What is the key difference between Gmail and Slack Connect?

Gmail belongs to the Communication category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution, while Slack Connect belongs to the Communication category with cloud HTTP/SSE execution.

How do I install Gmail or Slack Connect 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 Gmail and Slack Connect free or paid?

Gmail operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required). Slack Connect operates under a Free / Open Source model (No auth required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Gmail lists 0 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars. Slack Connect lists 5 tools with 0 views and 0 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Gmail and Slack Connect 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

Gmail vs Slack Connect

In-depth architectural comparison of the Gmail and Slack Connect 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

Gmail

Communication · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 29/100 (Emerging) | Auth: No auth required

Slack Connect

Communication · Remote HTTP/SSE

Quality: 45/100 (Fair) | Auth: No auth required

Verdict Summary: Choose Gmail if you need specialized Communication tools running via a hosted cloud SSE transport. Choose Slack Connect if your workspace requires Communication integration with remote web transport. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Gmail when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Communication domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).

Explore Gmail Details

Choose Slack Connect when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Communication domain.
You prefer remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: No auth required (Free / Open Source).
Primary tools included: slack_list_channels, slack_channel_history, slack_send_message.

Explore Slack Connect Details

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Gmail Communication	S Slack Connect Communication
Summary	Gmail MCP Pack	Slack MCP Pack
Category & Scope	Communication	Communication
Quality signal

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Gmail Tools (0)

No explicit tool names declared in metadata yet. Check project README on main listing page.

Slack Connect Tools (5)

slack_list_channels

List channels in the Slack workspace. Returns channel names, IDs, and metadata.

slack_channel_history

Get message history from a Slack channel. Bot auto-joins the channel if needed.

slack_send_message

Send a message to a Slack channel. Bot auto-joins the channel if needed.

slack_list_users

List users in the Slack workspace. Returns user profiles, IDs, and status.

slack_join_channel

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).

Gmail Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "gmail-4": {
      "url": "https://pipeworx.io"
    }
  }
}

Slack Connect Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "slack-connect": {
      "url": "https://pipeworx.io"
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Gmail is categorized under Communication and uses a remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. In contrast, Slack Connect belongs to Communication using remote streaming HTTP/SSE transport. Select Gmail when you need capabilities focused on communication and Slack Connect when you require tools for communication.

More alternatives to Gmail More alternatives to Slack Connect Communication category hub