What is the key difference between MCP Shodan and Elasticsearch?

MCP Shodan belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution, while Elasticsearch belongs to the Security category with local stdio execution.

How do I install MCP Shodan or Elasticsearch 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 MCP Shodan and Elasticsearch free or paid?

MCP Shodan operates under a BYOK (Pay Provider Direct) model (API Key required). Elasticsearch operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

MCP Shodan lists 22 tools with 4 views and 173 GitHub stars. Elasticsearch lists 8 tools with 2 views and 8 GitHub stars.

Can I use both MCP Shodan and Elasticsearch 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

MCP Shodan vs Elasticsearch

In-depth architectural comparison of the MCP Shodan and Elasticsearch 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

MCP Shodan

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 67/100 (Great) | Auth: API Key required

Elasticsearch

Security · Local stdio

Quality: 59/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

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

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose MCP Shodan when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (BYOK (Pay Provider Direct)).
You have access to required keys: SHODAN_API_KEY.
Primary tools included: ip_lookup, ip, shodan_search.

Explore MCP Shodan Details

Choose Elasticsearch when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Security domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: list_indices, get_mappings, es_search.

Explore Elasticsearch Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	MCP Shodan BurtTheCoder Security	Elasticsearch Security
Summary	MCP server for querying the Shodan API and Shodan CVEDB. This server provides tools for IP lookups, device searches, DNS lookups, vulnerability queries, CPE lookups, and more.	Elasticsearch MCP Server with multi-version support (ES 5.x-9.x) for security analysis and threats.
Category & Scope	Security

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

MCP Shodan Tools (22)

ip_lookup

shodan_search

query

max_results

cve_lookup

cve

dns_lookup

hostnames

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).

MCP Shodan Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "burtthecoder-mcp-shodan": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@burtthecoder/mcp-shodan"
      ],
      "env": {
        "SHODAN_API_KEY": "YOUR_SHODAN_API_KEY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Elasticsearch Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "elasticsearch": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@tocharianou/elasticsearch-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

MCP Shodan is categorized under Security and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Elasticsearch belongs to Security using local stdio subprocess. Select MCP Shodan when you need capabilities focused on security and Elasticsearch when you require tools for security.

More alternatives to MCP Shodan More alternatives to Elasticsearch Security category hub