Magic MCP vs SmartPDF
A side-by-side look at the Magic MCP and SmartPDF MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
S
SmartPDFDeveloper Tools24 PDF tools: convert to and from Office and JPG, compress, merge, split, OCR, sign, watermark53GoodAuth: api key requiredVerdict: choose Magic MCP for developer tools work as a local process; choose SmartPDF for developer tools. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Magic MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
TWENTY_FIRST_API_KEY, API_KEY_21ST.
SChoose SmartPDF when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Developer Tools domain.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
SMARTPDF_API_KEY. - You want tools like
pdf_to_word, word_to_pdf, merge_pdfs.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | S SmartPDF | |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Developer Tools | Developer Tools |
| Quality signal | 53/100 · Good | 53/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Not confirmed yet |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | — |
| Auth | API key required | API key required |
| Pricing | Paid service | Not declared |
| Required env vars | TWENTY_FIRST_API_KEYAPI_KEY_21ST |
Tools & capabilities
Magic MCP tools
No tool names declared yet. Check the project README from the listing page.
SmartPDF tools 48
pdf_to_wordКонвертирует PDF в редактируемый Word-документ (.docx). file_url: публичный URL PDF-файла. ocr: скан без текста — распознать текст (русский и английский); до 100 страниц, цена — как у ocr_pdf.word_to_pdfКонвертирует Word-документ (.doc/.docx) в PDF. file_url: публичный URL Word-файла.merge_pdfsОбъединяет несколько PDF в один. Порядок файлов = порядок страниц. file_urls: список публичных URL PDF-файлов (минимум 2).compress_pdfСжимает PDF-файл. file_url: публичный URL PDF-файла. level: low | medium (по умолчанию) | high.sign_pdfДобавляет визуальную текстовую подпись на страницу PDF. file_url: публичный URL PDF-файла. signature_text: текст подписи. page: номер страницы (с 1). x, y: координаты (0.0–1.0). width, height: размер блока (0.0–1.0).jpg_to_pdfКонвертирует изображения (JPEG, PNG) в PDF. Каждое изображение — страница. file_urls: список публичных URL изображений.pptx_to_pdfКонвертирует презентацию PowerPoint (.pptx/.ppt) в PDF. file_url: публичный URL PPTX-файла.xlsx_to_pdfКонвертирует таблицу Excel (.xlsx/.xls) в PDF. file_url: публичный URL XLSX-файла.html_to_pdfКонвертирует HTML-файл в PDF. file_url: публичный URL HTML-файла. page_size: A4 (по умолчанию) | A3 | Letter. orientation: portrait (по умолчанию) | landscape.pdf_to_jpgКонвертирует страницы PDF в JPEG. Результат — ZIP-архив (page-1.jpg, page-2.jpg...). file_url: публичный URL PDF-файла. dpi: 72 | 150 (по умолчанию) | 300.pdf_to_pptxКонвертирует PDF в PowerPoint (.pptx). Каждая страница — отдельный слайд. file_url: публичный URL PDF-файла.
Ready-to-paste client configs
Paste either block (or both) into your client config, e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json. We only show a config when the install command is confirmed.
Magic MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"21st-dev-magic-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@21st-dev/cli@latest"
],
"env": {
"TWENTY_FIRST_API_KEY": "YOUR_TWENTY_FIRST_API_KEY_HERE",
"API_KEY_21ST": "YOUR_API_KEY_21ST_HERE"
}
}
}
}
SmartPDF
No confirmed install command for SmartPDF yet — follow the setup steps linked from its listing page rather than a guessed package name.
Frequently asked questions
Magic MCP is categorized under Developer Tools and uses a local stdio subprocess. SmartPDF belongs to Developer Tools and uses an install path we have not confirmed yet. Pick Magic MCP for developer tools work and SmartPDF for developer tools.
Copy the mcpServers block from the config section on this page into your client's config (for example claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json), then fully restart the client. SmartPDF has no confirmed install command yet — follow its own setup instructions.
Magic MCP is listed as a paid service. Auth: api key required. SmartPDF has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. Auth: api key required. If a server needs environment variables such as API keys, define them under the env key in your client's MCP config.
Yes. MCP clients support multiple servers: add 21st-dev-magic-mcp and smartpdf as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Magic MCP has a quality signal of 53/100 (Good) with 16 views, 1 installs and 5,997 GitHub stars. SmartPDF has 53/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.