What is the key difference between N8n Manager MCP and Inbox Zero?

N8n Manager MCP belongs to the Workplace & Productivity category with local stdio execution, while Inbox Zero belongs to the Workplace & Productivity category with local stdio execution.

How do I install N8n Manager MCP or Inbox Zero 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 N8n Manager MCP and Inbox Zero free or paid?

N8n Manager MCP operates under a Free / Open Source model (API Key required). Inbox Zero operates under a Freemium model (OAuth 2.0).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

N8n Manager MCP lists 18 tools with 2 views and 2 GitHub stars. Inbox Zero lists 6 tools with 1 views and 12,270 GitHub stars.

Can I use both N8n Manager MCP and Inbox Zero 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

N8n Manager MCP vs Inbox Zero

In-depth architectural comparison of the N8n Manager MCP and Inbox Zero 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

N8n Manager MCP

Workplace & Productivity · Local stdio

Quality: 64/100 (Good) | Auth: API Key required

Inbox Zero

Workplace & Productivity · Local stdio

Quality: 55/100 (Good) | Auth: OAuth 2.0

Verdict Summary: Choose N8n Manager MCP if you need specialized Workplace & Productivity tools running via a local process. Choose Inbox Zero if your workspace requires Workplace & Productivity integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose N8n Manager MCP when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Workplace & Productivity domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: n8n_safety_status, n8n_set_safety_mode, n8n_list_workflows.

Explore N8n Manager MCP Details

Choose Inbox Zero when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Workplace & Productivity 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.

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	N8n Manager MCP ellmos-ai Workplace & Productivity	Inbox Zero elie222 Workplace & Productivity
Summary	MCP server for managing n8n workflows through AI assistants, including workflow CRUD, synchronization, inspection, and execution support.	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.
Category & Scope	Workplace & Productivity

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

N8n Manager MCP Tools (18)

n8n_safety_status

Show n8n Manager safety settings, backup directory, and audit log location.

n8n_set_safety_mode

Configure local safety settings: read-only mode, backup-before-mutation, and audit logging.

n8n_list_workflows

List all workflows on an n8n server. Returns workflow names, IDs, active status, and node counts.

n8n_get_workflow

Get detailed information about a specific n8n workflow including all nodes, connections, and settings.

n8n_create_workflow

Create a new n8n workflow. Provide the full workflow JSON including nodes and connections.

n8n_update_workflow

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).

N8n Manager MCP Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "ellmos-ai-n8n-manager-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "n8n-manager-mcp"
      ]
    }
  }
}

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"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

N8n Manager MCP is categorized under Workplace & Productivity and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Inbox Zero belongs to Workplace & Productivity using local stdio subprocess. Select N8n Manager MCP when you need capabilities focused on workplace & productivity and Inbox Zero when you require tools for workplace & productivity.

More alternatives to N8n Manager MCP More alternatives to Inbox Zero Workplace & Productivity category hub Canonical compare URL