Filesystem vs Haulest
A side-by-side look at the Filesystem and Haulest MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Filesystem for file systems work as a local process; choose Haulest for travel & transportation over a hosted endpoint. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Filesystem when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the File Systems domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
path, head, tail.
Choose Haulest when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Travel & Transportation domain.
- You prefer a remote HTTP/SSE transport.
- Its auth model fits you: No auth required.
- You want tools like
estimate_moving_cost, get_route_facts, find_movers.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | File Systems | Travel & Transportation |
| Quality signal | 85/100 · Excellent | 69/100 · Great |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Remote HTTP/SSE |
| Auth | No auth required | No auth required |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Required env vars | None listed | None listed |
| Verified owner | Verified | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 91,540 | 1 |
| Directory activity | 11 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 17 | 8 |
| Full listing | View Filesystem | View Haulest |
Tools & capabilities
Filesystem tools 17
pathheadtailpathscontenteditsoldTextnewTextdryRunsortBysourcedestination- +5 more on the listing page
Haulest tools 8
estimate_moving_costReturns Haulest's research planning range (low and high, with currency) for a household move in the United States, Canada, or the United Kingdom, from home size and distance. Pass a distance band, a mileage, or an origin and destination; the tool resolves the distance from stored route data where it can. The range is compiled from published industry tables and public quotes, not a bid from a mover. Use it when someone asks what a move might cost.get_route_factsFacts about a city-to-city moving lane that Haulest has a route page for: driving miles and hours, the research cost range by home size, how many households moved between the two states in the latest Census flow, and the page URL. Covers the main US, Canadian, and UK lanes. Use it when someone names both ends of a move; returns a clear not-covered message otherwise.find_moversLists moving companies Haulest holds dated, attributed reviews for in a city, state, province, or country (US, Canada, UK), with the average rating, the number of reviews on record, the newest review date, the USDOT number where there is one, and the profile URL. Ratings are means of real reviews on record; Haulest does not rank companies by payment. Use it when someone wants movers in a place; follow with the profile tool for one company.get_mover_profileOne moving company in detail from its Haulest profile: rating and review counts, the three newest dated reviews, licence identifiers (USDOT, MC) with the live FMCSA authority and insurance summary when available, the company's own phone number from a public record, what reviewers paid, short checkable strengths and questions to ask, and the profile URL. Use it after find_movers or when someone names a company that has a Haulest page.check_mover_licenceLooks a moving company up in the official register: for the United States, the FMCSA census by USDOT, MC, or legal name, with live operating authority, insurance on file, and safety rating when available; for the United Kingdom, Companies House by name or number. Returns the official record URL to confirm on. For Canada it explains the provincial checks instead. Use it before anyone pays a deposit or when a quote names a USDOT.search_moving_guidesSearches Haulest's written guides, calculators, and checklists about hiring movers, estimates, deposits, consumer rights (US interstate rules, UK and Canadian practice), packing, and timing. Returns each match's title, one-paragraph answer, and URL. Use it for how-to and what-does-this-mean questions about moving.get_moving_checklistReturns one of Haulest's checklists in full, grouped by section: the 8-week countdown, moving day, the first-night box, change of address for the US, Canada, or UK, or the 12-week international list. Use it when someone wants a to-do list for a move.request_moving_quotesSubmits a quote request to Haulest so licensed movers can call and email the person with written estimates for the move. Haulest is not a carrier; it introduces the request to movers through its lead desk, and in the US and UK the desk may phone within minutes. Call this only after the person has given their name, phone, and email for this purpose and has explicitly agreed to be contacted (consent must be true); confirm the details back to them first. Each call creates one request; a repeat with the same phone or email within a day is recognised and not duplicated. Returns a request reference and what happens next.
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.
Filesystem
{
"mcpServers": {
"filesystem": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@modelcontextprotocol/server-filesystem"
]
}
}
}
Haulest
{
"mcpServers": {
"haulest": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"haulest-mcp"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Filesystem is categorized under File Systems and uses a local stdio subprocess. Haulest belongs to Travel & Transportation and uses a remote HTTP/SSE transport. Pick Filesystem for file systems work and Haulest for travel & transportation.
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.
Filesystem is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. Haulest is listed as free. Auth: no auth required. 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 filesystem and haulest as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Filesystem has a quality signal of 85/100 (Excellent) with 11 views, 0 installs and 91,540 GitHub stars. Haulest has 69/100 (Great) with 0 views, 0 installs and 1 GitHub stars.