What is the key difference between Unsplash MCP Server and Unsplash MCP?

Unsplash MCP Server belongs to the Search & Data Extraction category with local stdio execution, while Unsplash MCP belongs to the Search & Data Extraction category with local stdio execution.

How do I install Unsplash MCP Server or Unsplash MCP 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 Unsplash MCP Server and Unsplash MCP free or paid?

Unsplash MCP Server operates under a BYOK (Pay Provider Direct) model (API Key required). Unsplash MCP operates under a BYOK (Pay Provider Direct) model (API Key required).

Which MCP server has more tools and community activity?

Unsplash MCP Server lists 21 tools with 2 views and 2 GitHub stars. Unsplash MCP lists 3 tools with 2 views and 28 GitHub stars.

Can I use both Unsplash MCP Server and Unsplash MCP 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

Unsplash MCP Server vs Unsplash MCP

In-depth architectural comparison of the Unsplash MCP Server and Unsplash MCP 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

Unsplash MCP Server

Search & Data Extraction · Local stdio

Quality: 56/100 (Good) | Auth: API Key required

Unsplash MCP

Search & Data Extraction · Local stdio

Quality: 41/100 (Fair) | Auth: API Key required

Verdict Summary: Choose Unsplash MCP Server if you need specialized Search & Data Extraction tools running via a local process. Choose Unsplash MCP if your workspace requires Search & Data Extraction integration with local subprocess execution. Both servers can be configured concurrently in your client's mcpServers manifest.

Which MCP Server Should You Choose?

Choose Unsplash MCP Server when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Search & Data Extraction domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (BYOK (Pay Provider Direct)).
You have access to required keys: UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY, UNSPLASH_APP_NAME, UNSPLASH_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID, UNSPLASH_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET, UNSPLASH_OAUTH_REDIRECT_URI, UNSPLASH_OAUTH_REFRESH_TOKEN.
Primary tools included: unsplash_random_photo, unsplash_list_photos, unsplash_get_photo.

Explore Unsplash MCP Server Details

Choose Unsplash MCP when:

You need dedicated capabilities in the Search & Data Extraction domain.
You prefer local stdio subprocess transport architecture.
Your security boundary fits: API Key required (BYOK (Pay Provider Direct)).

Feature & Specification Comparison

Specification	Unsplash MCP Server hanoak Search & Data Extraction	Unsplash MCP cevatkerim Search & Data Extraction
Summary	Unsplash API server exposing 21 tools across photos, search, users, collections, topics, and stats. Ships Unsplash-guideline compliance built in — ready-to-use attribution with UTM parameters, a download-tracking tool, rate-limit surfacing, and contentfilter=high by default. Install via npx -y @hanoak/unsplash-mcp-server.	Unsplash photo search with proper attribution. Returns ready-to-use attribution text and HTML for each photo, making it easy for LLMs to build content pages with properly credited images. Includes search, random photos, and download tracking.
Category & Scope

Tools & Capabilities Breakdown

Unsplash MCP Server Tools (21)

unsplash_random_photo

portrait`\

unsplash_list_photos

The latest featured photos, paginated.

unsplash_get_photo

A single photo by ID or slug, full detail.

unsplash_photo_statistics

Download/view totals for a photo over N days.

unsplash_track_download

Registers a download on real use; returns a fresh, usable download URL.

unsplash_search_photos

editorial`\

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).

Unsplash MCP Server Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "hanoak-unsplash-mcp-server": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "@hanoak/unsplash-mcp-server"
      ],
      "env": {
        "UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY": "YOUR_UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY_HERE",
        "UNSPLASH_APP_NAME": "YOUR_UNSPLASH_APP_NAME_HERE",
        "UNSPLASH_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID": "YOUR_UNSPLASH_OAUTH_CLIENT_ID_HERE",
        "UNSPLASH_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET": "YOUR_UNSPLASH_OAUTH_CLIENT_SECRET_HERE",
        "UNSPLASH_OAUTH_REDIRECT_URI": "YOUR_UNSPLASH_OAUTH_REDIRECT_URI_HERE",
        "UNSPLASH_OAUTH_REFRESH_TOKEN": "YOUR_UNSPLASH_OAUTH_REFRESH_TOKEN_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Unsplash MCP Configuration

mcpServers (Claude Desktop / Cursor)

{
  "mcpServers": {
    "cevatkerim-unsplash-mcp": {
      "command": "npx",
      "args": [
        "-y",
        "cevatkerim-unsplash-mcp"
      ],
      "env": {
        "UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY": "YOUR_UNSPLASH_ACCESS_KEY_HERE"
      }
    }
  }
}

Frequently Asked Questions

Unsplash MCP Server is categorized under Search & Data Extraction and uses a local stdio subprocess. In contrast, Unsplash MCP belongs to Search & Data Extraction using local stdio subprocess. Select Unsplash MCP Server when you need capabilities focused on search & data extraction and Unsplash MCP when you require tools for search & data extraction.

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