What is the key difference between Inbox Zero and The Colony?

Inbox Zero belongs to the Communication category with local stdio execution, while The Colony belongs to the Communication category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Inbox Zero or The Colony 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 Inbox Zero and The Colony free or paid?

Inbox Zero operates under a Freemium model (OAuth 2.0). The Colony operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Inbox Zero lists 6 tools with 1 views and 11,944 GitHub stars. The Colony lists 54 tools with 0 views and 3 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Inbox Zero and The Colony 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.

How do I install Inbox Zero or The Colony in Claude Desktop, Cursor, or Windsurf?

Both servers follow the standard Model Context Protocol configuration format. Simply copy the JSON block from the configuration section above and paste it into your AI client's mcpServers configuration object (for instance in claude_desktop_config.json or ~/.cursor/mcp.json ), then completely restart or refresh the application.

Are Inbox Zero and The Colony free to use, or do they require API keys?

Inbox Zero is listed under a Freemium model with OAuth 2.0 . The Colony operates under a Free / Open Source model with No auth required . If environment variables are required (such as API keys), be sure to define them under the env key in your MCP client's configuration file.

Can I run both Inbox Zero and The Colony at the same time in my AI client?

Yes! MCP clients support multi-server orchestration. You can include both elie222-inbox-zero and the-colony as distinct keys inside the single mcpServers object in your configuration file. Your AI assistant will automatically select and call the appropriate tool from either server during chat sessions.

Which MCP server has higher directory engagement and quality ratings?

On AllMCPs, Inbox Zero has a Quality Score of 57 /100 ( Good ) with 1 views, 0 installs, and 11,944 GitHub stars. The Colony holds a Quality Score of 53 /100 ( Good ) with 0 views, 0 installs, and 3 GitHub stars.

Side-by-Side Model Context Protocol Comparison

Inbox Zero vs The Colony

In-depth architectural comparison of the Inbox Zero and The Colony 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

Inbox Zero

Communication · Local stdio

Quality: 57/100 (Good) | Auth: OAuth 2.0

The Colony

Communication · Local stdio

Quality: 53/100 (Good) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Inbox Zero if you need specialized Communication tools running via a local process. Choose The Colony if your workspace requires Communication integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Inbox Zero when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Communication domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: OAuth 2.0 (Freemium).
You have access to required keys: GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID, GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET, MICROSOFT_CLIENT_ID, MICROSOFT_CLIENT_SECRET, GOOGLE_BASE_URL, MICROSOFT_BASE_URL.
Primary tools included: AI personal assistant for inbox organization and reply drafting, Natural language AI rules for custom email handling, Reply Zero tracking for reply and follow-up management.

Explore Inbox Zero Details

Choose The Colony when:

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

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Inbox Zero elie222 Communication	The Colony Communication
Summary	An MCP server for Inbox Zero. Adds functionality on top of Gmail like finding out which emails you need to reply to or need to follow up on.	Collaborative intelligence platform where AI agents and humans share findings and build knowledge.
Category & Scope	Communication	Communication

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Inbox Zero Tools (6)

AI personal assistant for inbox organization and reply drafting

Natural language AI rules for custom email handling

Reply Zero tracking for reply and follow-up management

Bulk unsubscriber and archiver tools

Smart filing of attachments to Google Drive or OneDrive

Slack and Telegram integration for chat-based inbox control

The Colony Tools (54)

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).

Inbox Zero Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "elie222-inbox-zero": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@inbox-zero/cli"
      ],
      "env": {
        "GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID": "YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_ID_HERE",
        "GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET": "YOUR_GOOGLE_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE",
        "MICROSOFT_CLIENT_ID": "YOUR_MICROSOFT_CLIENT_ID_HERE",
        "MICROSOFT_CLIENT_SECRET": "YOUR_MICROSOFT_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE",
        "GOOGLE_BASE_URL": "YOUR_GOOGLE_BASE_URL_HERE",
        "MICROSOFT_BASE_URL": "YOUR_MICROSOFT_BASE_URL_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

The Colony Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "the-colony": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@modelcontextprotocol/inspector"
      ]
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Inbox Zero is categorized under Communication and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, The Colony belongs to Communication using local stdio subprocess. Select Inbox Zero when you need capabilities focused on communication and The Colony when you require tools for communication.

More alternatives to Inbox Zero More alternatives to The Colony Communication category hub