcp-serverFollow the official README; env and args vary per server.
Works with these clients
- Claude Desktopnpx
- Claude Codenpx
- Cursornpx
- VS Codenpx
- Windsurfnpx
Derived from the registry manifest (package type and transport) — we have not installed it ourselves. Check the official README before relying on it.
Why use it
Good for: anyone adding web access to an AI who also cares about search privacy.
Before connecting: you need a Brave Search API key. There's a free monthly quota, with paid usage beyond it — check pricing before heavy use.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is it free?
There's a free quota, then metered pricing. It's usually enough for individual day-to-day use.
How does it compare to Tavily or Exa?
Brave is a general search engine index — closer to "search the web like a person". Tavily and Exa shape results specifically for AI retrieval. All three are listed on this site if you want to compare their health data.