What is the key difference between Serial MCP Server and Modbus MCP?

Serial MCP Server belongs to the Embedded System category with local stdio execution, while Modbus MCP belongs to the Embedded System category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Serial MCP Server or Modbus MCP in Claude Desktop or Cursor?

Copy the mcpServers JSON configuration snippet provided on this page into your claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json file and restart your AI client.

Are Serial MCP Server and Modbus MCP free or paid?

Serial MCP Server operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Modbus MCP operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Serial MCP Server lists 12 tools with 3 views and 91 GitHub stars. Modbus MCP lists 5 tools with 3 views and 25 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Serial MCP Server and Modbus MCP together in the same MCP host?

Yes! MCP hosts like Claude Desktop, Cursor, Windsurf, Cline, and VS Code support configuring multiple servers under the mcpServers object simultaneously.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Serial MCP Server vs Modbus MCP

In-depth architectural comparison of the Serial MCP Server and Modbus MCP MCP servers. Compare execution transports, security boundaries, tool capabilities, quality scores, and ready-to-paste client installation snippets for Claude, Cursor, Windsurf, and VS Code.

At a Glance & Executive Verdict

Serial MCP Server

Embedded System · Local stdio

Quality: 49/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Modbus MCP

Embedded System · Local stdio

Quality: 32/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Serial MCP Server if you need specialized Embedded System tools running via a local process. Choose Modbus MCP if your workspace requires Embedded System integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Serial MCP Server when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Embedded System domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: list_ports, open, write.

Explore Serial MCP Server Details

Choose Modbus MCP when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Embedded System domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
You have access to required keys: MODBUS_TYPE, MODBUS_HOST, MODBUS_PORT, MODBUS_DEFAULT_SLAVE_ID, MODBUS_SERIAL_PORT, MODBUS_BAUDRATE, MODBUS_PARITY, MODBUS_STOPBITS.
Primary tools included: Reads and writes holding registers, Reads and writes coils, Reads input registers.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Serial MCP Server adancurusul Embedded System	Modbus MCP kukapay Embedded System
Summary	A comprehensive MCP server for serial port communication	An MCP server that standardizes and contextualizes industrial Modbus data.
Category & Scope	Embedded System

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Serial MCP Server Tools (12)

list_ports

Discover available serial ports.

open

Open a serial connection.

write

Write UTF-8, hex, or base64 data to an open connection.

read

Read data from an open connection with timeout handling or a bounded capture window.

Close an open connection.

set_control_lines

Set RTS and/or DTR on an open connection.

macro_load

Ready-to-Paste Client Configurations

Paste either (or both) of these JSON server blocks into your client config file (e.g. claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json).

Serial MCP Server Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "adancurusul-serial-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "adancurusul-serial-mcp-server"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Modbus MCP Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "kukapay-modbus-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "kukapay-modbus-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "MODBUS_TYPE": "YOUR_MODBUS_TYPE_HERE",
        "MODBUS_HOST": "YOUR_MODBUS_HOST_HERE",
        "MODBUS_PORT": "YOUR_MODBUS_PORT_HERE",
        "MODBUS_DEFAULT_SLAVE_ID": "YOUR_MODBUS_DEFAULT_SLAVE_ID_HERE",
        "MODBUS_SERIAL_PORT": "YOUR_MODBUS_SERIAL_PORT_HERE",
        "MODBUS_BAUDRATE": "YOUR_MODBUS_BAUDRATE_HERE",
        "MODBUS_PARITY": "YOUR_MODBUS_PARITY_HERE",
        "MODBUS_STOPBITS": "YOUR_MODBUS_STOPBITS_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Serial MCP Server is categorized under Embedded System and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Modbus MCP belongs to Embedded System using local stdio subprocess. Select Serial MCP Server when you need capabilities focused on embedded system and Modbus MCP when you require tools for embedded system.

More alternatives to Serial MCP Server More alternatives to Modbus MCP Embedded System category hub