Google Sheets MCP vs Sheets MCP
A side-by-side look at the Google Sheets MCP and Sheets MCP MCP servers: transport, auth, tools, quality signals, and the config to install either one in Claude, Cursor, Windsurf or VS Code.
Verdict: choose Google Sheets MCP for workplace & productivity work as a local process; choose Sheets MCP for workplace & productivity as a local process. You can also run both side by side in one mcpServers block.
Which MCP server should you choose?
Choose Google Sheets MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Workplace & Productivity domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: OAuth 2.0.
- You have the keys it needs:
GOOGLE_SHEETS_CLIENT_ID, GOOGLE_SHEETS_CLIENT_SECRET, GOOGLE_SHEETS_REFRESH_TOKEN. - You want tools like
auth_status, setup_instructions, set_client.
Choose Sheets MCP when
- You need dedicated capabilities in the Workplace & Productivity domain.
- You prefer a local stdio subprocess transport.
- Its auth model fits you: OAuth 2.0.
- You want tools like
google_accounts, find_spreadsheet, create_spreadsheet.
Feature & specification comparison
Rows where the two servers differ are marked.
| Spec | ||
|---|---|---|
| Category | Workplace & Productivity | Workplace & Productivity |
| Quality signal | 63/100 · Good | 68/100 · Great |
| Install command | Confirmed | Confirmed |
| Transport | Local subprocess (stdio) | Local subprocess (stdio) |
| Auth | OAuth 2.0 | OAuth 2.0 |
| Pricing | Free | Free |
| Required env vars | GOOGLE_SHEETS_CLIENT_IDGOOGLE_SHEETS_CLIENT_SECRETGOOGLE_SHEETS_REFRESH_TOKEN | None listed |
| Verified owner | Community listing | Community listing |
| GitHub stars | 1 | 36 |
| Directory activity | 0 views 0 installs 0 upvotes | 16 views 0 installs 0 upvotes |
| Tools | 26 | 29 |
| Full listing | View Google Sheets MCP | View Sheets MCP |
Tools & capabilities
Google Sheets MCP tools 26
auth_statusShows whether this server is connected to Google: token presence and source (env variables or a stored in-chat login), expiry, the Google account email, granted vs missing OAuth scopes, where the credentials file lives and where the OAuth client comes from. Makes no network calls and never returns the token itself. Call it first when other tools report the server is not connected.setup_instructionsStep-by-step checklist for connecting this server to Google: creating a Google Cloud project and a Desktop-app OAuth client, publishing the consent screen (mandatory — Testing-mode refresh tokens die after 7 days), downloading the client JSON and handing its PATH to set_client. Works without any credentials; the checklist shortens to 'enable the API + log in' when an OAuth client is already configured (one client serves the whole mcp-google-* line). Never asks the user to paste secrets into the chat.set_clientSaves the OAuth client credentials from the JSON file downloaded from Google Cloud Console ('Download JSON' on a Desktop-app client). Pass the file PATH — the secret must never be pasted into the chat. The client is stored once in the shared ~/.config/mcp-google-auth/client.json (owner-only) and reused by every mcp-google-* server; tokens stay per-server. After this, call start_login.start_loginFirst step of connecting from the chat, without editing config files or restarting the client. Returns authorizeUrl — show it to the user as a clickable link and ask them to open it in the browser ON THIS MACHINE, pick the Google account and approve access. A one-shot listener on 127.0.0.1 catches Google's redirect; the code is exchanged locally and never passes through the chat. Does not open the browser itself. The attempt lives 10 minutes; when the browser shows the success page, call finish_login.finish_loginSecond step: waits up to 20 s for the browser consent to finish, saves the tokens to an owner-only file and verifies the login with a read-only identity call, returning the account email and the granted scopes. After success every tool works immediately — no client restart. If the user granted only part of the requested permissions, the login is still saved and missingScopes lists what will not work. Logging in under a different Google account replaces the previous login (its refresh token is revoked best-effort) and the response carries previousAccountEmail so the change never goes unnoticed.logoutRevokes the stored token at Google (oauth2.googleapis.com/revoke) and deletes the local credentials file. Tokens supplied via env variables are NOT touched — remove them from the MCP client config manually; envTokenStillSet in the response says whether any are still in effect.create_spreadsheetCreates a new Google Sheets spreadsheet and returns it: spreadsheetId, spreadsheetUrl, properties (title, locale, timeZone) and sheets[] with each sheet's numeric sheetId. sheet_titles creates one tab per title in order (omitted = a single default "Sheet1"). The file lands in the authorized user's My Drive root — moving it into a folder needs the Drive API, which this server does not cover. Save the returned spreadsheetId: the Sheets API has no list endpoint of its own (search_spreadsheets exists, but it needs a Drive scope on the token).get_spreadsheetReturns the spreadsheet's structure: properties (title, locale, timeZone), sheets[] with properties (sheetId, title, index, gridProperties incl. rowCount/columnCount and frozenRowCount/frozenColumnCount), plus each sheet's protectedRanges, conditionalFormats, tables and charts, and the spreadsheet's namedRanges. Call this FIRST whenever a structural tool needs a sheetId, protectedRangeId, tableId, chartId or a conditional-format rule index — titles are not addresses. By default no cell data is returned; include_grid_data=true (optionally limited to ranges) embeds cells but is heavy — prefer read_values for data. fields is a partial-response mask to trim the payload, e.g. "sheets.properties".search_spreadsheetsFinds Google Sheets spreadsheets the authorized user can open (own files and shared drives; trashed files are excluded): id, name, createdTime, modifiedTime, owners and webViewLink per file, newest-modified first by default. name_contains filters by name substring; omit it to list everything. Paginate with page_token from nextPageToken. This is the one read that goes through the Drive API internally, so the OAuth token needs a Drive scope (drive, drive.readonly or drive.file for app-created files) — with only the spreadsheets scope it fails with 403 while every other tool still works.read_valuesReads one or more A1 ranges in a single call (one request against the quota, however many ranges) and returns valueRanges[] — each with its resolved range and a 2-D values array (outer = rows unless major_dimension=COLUMNS). Trailing empty rows/columns are omitted; a fully empty range has no values key at all. value_render_option: FORMATTED_VALUE (default, strings as displayed, honoring the cell's number format and locale), UNFORMATTED_VALUE (raw numbers/booleans), FORMULA (the formula text, e.g. "=SUM(A1:A10)" — the way to read formulas). With UNFORMATTED_VALUE, dates arrive as serial numbers unless date_time_render_option=FORMATTED_STRING.write_valuesOverwrites one A1 range with a 2-D values matrix (rows first) and returns updatedRange/updatedRows/updatedColumns/updatedCells. The matrix is anchored at the range's top-left corner; cells beyond the matrix keep their old content, and a null entry skips (does not clear) that cell — use clear_values to empty cells. value_input_option USER_ENTERED (default) parses input like typing in the UI: "=SUM(A1:A10)" becomes a live formula, "1,234" and "2026-01-15" become number/date per the spreadsheet locale; RAW stores everything as literal values. For several ranges use batch_write_values (one quota unit instead of N).batch_write_valuesOverwrites several A1 ranges in ONE call — one write against the per-minute quota instead of one per range, so always prefer this over looping write_values. data is a list of {range, values} pairs; all are written with the same value_input_option (USER_ENTERED parses formulas/numbers/dates, RAW stores literally). Returns totalUpdatedCells and a per-range responses[] breakdown. Like write_values, null entries skip cells rather than clearing them.- +14 more on the listing page
Sheets MCP tools 29
google_accountsManage the Google accounts Sheets MCP can use. list: show signed-in accounts and the default. add: sign in to a Google account (opens a browser sign-in; also use this when a sign-in has expired). remove: sign an account out and revoke access. set_default: choose the account used for new spreadsheets.find_spreadsheetFind a spreadsheet by name among the ones the user has opened or created with Sheets MCP before (the list is kept on their computer). Use it when the user names a sheet instead of pasting a link, e.g. "my budget sheet". It can't search the rest of their Google Drive: if nothing matches, ask for the link. Leave query empty to list the most recent.create_spreadsheetCreate a new Google Sheets spreadsheet.get_spreadsheet_infoGet a spreadsheet's title, tabs (sizes, frozen rows/cols), charts (ids, types, data ranges), named ranges, and the first few rows of each tab. Call this first to understand a sheet's layout.read_rangeRead cell contents from a range, or its formatting with mode "formats". Large ranges are truncated; use next_range to continue.read_rangesRead several ranges in one call, across any tabs. Faster than calling read_range repeatedly. Each range is truncated to its share of max_cells; use its next_range with read_range to continue.write_rangeWrite values and/or formulas starting at the top-left cell of the range. Input is parsed like typing into the UI (formulas, dates, percentages work). Previous contents are saved for undo_last. Returns any formula errors found after writing.fill_rangeFill cells from a source block, like dragging the fill handle or pasting onto a bigger selection: the source's formulas (relative references shift), values and formatting repeat across the destination. Use it after writing one row or column of formulas to extend them across a table, instead of sending every column. With continue_series, patterns continue instead (1, 2, 3 → 4, 5, 6; Jan → Feb; dates). The destination's previous contents are saved for undo_last. Returns any formula errors found after filling.append_rowsAppend rows after the last row of data in a table (detected from the given range or tab).clear_rangeClear values and formulas in a range (formatting is kept). Previous contents are saved for undo_last.find_replaceFind and replace text across a tab or the whole spreadsheet. Not undoable - consider read_range first.undo_lastUndo the most recent write_range, append_rows, or clear_range made through this server (restores values/formulas only, not formatting or structure). History is kept in memory until the server restarts.- +17 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.
Google Sheets MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"google-sheets-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@a1-x-tech/mcp-google-sheets@latest"
],
"env": {
"GOOGLE_SHEETS_CLIENT_ID": "YOUR_GOOGLE_SHEETS_CLIENT_ID_HERE",
"GOOGLE_SHEETS_CLIENT_SECRET": "YOUR_GOOGLE_SHEETS_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE",
"GOOGLE_SHEETS_REFRESH_TOKEN": "YOUR_GOOGLE_SHEETS_REFRESH_TOKEN_HERE"
}
}
}
}
Sheets MCP
{
"mcpServers": {
"sheets-mcp": {
"command": "npx",
"args": [
"-y",
"@sheetsmcp/server"
]
}
}
}
Frequently asked questions
Google Sheets MCP is categorized under Workplace & Productivity and uses a local stdio subprocess. Sheets MCP belongs to Workplace & Productivity and uses a local stdio subprocess. Pick Google Sheets MCP for workplace & productivity work and Sheets MCP for workplace & productivity.
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.
Google Sheets MCP is listed as free. Auth: oauth 2.0. Sheets MCP is listed as free. Auth: oauth 2.0. 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 google-sheets-mcp and sheets-mcp as separate keys in the same mcpServers object, and your assistant will call tools from either one.
On AllMCPs, Google Sheets MCP has a quality signal of 63/100 (Good) with 0 views, 0 installs and 1 GitHub stars. Sheets MCP has 68/100 (Great) with 16 views, 0 installs and 36 GitHub stars.