Firecrawl MCP Server vs Galaxy MCP
A side-by-side look at the Firecrawl MCP Server and Galaxy MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Firecrawl MCP Server for search & data extraction work as a local process; choose Galaxy MCP for biology & bioinformatics as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Firecrawl MCP Server when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Search & Data Extraction domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: API key required.
- You have the keys it needs:
FIRECRAWL_API_KEY, HTTP_STREAMABLE_SERVER. - You want tools like
firecrawl_scrape, firecrawl_map, firecrawl_search.
Choose Galaxy MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Biology & Bioinformatics domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- You want tools like
connect, search_tools_by_name, get_tool_details.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Search & Data Extraction | Biology & Bioinformatics |
| Quality signal | 90/100 · Excellent | 61/100 · Good |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | API key required | Not declared |
| Pricing | Freemium | Not declared |
| Required env vars | FIRECRAWL_API_KEYHTTP_STREAMABLE_SERVER | None listed |
| Verified owner | Verified | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 7,673 | 39 |
| Directory activity | 14 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 1 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 25 | 48 |
| Full listing | View Firecrawl MCP Server | View Galaxy MCP |
Tools & capabilities
Firecrawl MCP Server tools 25
firecrawl_scrapeRetrieve and extract content from one supplied URL through Firecrawl. Use this when the request identifies a page and needs its content or defined fields. It can return markdown, HTML, links, screenshots, branding data, a targeted answer, or JSON matching a supplied schema; JSON is useful when the requested result has defined fields, while markdown preserves readable page content. This tool operates on a known page. For a set of pages use `firecrawl_crawl`, and to discover page URLs use `firecrawl_map` or `firecrawl_search`. Options include JavaScript render delay, cache age, main-content filtering, PII redaction, and lockdown cache-only retrieval. Browser actions may change the live page when interactive actions are enabled. Firecrawl may reuse recently indexed content instead of refetching the page, and the reuse window varies by domain. Set `maxAge: 0` to force a live fetch, or a smaller `maxAge` to bound how stale reused content may be. A successful response does not by itself confirm that the state it describes is still current. Returns the selected content formats and page metadata.firecrawl_mapEnumerate URLs indexed under one website through Firecrawl without fetching each page's content. Use this when the request asks for a site's URL inventory, when several relevant pages must be located, or when the desired page URL is unknown. An optional `search` term narrows the URL list, while sitemap, subdomain, query-parameter, and result-limit options control coverage. Returns matching URLs rather than page bodies. Retrieve one page with `firecrawl_scrape`; collect content across multiple pages with `firecrawl_crawl`.firecrawl_searchSearch web, news, or image sources and return ranked results. Operators include quoted phrases, `-term`, `site:host`, `inurl:term`, `intitle:term`, and `related:host`; the set is non-exhaustive. `includeDomains` and `excludeDomains` are mutually exclusive hostname filters; categories limit results to GitHub, research, PDF, or developer sources. For a programming question, add `categories: ["developer"]`. It searches an index of GitHub issues, merged pull requests, repository READMEs, and curated documentation sites, and returns the hits in `data.developer` beside the web results. `categories: ["research"]` restricts these web results to research-affiliated websites and returns page snippets. The `firecrawl_research_*` tools are a separate surface that searches paper abstracts and full text across biomedical (PubMed, bioRxiv, medRxiv) and arXiv literature. `scrapeOptions` can attach extracted page content; pages fetched this way use a fixed reuse window and ignore `maxAge`, so use `firecrawl_scrape` when a live fetch is required. Returns source-type result groups and usage metadata. Authenticated responses can include an `id` for optional search feedback.firecrawl_crawlStart a multi-page crawl at a website URL, poll it to a terminal state, and return the final status and collected data. Scope can be bounded with include/exclude paths, depth, page limit, subdomain/external-link controls, sitemap handling, delay, and scrape options. Crawl results can be large; use conservative limits when full-site coverage is unnecessary. Webhooks and interactive scrape actions are unavailable in safe mode. Returns the crawl ID, status, and page data.firecrawl_check_crawl_statusRetrieve the current status, progress, and available results for an existing crawl ID. This only reads Firecrawl job state and does not start or modify the crawl.firecrawl_extractDeprecated compatibility entry point. Use firecrawl_scrape once per known URL with formats: ["json"] and jsonOptions containing the prompt and schema. Use firecrawl_search or firecrawl_agent before Scrape when URLs are not known.firecrawl_agentStart an asynchronous web research job from a prompt, optional seed URLs, and an optional JSON schema. Use this for a requested synthesis across multiple sources when the task can wait for asynchronous completion. The agent can search, navigate, read pages, and assemble a structured result. This call returns only a job ID, not the research result. Read the job with `firecrawl_agent_status` until it reaches `completed` or `failed`; research commonly takes several minutes. If the job cannot finish within the task's available time, `firecrawl_search` and `firecrawl_scrape` can gather evidence synchronously.firecrawl_agent_statusRetrieve progress or final results for a `firecrawl_agent` job ID. A `processing` response is non-terminal and does not contain the final research result. Check again after 15–30 seconds until the status is `completed` or `failed`; complex jobs can take several minutes. If the job cannot finish within the task's available time, use `firecrawl_search` and `firecrawl_scrape` to complete the requested output. Returns job status, progress information, and result data when completed.firecrawl_interactOpen or reuse a live browser session to navigate a page, click controls, fill fields, or run browser code. Provide either `url` or `scrapeId`, and either a natural-language `prompt` or executable `code`; code can run as Bash, Python, or Node with a bounded timeout. This acts on the live site, so actions such as form submission can create persistent external side effects. Returns execution output, stdout/stderr, exit status, and session viewing URLs.firecrawl_interact_stopStop the live interact session associated with a `scrapeId` and release its resources. Returns a success confirmation.firecrawl_parseParse one supported document into markdown, HTML, links, summary, targeted answers, or JSON matching a schema. Supported inputs include common HTML, PDF, Word, RTF, OpenDocument, and spreadsheet files; PDF parsing can be bounded with `pdfOptions.maxPages`. Local MCP reads `filePath` from the server filesystem. Hosted MCP uses two calls: first provide `filePath` to receive upload instructions, upload locally, then call again with the returned `uploadRef`; do not send both fields together. Remote web URLs belong in `firecrawl_scrape`. Set `redactPII` to request redaction of personally identifiable information in the returned content. `zeroDataRetention` requires an eligible authenticated account; omit it for anonymous keyless use. Returns upload instructions for hosted phase one or parsed document content for the final call.firecrawl_monitor_createCreate a recurring scrape, crawl, or search monitor that compares each check with its retained predecessor. The simple form accepts `page`/`pages` or `queries` plus a plain-language `goal`; the advanced `body` form controls targets, schedule, change-tracking formats, judging, retention, webhook, and notifications. In the simple form, a `goal` is required. If `queries` contains one or more non-empty values and is supplied with `page`/`pages`, `queries` create the search target and page targets are ignored. A monitor schedules future network checks and can send configured email or webhook notifications. Returns the created monitor.- +13 more on the listing page
Galaxy MCP tools 48
connectConnect to Galaxy serversearch_tools_by_nameSearch Galaxy tools whose name, ID, or description contains the given query (substring match). Results are paginated. pagination.total_items is how many tools matched in total; pagination.next_offset is where the next page starts (None on the last page). RECOMMENDED WORKFLOW: 1. Use this function to find tools by name/keyword 2. Review the returned tool IDs and names 3. Call get_tool_details(tool_id) for full input parameters 4. Call run_tool() with the correct inputsget_tool_detailsGet detailed information about a specific tool including its input parameters. RECOMMENDED WORKFLOW: 1. First find tools using search_tools_by_name() or get_tool_panel() 2. Call this function with io_details=True to see all input parameters 3. Use the inputs schema to construct the inputs dict for run_tool()get_tool_run_examplesReturn the exact XML test definitions (inputs, outputs, assertions, required files) for a Galaxy tool so an LLM can study real, working run configurations.get_tool_input_templateReturn a ready-to-fill ``inputs`` skeleton for a tool, plus a compact schema. Call this before run_tool when you are unsure how to shape ``inputs``. Replace placeholders (e.g. ``<dataset_id>``) with real values. Repeats show one instance (``name_0|...``); duplicate with ``name_1|...`` to add more. The flattened-key convention is ``section|param``, ``cond|selector``, ``repeat_0|param``.get_tool_citationsGet citation information for a specific toolrun_toolRun a Galaxy tool on datasets in a history. RECOMMENDED WORKFLOW: 1. Create or select a history: create_history() or get_histories() 2. Upload data: upload_file() or upload_file_from_url() 3. Get tool parameters: get_tool_details(tool_id, io_details=True) 4. Call this function with properly formatted inputs 5. Monitor job: get_job_details() or check history contentsget_tool_panelBrowse the Galaxy tool panel (toolbox) one level at a time. The whole panel is megabytes on a production server, so it is never returned whole. Called with no arguments this lists the top-level entries - each section with the number of tools in it, plus any tools that sit outside a section. Pass section_id to list the tools in one section.create_historyCreate a new history to organize datasets and analyses. A history is the primary workspace in Galaxy. Create a new history for each distinct project or analysis to keep your work organized. RECOMMENDED WORKFLOW: 1. Create a history with a descriptive name 2. Upload your input data: upload_file() or upload_file_from_url() 3. Run tools on the data: run_tool() 4. View results: get_history_contents()update_historyUpdate an existing Galaxy history's metadata. Any combination of name, annotation, tags, deleted, and published can be updated in a single call. Fields left as None are not modified.search_tools_by_keywordsRecommend Galaxy tools based on a list of keywords. Matches on name and description first, then on accepted input formats, and keeps that order so paging is stable. Results are paginated: pagination.total_items is the full match count, pagination.next_offset is where the next page starts. Expensive: finding the format matches costs one detail lookup per tool that did not match by name, and every page repeats the whole scan. Prefer search_tools_by_name when a name or description substring will do.get_server_infoGet Galaxy server information including version, URL, and configuration details Also reports which tools this server is too old to run, in `unsupported_tools`, and whether its version could be read at all, in `version_known` -- an empty `unsupported_tools` means nothing is ruled out only when `version_known` is true. Returns: GalaxyResult with server information in data field- +36 more on the listing page
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.
Firecrawl MCP Server
{
"mcpServers": {
"firecrawl-firecrawl-mcp-server": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"firecrawl-mcp"
],
"env": {
"FIRECRAWL_API_KEY": "YOUR_FIRECRAWL_API_KEY_HERE",
"HTTP_STREAMABLE_SERVER": "YOUR_HTTP_STREAMABLE_SERVER_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Galaxy MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"galaxy-mcp": {
"command": "uvx",
"args": [
"galaxy-mcp"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Firecrawl MCP Server is categorized under Search & Data Extraction and uses a local stdio subprocess. Galaxy MCP belongs to Biology & Bioinformatics and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Firecrawl MCP Server for search & data extraction work and Galaxy MCP for biology & bioinformatics.
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.
Firecrawl MCP Server is listed as freemium — a free tier with paid plans. Auth: api key required. Galaxy MCP 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 firecrawl-firecrawl-mcp-server and galaxy-mcp as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Firecrawl MCP Server has a quality signal of 90/100 (Excellent) with 14 views, 0 installs and 7,673 GitHub stars. Galaxy MCP has 61/100 (Good) with 1 views, 0 installs and 39 GitHub stars.