Substack MCP vs SocialCrawl
A side-by-side look at the Substack MCP and SocialCrawl MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Substack MCP for social media work as a local process; choose SocialCrawl for social media as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Substack MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Social Media domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: other.
- You have the keys it needs:
SUBSTACK_PUBLICATION_URL, SUBSTACK_SESSION_TOKEN, SUBSTACK_USER_ID, SUBSTACK_MCP_HOME. - You want tools like
get_subscriber_count, list_published_posts, list_drafts.
Choose SocialCrawl when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Social Media domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You have the keys it needs:
SOCIALCRAWL_API_KEY. - You want tools like
socialcrawl_find, socialcrawl_endpoint, socialcrawl_estimate.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Social Media | Social Media |
| Quality signal | 68/100 · Great | 56/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | other | Not declared |
| Pricing | Free | Not declared |
| Required env vars | SUBSTACK_PUBLICATION_URLSUBSTACK_SESSION_TOKENSUBSTACK_USER_IDSUBSTACK_MCP_HOME | SOCIALCRAWL_API_KEY |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 44 | 0 |
| Directory activity | 6 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 14 | 7 |
| Full listing | View Substack MCP | View SocialCrawl |
Tools & capabilities
Substack MCP tools 14
get_subscriber_countGet the current subscriber count for your Substack publication. Returns `precision`: 'exact' when the API reports a true count, 'approximate' when only Substack's rounded value is available (the real number is that or higher — render it hedged, e.g. '1,000+'), or 'unavailable' with count -1. Never treat an approximate value as exact.list_published_postsList published posts with pagination. Returns title, date, slug, and URL for each post.list_draftsList draft posts. Returns title, creation date, and audience for each draft.get_postGet the full content of a published post by ID. Returns title, body HTML, metadata.get_draftGet the full content of a draft post by ID. Returns title, body, metadata.get_post_commentsGet comments on a published post. Returns commenter name, comment body, date, and reaction counts.get_sectionsList your publication's sections (categories). Returns each section's id and name. Use a section id as `section_id` when creating or updating a draft to file it under that section.get_post_analyticsGet performance stats (views, emails sent/delivered/opened, signups, subscribes, estimated value, comments, reactions) for a published post by ID. Substack has no per-post stats endpoint, so this searches your 500 most recent published posts for the ID; returns a not-found note if it isn't among them.list_scheduled_postsList posts scheduled for future publication, soonest first. Read-only visibility into what's queued — scheduling itself is done in Substack's editor (this server does not schedule, publish, or delete long-form posts). Returns id, title, audience, and scheduled time (`trigger_at`).create_draftCreate a new draft post. Accepts markdown body which is converted to Substack's format. Does NOT publish — creates a draft only.update_draftUpdate an existing draft post. Only works on unpublished drafts. Accepts markdown body.upload_imageUpload an image to Substack's CDN. Provide exactly one of `image_base64` (a base64 data URI) or `image_path` (a local file path). Returns a hosted image URL that is publicly fetchable by anyone with the link (an unlisted asset — not attributed to you or added to your feed).- +2 more on the listing page
SocialCrawl tools 7
socialcrawl_findStart here: a task in plain words -> the best endpoints (3 by default) of 646, each with the params the task supplies (URLs and @handles resolved), the params still missing, the credit cost and the exact call. With no task it lists platforms, or one platform's endpoints. Free; no key needed.socialcrawl_endpointRead before calling: one endpoint's purpose, params, where the rows are and up to 25 response fields, cost rule, paging, latency, timeout, next endpoints and a sample link. id (or platform+resource, path), a platform slug (its endpoints) or a guide topic. Free.socialcrawl_estimateExact credits before you spend: one call (id, platform+resource or path, plus the params you will send; calls for a job total; items for a walk) or a plan of several calls. Uses the API's estimator when available, else the bundled pricing. A platform slug gives its price table; no id gives the pricing overview. Free.socialcrawl_requestCall one endpoint (platform+resource, or id, or path). Validated locally first (a bad call is free), quoted, refused above max_credits and confirmed above the threshold. A large page is cut at row boundaries; socialcrawl_collect result_id reads the rest. Spends credits; needs SOCIALCRAWL_API_KEY.socialcrawl_collectWalk a paged endpoint (id, platform+resource or path) to `items` unique rows, the last page or max_credits: cursors supplied, duplicates dropped, stops on a 402, refused free when one page exceeds max_credits. Small results come back whole. result_id (+offset, limit, format) reads a stored result, free. Spends credits.socialcrawl_accountFree checks: balance (with this session's spend), transactions (itemised ledger; the receipts for one request_id), status (platform health; read it before retrying a 502/503) and freshness (whether this server's bundled catalogue is behind the API).socialcrawl_manageStateful work by area + action: monitors (scheduled recipes, webhooks, alerts), cohorts (mention search over your own panel of accounts), web (scrape, search, crawl and agent jobs, change monitors, browser sessions) and jobs (Prism background jobs). A wrong field is refused free with the rules. Managing is free; scrapes, jobs, queries and monitor runs bill credits. dry_run: true validates and quotes a create/update and never creates it. rows_new alerts need track (id=monitors).
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.
Substack MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"conorbronsdon-substack-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@conorbronsdon/substack-mcp"
],
"env": {
"SUBSTACK_PUBLICATION_URL": "YOUR_SUBSTACK_PUBLICATION_URL_HERE",
"SUBSTACK_SESSION_TOKEN": "YOUR_SUBSTACK_SESSION_TOKEN_HERE",
"SUBSTACK_USER_ID": "YOUR_SUBSTACK_USER_ID_HERE",
"SUBSTACK_MCP_HOME": "YOUR_SUBSTACK_MCP_HOME_HERE"
}
}
}
}
SocialCrawl
{
"mcpServers": {
"socialcrawl": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"socialcrawl-mcp"
],
"env": {
"SOCIALCRAWL_API_KEY": "YOUR_SOCIALCRAWL_API_KEY_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Substack MCP is categorized under Social Media and uses a local stdio subprocess. SocialCrawl belongs to Social Media and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Substack MCP for social media work and SocialCrawl for social media.
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.
Substack MCP is listed as free. Auth: other. SocialCrawl has no declared pricing — check the project's own site. 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 conorbronsdon-substack-mcp and socialcrawl as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Substack MCP has a quality signal of 68/100 (Great) with 6 views, 0 installs and 44 GitHub stars. SocialCrawl has 56/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 0 GitHub stars.